Throwing back to the week of October 17, 1956, we find Elvis Presley hanging on to the #1 spot with ‘Don’t Be Cruel,’ in the final week of its record-setting 11-week run in the top spot. It’s no ‘Choosin’ Texas,’ but that’s not bad!
In the #2 spot was Johnnie Ray’s ‘Walkin’ in the Rain,’ one of three hits to reach #1 or #2 for Ray. It’s a song with a very interesting back story.
‘Walkin’ in the Rain’ was written in 1952 by Johnny Bragg and Robert Riley while they were inmates at Nashville’s Tennessee State Prison. Bragg, who was illiterate, composed the song in his head while walking in the prison yard and enlisted Riley to write it down for him in exchange for songwriting credit.
Bragg formed a band called the Prisonaires with four other inmates, including two gospel singers doing 99 years apiece for murder. Bragg had been convicted of six rape charges (his sentence was commuted in 1956 when the accusations were found to be false).
The Prisonaires’ version of the song was released to radio and became a big enough hit that the band was granted leave to tour the state.
I prefer the original version to Ray’s cover, but here we have yet another case of a white performer achieving much bigger success with a song originally recorded by Black artists.
Old songs. Great memories.
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Gettin’ soakin’ wet
Torturin’ my heart
By tryin’ to forget
Just walkin’ in the rain
So alone and blue
All because my heart
Still remembers you
People come to windows
They always stare at me
Shake their heads in sorrow
Sayin’, Who can that fool be?
Just walkin’ in the rain
Thinkin’ how we met
Knowin’ things could change
Somehow, I can’t forget
(Just walkin’ in the rain)
(Walkin’ in the rain)
(Walkin’ in the rain)
(Just walkin’ in the rain)
(All day I walk)
People come to their windows
They always stare at me
They’re shakin’ their heads in sorrow
Sayin’, Who can that fool be?
(Now who can he be?)
Just walkin’ in the rain (Walkin’ in the rain)
Thinkin’ how we’ve met (Walkin’ in the rain)
Knowin’ things have changed (Walkin’ in the rain)
Somehow, I can’t forget (Walkin’ in the rain)
