About the song
If you are a fan of classic pop songs, you might be familiar with the catchy tune “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” by B. J. Thomas. This song was written by the legendary duo of Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The song won an Oscar for Best Original Song and became a huge hit, reaching No. 1 on the charts in the US, Canada and Norway.
In this blog post, I will provide some detailed information about this song, its history, its meaning and its legacy. I will not present or add lyrics to the article, as you can easily find them online or listen to the song yourself.
The song was composed by Bacharach, who also produced it with David. They were hired by the film’s director, George Roy Hill, who wanted a contemporary pop song for the soundtrack. The song was recorded by Thomas, who had previously worked with Bacharach and David on some of his hits, such as “Hooked on a Feeling” and “I Just Can’t Help Believing”.
The song is a cheerful and optimistic expression of overcoming troubles and worries, as the narrator says that “it won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me”. The song was inspired by Bacharach’s own personal struggles at the time, as he was going through a divorce and a lawsuit with his former partner. He later said that he wrote the song as a way of cheering himself up.
The song was featured in a memorable scene in the film, where Newman’s character, Butch Cassidy, rides a bicycle with his girlfriend, Etta Place, played by Katharine Ross. The scene was filmed in Zion National Park in Utah, and it was one of the first times that a pop song was used in a Western film. Some critics and viewers felt that the song was out of place and anachronistic for the film’s setting and tone, but Hill defended his choice, saying that he wanted to create a contrast between the modern song and the old-fashioned story.
The song was a huge success, both commercially and critically. It sold over 2 million copies and became Thomas’ biggest hit. It also won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, beating out other nominees such as “Come Saturday Morning” from The Sterile Cuckoo and “Jean” from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. The song also received two Grammy nominations for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Male and Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.
The song has been covered by many artists over the years, such as Andy Williams, Perry Como, Dionne Warwick, Barry Manilow, Johnny Mathis, Sacha Distel and more. It has also been featured in many other films and TV shows, such as Forrest Gump, Spider-Man 2, The Simpsons, Family Guy and more. The song is considered one of the most iconic pop songs of all time, and it has been ranked among the best songs in American cinema by various sources.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” by B. J. Thomas. If you want to learn more about this song or listen to it again, you can find it on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music or other streaming platforms. You can also check out some of the sources I used for this article below.
Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day!
Oldies Music