Songs from the Rain
| Songs from the Rain | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1993 | |||
| Length | 51:51 | |||
| Label | London | |||
| Producer | Stewart Levine | |||
| Hothouse Flowers chronology | ||||
| ||||
Songs from the Rain is the third studio album by the Irish rock band Hothouse Flowers,[1][2] released in 1993.[3]
The album peaked at No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart[4] and No. 1 on the Irish Albums Chart. The band promoted it by playing the Another Roadside Attraction festival, and then opening for Midnight Oil.[5][6]
Production
The album was produced by Stewart Levine.[7] Two of its songs were cowritten with Dave Stewart; Will Jennings also contributed to Songs from the Rain.[8][9]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [11] |
| The Indianapolis Star |  [12] |
| Los Angeles Times | [13] |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer | [14] |
Rolling Stone wrote: "Like Simple Minds, another spiritually inspired act that succumbed to bombast, Hothouse Flowers seem unsure how to express their religiosity without alienating a potential new audience."[15] The Edmonton Journal determined that the album "captures the essence of contemporary Irish soul."[16] The Chicago Tribune declared that the Hothouse Flowers prove that they remain "among the most emotional, compelling and imaginative of the new Celtic rock bands."[17]
The Los Angeles Times concluded that "the best moments are disarming expressions of faith that are as mystical and spirit-lifting as the works of Van Morrison and the Waterboys."[13] The Guardian noted that "the Flowers have begun mining a potentially rewarding vein of blues-gospel-folk-funk."[18] The Philadelphia Inquirer lamented that "Celtic soul can be a mighty tepid cup of tea."[14]
AllMusic wrote that "while Songs from the Rain is the band's most musically diverse collection, it is hampered by an inconsistent set of material."[10] Hot Press' Pat Carty described the album as "one of the great Irish records".[19]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Hothouse Flowers, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "This Is It (Your Soul)" |
| 3:52 |
| 2. | "One Tongue" | 4:29 | |
| 3. | "An Emotional Time" |
| 4:28 |
| 4. | "Be Good" | 3:53 | |
| 5. | "Good for You" | 4:04 | |
| 6. | "Isn't It Amazing" | 5:50 | |
| 7. | "Thing of Beauty" | 5:27 | |
| 8. | "Your Nature" | 5:08 | |
| 9. | "Spirit of the Land" | 4:18 | |
| 10. | "Gypsy Fair" |
| 3:50 |
| 11. | "Stand Beside Me" | 6:32 |
2025 expanded edition
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "An Emotional Time (Single Version)" (B-side to "An Emotional Time") |
| 3:47 |
| 13. | "Thing of Beauty (Edit)" (B-side to "Thing of Beauty") | 3:55 | |
| 14. | "One Tongue (Single Version)" (B-side to "One Tongue") | 4:04 | |
| 15. | "One Tongue (Remix)" (B-side to "Isn't It Amazing") | 5:16 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Seasons Wheels" (B-side to "An Emotional Time") |
| 5:26 | |
| 2. | "Help Us Make Our Peace" (B-side to "An Emotional Time") | Hothouse Flowers | 4:16 | |
| 3. | "Song of Ecuador" (B-side to "An Emotional Time") | Hothouse Flowers | 4:37 | |
| 4. | "Air From the Hills" (B-side to "An Emotional Time") | Hothouse Flowers | 3:36 | |
| 5. | "Banished Misfortune" (B-side to "An Emotional Time") |
| 2:23 | |
| 6. | "Let the Rhythm Take You Home" (B-side to "An Emotional Time") |
| 3:19 | |
| 7. | "Carry On" (B-side to "One Tongue") |
| 3:28 | |
| 8. | "Thank You for Believing" (B-side to "One Tongue") |
| 4:52 | |
| 9. | "The Rebel" (B-side to "One Tongue") |
| 3:46 | |
| 10. | "Same Song" (B-side to "One Tongue") |
| 4:02 | |
| 11. | "Wish You Everything" (B-side to "One Tongue") |
| 4:14 | |
| 12. | "The Rain" (B-side to "One Tongue") |
| 3:49 | |
| 13. | "Of the People" (B-side to "Isn't It Amazing") |
| 4:26 | |
| 14. | "The Well" (B-side to "Isn't It Amazing") |
| 5:20 | |
