Talk:It's Raining, It's Pouring

I'm surprised to see the interpretation that this refers to death or head injury. I have always read it in adulthood as a mocking song about a hangover, and that "he bumped his head" as an adult's excuse given to a child for a father's drunken incapacitation. Perhaps it is significant that I heard it as "he couldn't get up in the morning", and I have heard a version "he went to bed to mend his head" which seems only compatible with the hangover reading.

Another reader was likewise surprised by this suggestion, while his wife was absolutely certain the old man in the song was dead and not temporarily unable to get up. The reader thought it over carefully, and the reason it hadn't registered that way is because the song says he "is" snoring, and in the next line says he "bumpED" his head. This implies that in the present, he is alive, if not conscious, and in the past, he had an injury. If not hungover, perhaps he suffered a concussion and is comatose, but it doesn't seem like he could have died from his injury. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 35.140.5.228 (talk) 13:46, 6 August 2023 (UTC)

Right! It’s so obvious. Why else would they mention rain? It’s not literally raining. I put that back into the article. Thanks for having my back! 69.122.9.87 (talk) 03:01, 3 March 2024 (UTC)

Every time I add the interpretation that the old man is drunk, somebody removes me because I don’t add a reference. But this is ridiculous - it is basic literary interpretation. The article quotes a neurosurgeon who interprets this as an accidental death. But a neurosurgeon has no greater claim to literary interpretation than I do. It’s not like the poem mentions EKG readings or anything like that.

why do you care so much if I put my interpretation in?!?! How about saying “some people say…”? I mean there are plenty of people in these comments who agree with that interpretation 69.122.9.87 (talk) 04:49, 3 March 2024 (UTC)

Another variation

..."He bumped his head at the foot of the bed"...

This is how I was taught it as a child. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 210.8.119.183 (talk) 23:45, 6 April 2009 (UTC)

Well, be bold and update the article! Remember to cite your contributions. =) Nidht (talk) 13:57, 23 June 2009 (UTC)

Variation

"Its raining, its pouring, the old man is snoring He fell out of bed and bumped his head And couldn't get up in the mornin'" Is the way I have always heard it sung until recently when I heard "He bumped his head, and went to bed" in one of my daughter's children's songs cds.

Third variation

It's raining, it's pouring

The old man is snoring

He bumped his head and broke his bed

And couldn't get up in the morning

Fourth "macabre" variation

It's raining, it's pouring

The old man is snoring

He bumped his head; now he's dead

And won't get up in the morning — Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.98.201.240 (talk) 14:51, 28 May 2013 (UTC)

I used to think this was how it always went until I heard the one in the article. Shouldn't we list this one as a variation? I don't want to do it myself because Wikipedia is crazy about citations XD. JustPotteringAround (talk) 00:12, 13 March 2012 (UTC)

Fifth variation

It's raining, it's pouring

The old man is snoring

He bumped his head and peed the bed

And couldn't get up in the morning

Another variation

At the end of the song "It's Raining Again" by Supertramp, a children's chorus sings a variant:

It's raining, it's pouring

The old man is snoring

He went to bed and bumped his head

And couldn't get up in the morning

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSlb8yT_Wc0

time index: 3:45 till 4:01 --FeanorStar7 00:08, 27 October 2018 (UTC)

Variation with plausible historical context

It's raining, it's pouring,
the old men are snoring.
They banged their head,
and went to bed,
and wouldn't get up in the morning.

From https://www.quotev.com/story/4263282/Ruining-your-childhood/24

98.197.25.83 (talk) 20:37, 22 March 2020 (UTC)

Drinking song? 1938 book published by Greisedieck Western Brewery by the same name

Greisedieck Western Brewery Co. copyrighted a book titled "It's Raining! It's Pouring!" in Belleview, Illinois. on December 7, 1938. This was one year before the song was entered into the Library of Congress by Herbert Halpert. The origins of this song are kind of shrouded in mystery. It would be great if someone could dig deeper and expand the article. --Elephanthunter (talk) 18:33, 24 May 2020 (UTC)

References