- Album This song officially appears on the Chaos and Creation in the Backyard Official album.
- Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 2004 (Paul McCartney was 62 years old)
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
"Chaos And Creation In The Backyard" sessions #3
September 2004
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Song facts
“Too Much Rain” is a track from Paul McCartney’s 2005 album “Chaos And Creation In The Backyard“. From an interview with Gary Crowley:
Too Much Rain comes next. Where did this song come from?
The actual inspiration for Too Much Rain is Charlie Chaplin’s song Smile. Which he wrote: not many people know he wrote it, you normally think of him as a comedian, but I was always amazed to hear he’d written that you know, beautiful song. Good old Charlie wrote it. I think it was for a film, you know Modern Times, or something was it? It’s a great song and the idea of Smile (sings) Smile even though your heart is breaking Smile when your heart is breaking do do. That’s a nick, a direct pinch from that so it’s ‘Laugh when your eyes are burning Smile when you’re doing this and Sigh when you’re that’.. So it was really that it was Hints for feeling horrible, you know when you’re really down this song could get you up. You know remind you as the Smile song does to just sort of push through it, feel good cos it’ll be alright. So that was that. And er I think also in some way I know I was thinking of my missus Heather who’s had lots of rough times in her life, and the chorus just sort of says ‘It’s not right in one life, Too much rain’ . So that was kind of inspiration and you know I’m never that specific I would never say that’s exactly what its about and it then widens out and its for everyone who’s had just too much in their lives to cope with. And that applies to an awful lot of people. But that was it, it was really just a sort of helpful song.
Paul McCartney – from 2005 UK promotional-only interview CD, recorded July 2005 at Air Studios in London
Paul about the bass part on “Too Much Rain“:
The lead bass-like openings of “Too Much Rain” and “This Never Happened Before” allude to your famous use of sub-hooks on tracks like “Come Together.” Were you aware of that concept back then?
A: I was, yeah. I love the sub-hook. It’s something I’m very proud of: having been lucky enough to be involved in some great records and to come up with a cool riff like “Come Together” or “Silly Love Songs,” which supports the chords and the melody, while becoming an actual hook.
Paul McCartney – interview with Bass Player, October 2005
Last updated on January 17, 2021

The book "The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present", published in 2021, covers Paul McCartney's early Liverpool days, the Beatles, Wings, and solo careers, by pairing the lyrics of 154 of his songs with first-person commentaries of the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what he thinks of them now.
"Too Much Rain" is one of the 154 songs covered.
Lyrics
Laugh when your eyes are burning
Smile when your heart is filled with pain
Sigh as you brush away your sorrow
Make a vow
That it's not going to happen again
It's not right, in one life
Too much rain
You know the wheels keep turning
Why do the tears run down your face
We used to hide away our feelings
But for now
Tell yourself it won't happen again
It's not right, in one life
Too much rain
It's too much for anyone
Too hard for anyone
Who wants, a happy and peaceful life
You've got to learn to laugh
Smile when you're spinning round and round
Sigh as you think about tomorrow
Make a vow
That you're going to be happy again
It's all right, in your life
No more rain
It's too much for anyone
Too hard, for anyone
Who wants, a happy and peaceful life
You've got to learn to laugh
Officially appears on
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard (Special Edition)
Official album
3:24 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bosendorfer grand piano, Epiphone casino electric guitar, Fender stratocaster electric guitar, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Maracas, Martin 12 string guitar, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Schmidt autoharp, Vocals
- Nigel Godrich :
- Producer
- Darrell Thorp :
- Engineer
- Dan Grech-Marguerat :
- Production assistant
- Session Recording:
- September 2004
- Studio :
- AIR Studios Lyndhurst, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (Japanese edition)
Official album • Released in 2005
3:24 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bosendorfer grand piano, Epiphone casino electric guitar, Fender stratocaster electric guitar, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Maracas, Martin 12 string guitar, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Schmidt autoharp, Vocals
- Nigel Godrich :
- Producer
- Darrell Thorp :
- Engineer
- Dan Grech-Marguerat :
- Production assistant
- Session Recording:
- September 2004
- Studio :
- AIR Studios Lyndhurst, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard
Official album • Released in 2005
