KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

Manic Street Preachers - Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head

Listening to this song now evokes a mixture of thoughts and feelings.

I’d heard this song way before I witnessed the Manic Street Preachers perform it live at the Southampton Guildhall. When I was a kid, I had a little plastic yellow toy ‘radio’, which only played one song: Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head. It was a twinkly instrumental tune; the sound was reminiscent of those thumb pianos you can get. 

Anyway, to the Manics rendition. It was October 19th 2010, the day before my 22nd birthday. In all honesty, I wasn’t in a brilliant place psychologically. Depression, anxiety and paranoia had reared their ugly heads and attacked me full on. Compulsively checking my phone, working myself into a state and questioning my relationship. Some people say bad things come in threes. The train journey to Southampton was nightmarish, as I sat there plagued by all of these concerns whirling around in my mind. But once there, sat atop a double decker bus on my way to meet my two friends, I talked myself around. It’s the day before your birthday, I said to myself. You’re going to see an awesome band tonight with two of your best friends. Push this aside and don’t give any more attention to it.

So I did.

That night, after a thoroughly enjoyable prelude of pizza, drinking and musical trivia, my friends and I made our way to Southampton Guildhall. We caught the end of British Sea Power’s set, and secured ourselves a spot to the left of the stage several rows back. I couldn’t see much, but I could see a mic stand adorned with a feather boa. There was no doubt in my mind that a lanky bassist with a penchant for glitter would be standing behind it before long, and Nicky Wire certainly didn’t disappoint. 

Despite my limited view, which was due to my annoyingly small stature and the number of tall people in front of me, I bopped along quite happily in pink and blue light whilst James Dean Bradfield belted out his trademark Welsh yell. Then it came. They introduced the track with a little back story, and explained that it had helped them come to terms with the disappearance of bandmate and close friend, Richey Edwards. 

I was struck by how simple yet beautiful their rendition was. James Dean Bradfield’s voice shivered, peaked and retreated in all the right places. It was an absolutely perfect moment, but at that point I had no idea of how it would help me get through my own hard time.

My 22nd birthday arrived the following morning, and once back in Guildford I walked along the river in the sunshine back to my house. My anxiety had subsided significantly and a warm reception of presents, cards and affection welcomed me when I returned home to my housemates. The day unfolded, and I spent a slightly strained but still enjoyable meal with my then boyfriend. The evening consisted of more friends and a subdued boy, who quietly turned his back and fell asleep next to me.

The next morning, our relationship was over. I was distraught. I felt that I had failed at yet another relationship, and after a distressing period of gut wrenching sobbing, I hastily packed a holdall and headed home to Margate for a few days. Everything had peaked at that point, and I realised that I was ill again and that I couldn’t cope without help. I decided to return to counselling and to medication. Again, I believed myself to be a failure.

During one evening at home, sitting drained and depressed with my laptop on the sofa, I searched for the Manic Street Preachers on Spotify, and found Raindrops. The lyrics took on a new relevance to me, and the song became my go-to pick-me-up in the weeks that followed.

Raindrops keep falling on my head… And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed, nothing seems to fit. Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling.

So I just did me some talking to the sun. And I said I didn’t like the way, he got things done… sleeping on the job… those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling. 

But there’s one thing I know: The blues they send to meet me won’t defeat me. It won’t be long till happiness steps up to greet me. 

Raindrops keep falling on my head but that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turning red. Crying’s not for me cause I’m never gonna stop the rain by complaining. Because I’m free. Nothing’s worrying me.

The lyrics are fantastic, because they thinly veil real pain by attempting a cheery and happy-go-lucky attitude when the rain starts falling. The words are infused with a simple logic; complaining and crying will not make things better, but they are part of the process. The ambiguity of the last verse is poignant, as you’re never sure whether or not the pain is still there or if it has been conquered.

“Because I’m free/Nothing’s worrying me”. We all do it. We all smile and say that we’re fine when things have fallen apart. But as long as we acknowledge the pain, address it and give it the attention it deserves (and not one moment more), we then start to move on. 

Amy Claire Barnes

1. youtune posted this