| 15. | "Let Him Know" (B-side to "Isn't It Amazing") | Clive Langer | 4:34 | |
| 16. | "Getting Too Much" (B-side to "Isn't Amazing") | 4:38 | ||
| 17. | "Suspicious Minds" (B-side to "This Is It (Your Soul)") | Mark James |
| 5:34 |
| 18. | "Forever Young" (B-side to "This Is It (Your Soul)") | Bob Dylan |
| 5:48 |
Charts
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[20] | 19 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] | 64 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] | 79 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[23] | 1 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[24] | 22 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[25] | 18 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] | 32 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[27] | 7 |
| US Billboard 200[28] | 156 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[29] | Silver | 60,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ "Hothouse Flowers Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ "Picks & pans – Songs from the Rain by Hothouse Flowers". People. Vol. 39, no. 15. April 19, 1993. p. 25.
- ^ Kelly, Christina (March 1993). "Listen up – Songs from the Rain by Hothouse Flowers". Sassy. Vol. 6, no. 1. p. 42.
- ^ "Hothouse Flowers | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ Muretich, James (18 July 1993). "If It's Good For Us It Must Be Good For You: Hothouse Flowers". Calgary Herald. p. B8.
- ^ Renzhofer, Martin (17 September 1993). "Midnight Oil Is Promoting Music, Not Messages, On Tour From Down Under". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. C7.
- ^ Harrison, Tom (16 July 1993). "A Day of Good Music". The Province. p. B32.
- ^ Buckley, Peter (April 9, 2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. ISBN 9781843531050 – via Google Books.
- ^ Jarvey, Paul (12 August 1993). "Flowers' songs rooted in spirituality". Telegram & Gazette. p. C4.
- ^ a b "Songs From The Rain - Hothouse Flowers | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (May 27, 2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958 – via Google Books.
- ^ Penner, Diana (12 April 1993). "Hothouse Flowers 'Songs from the Rain'". The Indianapolis Star. p. C3.
- ^ a b Hilburn, Robert (11 April 1993). "Hothouse Flowers Bloom Again". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. p. 58.
- ^ a b Stark, Karl (13 April 1993). "Hothouse Flowers Songs From the Rain". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E1.
- ^ Manning, Kara (May 27, 1993). "Recordings — Songs from the Rain by Hothouse Flowers". Rolling Stone. No. 657. p. 52.
- ^ Howell, David (30 July 1993). "Soulful sound comes easily to Hothouse Flowers". Edmonton Journal. p. C3.
- ^ Heim, Chris (6 August 1993). "And the Hothouse Flowers (back with its first new album in three years, the recently released 'Songs from the Rain')...". Chicago Tribune. Friday. p. R.
- ^ Mulholland, John (5 May 1993). "MUSIC: Hothouse Flowers Royal Albert Hall". The Guardian. The Guardian Features Page.
- ^ Carty, Pat. "Hothouse Flowers, Let's Do This Thing". Hotpress. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Hothouse Flowers – Songs from the Rain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Hothouse Flowers – Songs from the Rain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Hothouse Flowers – Songs from the Rain" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Hothouse Flowers – Songs from the Rain" (PDF). Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Hothouse Flowers – Songs from the Rain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Hothouse Flowers – Songs from the Rain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Hothouse Flowers – Songs from the Rain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "Billboard 200: Week of April 10, 1993". Billboard. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ "British album certifications – Hothouse Flowers – Songs from the Rain". British Phonographic Industry.