The lead actor of the film for which it was intended didn’t like the song at all. Neither did the first artist approached to sing it. Radio stations initially balked at the finished product, what with its old-timey sound seeming out of place as the 1960s turned into the ’70s.
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In the face of all that opposition, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and performed by B.J. Thomas, soared to the top of the charts. And it still stands as one of the memorable songs ever composed for an American motion picture.
Burt Holds His Ground
Considering his status as one of the most successful pop music composers of the ’60s, it’s strange to imagine the pushback Burt Bacharach received as he tried to get “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” off the ground. As the guy responsible for the score of the western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, he was asked for a specific piece of music for a scene involving a pair of lovers taking a bike ride.
Initially, it was suggested the music should be instrumental-only, but Bacharach thought a pop song with lyrics would fit better. He came up with the title first, which was a bit unusual for him since he usually ceded all the lyrics to his writing partner Hal David. David initially tried to get Bacharach to ditch the title, but the composer stuck to his guns, and David relented and came up with the lyrics for the rest of the song.
Bacharach also knew that he wanted ukulele and tack piano to lead the way with the instrumentation. Redford didn’t feel like the song fit the tone of the scene at all. But director George Roy Hill liked it, so that cinched its inclusion. Now, all that was needed was an artist to perform it.
The Second Choice Nails It
The initial choice to record “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”? That would be Ray Stevens. He was known at the time, at least in the mainstream, for comedy songs like “Gitarzan.” Stevens turned down the opportunity to record the song. (Things turned out OK for him when he scored a No. 1 in 1970 with the joke-free “Everything Is Beautiful.”)
Bacharach didn’t know much about B.J. Thomas when he was suggested as a replacement. Thomas had already proven himself as an interpreter with hit covers of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” and “Hooked on a Feeling.” Nonetheless, Bacharach put him through his paces, demanding Thomas sing the melody without embellishing too much.
For the final word in the song (me), Bacharach let Thomas improvise a bit, and his flourish impressed the composer. Thomas first recorded a version for the soundtrack, and then did a separate take for release as a single. It was this version that was released in late 1969 in conjunction with the film, and it became the first U.S. No. 1 of the decade when it went to the top of the charts in January 1970.
What is the Meaning of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”?
“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” promotes the value of looking at the bright side, even in the face of endless slights and struggles. Hal David’s descriptions are evocative without being overly complex. For example, check the first verse: And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed / Nothing seems to fit.
The weather-related doldrums cause the narrator to take action: So I just did me some talking to the sun / And said that I didn’t like the way he got things done / Sleeping on the job. But he remains positive somehow: The blues they send to meet me / Won’t defeat me, it won’t be long / Till happiness steps up to greet me.
‘Cause I’m never gonna stop the rain by complaining, the narrator realizes. It’s an ideal outlook for this particular song. After all, a lot of people complained about “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” originally, only for its quaint qualities to prove them all wrong and charm the world.
Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
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