It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'
Encyclopedia
"It Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo’" is the title of a novelty song
that is entirely the creation of the "Red-Headed Music Maker", guitarist and vocalist Wendell Woods Hall
(1896-1969). Much like that other major, much-quoted song of the early 1920s, Yes! We Have No Bananas, the novelty, vaudeville aspect of "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo’" is similarly undeniable. Hall’s 1923 recording of the song, which was also popular in Britain, sold in excess of two million copies. Additionally, it scored 20 weeks on the U.S. charts, six at number one.
, a 1933 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
short.
Many antecedents exist from the 19th century. Note the thread at Mudcat.org "Ain't Gonna Rain No More" (the thread discussion begins in 1997). By the 1920's many variants were already extant in popular culture. Carl Sandburg suggests that the song goes back at least to the 1870's and includes verses in his "American Songbag.(published 1927.) This song cycle is an excellent example of the folk tradition of transmission with local variants abounding. Mr. Hall simply took some of what already existed and codified it probably with many of his own original verses. "The Midnight Special" is similarly attributed to Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) though the song certainly preceded him and his recordings.
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
that is entirely the creation of the "Red-Headed Music Maker", guitarist and vocalist Wendell Woods Hall
Wendell Hall
Wendell Woods Hall was an American country singer, vaudeville artist, song writer, pioneer radio performer, Victor recording artist and ukelele player.-Biography:...
(1896-1969). Much like that other major, much-quoted song of the early 1920s, Yes! We Have No Bananas, the novelty, vaudeville aspect of "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo’" is similarly undeniable. Hall’s 1923 recording of the song, which was also popular in Britain, sold in excess of two million copies. Additionally, it scored 20 weeks on the U.S. charts, six at number one.
In popular culture
Part of the song is sang in The PlumberThe Plumber (cartoon)
The Plumber, mistakenly called Oswald the Plumber in other media, is a Walter Lantz animated short which features Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.-Plot summary:...
, a 1933 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is an anthropomorphic rabbit and animated cartoon character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney for films distributed by Universal Pictures in the 1920s and 1930s...
short.
Many antecedents exist from the 19th century. Note the thread at Mudcat.org "Ain't Gonna Rain No More" (the thread discussion begins in 1997). By the 1920's many variants were already extant in popular culture. Carl Sandburg suggests that the song goes back at least to the 1870's and includes verses in his "American Songbag.(published 1927.) This song cycle is an excellent example of the folk tradition of transmission with local variants abounding. Mr. Hall simply took some of what already existed and codified it probably with many of his own original verses. "The Midnight Special" is similarly attributed to Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly) though the song certainly preceded him and his recordings.