“Ain't Gonna Rain No More”

Description

Verses held together by the refrain, "It ain't gonna rain no more." (Either between lines or as a standalone chorus). Examples: "What did the blackbird say to the crow? It ain't gonna...." "We had a cat down on our farm; it ate a ball of yarn...."

Notes

A popular version of this piece was published in 1923 as by Wendell W. Hall. Even the cover, however, admits that it was an "old southern melody" -- and since we have traditional versions at least from 1925, there is little doubt that the song is traditional. - RBW

Same tune

• The States Song ("What Did Io-way?") (Pankake-PHCFSB, pp. 206-207)

Cross references

• cf. "Ain't No Bugs on Me" (tune, structure)
• cf. "Ain't Got to Cry No More"

Recordings

• Al Bernard, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (Puritan 11305, 1923)
• [Al] Bernard & [Frank] Ferera, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (Cameo 487, 1924)
• Fiddlin' John Carson, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (OKeh 40204, 1924)
• Ed Clifford [pseud. for Vernon Dalhart], "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (Bell P-279, 1924)
• Wendell Hall, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (Victor 19171, 1923) (Edison 51261, 1923) (Gennett 5271, 1923) (CYL: Edison [BA] 4824, n.d.)
• Ernest Hare, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (OKeh 40140, 1924)
• [Billy] Jones & [Ernest] Hare "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (Columbia 87-D, 1924) (Edison 51430, 1924) (CYL: Edison [BA] 4935 [as "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More"], n.d.).
• Gid Tanner & his Skillet Lickers, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (Columbia 15447-D, 1929)
• Tune Wranglers, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (Bluebird B-7272, 1937)

References

1. Randolph 557, "Ain't Going to Rain No More" (1 short text, 1 tune); also perhaps 275, "The Crow Song" (the "D" fragment might be this piece)
2. Randolph/Cohen, pp. 409-410, "Ain't Going to Rain No More" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 557)
3. BrownIII 430, "Ain't Gonna Rain No More" (5 short texts)
4. Scarborough-NegroFS, p. 107, "'Tain't Gwine Rain No Mo'" (1 text, 1 tune); also p. 108 (no title) (1 text; the chorus at least goes here though the verses may be from a rabbit-hunting song)
5. Sandburg, p. 141, "Ain't Gonna Rain" (1 short text, 1 tune)
6. Scott-BoA, pp. 212-213, "T'ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" (1 text, 1 tune)
7. Fuld-WFM, p. 307, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'"
8. DT, AINTRAIN
9. Roud #7657
10. BI, R557