The Cascades Sang About The Rain

Every so often I run across a song that seems so familiar that I’m sure I’ve already written about it and the performer or group that made it famous. But then I use the GMC’s handy ‘search’ function and find that sometimes I haven’t. (You didn’t expect me to just depend on my memory, did you?)

In 1963 a San Diego singing group known as the Cascades had a monster hit with a song about the rain — or at least the sound of it. “Rhythm Of The Rain” seemed to be playing on radios and jukeboxes all the time in those days, and even now I’d be willing to bet that it seems very familiar to most of us. In fact, it’s in the Top Ten of a list of ‘Songs of the Century’ (based on airplay).

The song was written by lead singer John Gummoe, who had teamed up with Eddie Snyder, David Stevens, David Wilson, and David Zabo to form the group. The Cascades’ singing style was light and pleasingly mellow, and it fit pretty well into the softer side of the decade’s pop music. The song soon became a fan favorite and also did well in many foreign markets, but later releases like “Last Leaf” and “Shy Girl” and “For Your Sweet Love” just didn’t recapture the magic.

Gummoe eventually left the group, but the remaining members kept working through his departure and various other personnel changes well into the 1970s before finally dissolving. Some of the original members did recombine a couple of times in later years, and not too long ago a version of the group appeared at a benefit concert in the Philippines, no doubt performing a certain rainy-day song.

The Cascades – “Rhythm Of The Rain”