3:24 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bosendorfer grand piano, Epiphone casino electric guitar, Fender stratocaster electric guitar, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Maracas, Martin 12 string guitar, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Schmidt autoharp, Vocals
- Nigel Godrich :
- Producer
- Darrell Thorp :
- Engineer
- Dan Grech-Marguerat :
- Production assistant
- Session Recording:
- September 2004
- Studio :
- AIR Studios Lyndhurst, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official album • Released in 2016
3:24 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bosendorfer grand piano, Epiphone casino electric guitar, Fender stratocaster electric guitar, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Maracas, Martin 12 string guitar, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Schmidt autoharp, Vocals
- Nigel Godrich :
- Producer
- Darrell Thorp :
- Engineer
- Dan Grech-Marguerat :
- Production assistant
- Session Recording:
- September 2004
- Studio :
- AIR Studios Lyndhurst, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Official album • Released in 2016
3:24 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bosendorfer grand piano, Epiphone casino electric guitar, Fender stratocaster electric guitar, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Maracas, Martin 12 string guitar, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Schmidt autoharp, Vocals
- Nigel Godrich :
- Producer
- Darrell Thorp :
- Engineer
- Dan Grech-Marguerat :
- Production assistant
- Session Recording:
- September 2004
- Studio :
- AIR Studios Lyndhurst, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (Limited Edition - Gold LP)
Official album • Released in 2018
3:24 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bosendorfer grand piano, Epiphone casino electric guitar, Fender stratocaster electric guitar, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Maracas, Martin 12 string guitar, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Schmidt autoharp, Vocals
- Nigel Godrich :
- Producer
- Darrell Thorp :
- Engineer
- Dan Grech-Marguerat :
- Production assistant
- Session Recording:
- September 2004
- Studio :
- AIR Studios Lyndhurst, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Bootlegs
Chronicles in the Backyard Disc 3
Unofficial album • Released in 2006
4:16 • Radio show
- Recording :
- Jul 28, 2005
- Studio :
- Abbey Road Studio 2
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2015
3:24 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bosendorfer grand piano, Epiphone casino electric guitar, Fender stratocaster electric guitar, Hofner bass, Ludwig drums, Maracas, Martin 12 string guitar, Martin d28 acoustic guitar, Schmidt autoharp, Vocals
- Nigel Godrich :
- Producer
- Darrell Thorp :
- Engineer
- Dan Grech-Marguerat :
- Production assistant
- Session Recording:
- September 2004
- Studio :
- AIR Studios Lyndhurst, London, UK
Credits & recording details courtesy of Luca Perasi • Buy Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 1) 1970-1989 on Amazon
Give Us That Knowing Wink - Official Rarities - Ultimate Archive Collection
Unofficial album • Released in 2016
3:54 • Studio version • [live 7-28-05]
Live performances
“Too Much Rain” has been played in 1 concerts.
Latest concerts where Too Much Rain has been played

Jul 27, 2005 • United Kingdom • London • Abbey Road Studios • Radio show
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No other song in my life has ever helped me in any situation, except this one. I've never been fully affected by a song's lyrics, but when I finally went to a bad place and life finally caught up to me after 50 years, I accidentally found this song. Strangely, even as a Paul McCartney fan, I'd given up on Paul after Press in 1986 and sporadically purchased his music since then - Flaming Pie and Flowers In The Dirt being the only two albums I really listened to.
But in early 2018 life finally crumbled around me for the first time and I stumbled on this song accidentally going through my music collection and, with no explanation, played it because of the title. Since then life has improved and this song remains one of the reasons why I'm still alive. And I've made my amends with Paul and his music and began intense playing sessions of albums I had missed since Flaming Pie and now realize I've been terribly wrong all these years by giving up on Paul. Some of the greatest songs I've heard come from post-Flaming Pie. And, in addition to that, I have all of those amazing songs post-Beatles I've always loved and listened to.
If I met Paul in person I'd have to thank him for the soundtrack to my life as a child up through my teens and now thank you for pulling me out of the worst time of my life.
"Too Much Rain" is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I rank it up there with "Imagine", "Hey Jude", "Eleanor Rigby", "A Day In A Life", "Here, There and Everywhere" - among others.
Hi Michael, thanks for this testimony - that's the beauty of McCartney's songs, to follow you through life's lows & highs !! Thanks.