Honestly, if you haven't shouted the lyrics to It's Raining Men at a wedding, a pride parade, or just alone in your kitchen with a spatula, have you even lived? It is one of those rare tracks that is physically impossible to ignore. The second that thunder cracks and the piano starts pounding, you know exactly what’s coming. But the story behind the song is actually a lot weirder—and more "no way" than most people realize. It wasn’t an instant win. Far from it. This massive hit was basically the song nobody wanted to touch with a ten-foot pole.
The Rejection Pile Success Story
The Weather Girls—Martha Wash and Izora Armstead—weren't the first choice. Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer (yes, the David Letterman guy) wrote the track in 1979 and spent a solid two years getting rejected by the biggest names in the industry. Imagine being the person who told them "no."
Donna Summer reportedly hated it. She had recently become a born-again Christian and thought the lyrics were borderline blasphemous. Imagine the Queen of Disco passing on a certified gold record because she thought it was a bit too much. Diana Ross said no. Cher said no. Barbra Streisand said no. It was becoming the joke of the industry until Jabara basically begged Martha and Izora to record it.
They weren't convinced either. Martha Wash famously said she thought the song was "wacky." They recorded it in about ninety minutes, probably thinking it would be a funny B-side or something that would just fade away into the disco ether. They were wrong.
Why It's Raining Men Became a Cultural Pillar
By the time the song dropped in 1982, disco was supposed to be dead. The "Disco Sucks" movement had already happened, and the genre was rebranding into dance and Hi-NRG. Yet, here comes this campy, high-octane anthem that completely defied the trend.
It’s the vocals. Let's be real.
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Martha Wash and Izora Armstead weren't just singers; they were powerhouses who started in a gospel group called News From The Body. Before they were The Weather Girls, they were backup singers for Sylvester, the gender-bending disco icon. You can hear that gospel training in every belt. When they hit those high notes toward the end of the track, they aren't just singing—they’re testifying.
The song tapped into something visceral. It was cheeky. It was loud. It was unapologetically joyful. In a decade defined by excess and often rigid gender roles, It's Raining Men was a middle finger to being "subdued."
The Geri Halliwell Factor
You can't talk about this song without mentioning the 2001 cover by Ginger Spice. For a lot of Millennials and Gen Z-ers, this was actually their entry point. Geri Halliwell recorded it for the Bridget Jones’s Diary soundtrack, and it blew up all over again.
Purists usually hate it. They say it lacks the soul and the grit of the original. They're kinda right, but you can't deny the impact. Halliwell’s version took the campiness and turned it up to eleven, cementing the song as a permanent fixture in the "girl power" lexicon. It also proved that the song’s hook is essentially bulletproof. You can strip away the 80s synth and the gospel vocals, and that "Hallelujah" is still going to get people on the dance floor.
The Complicated Legacy of Martha Wash
There is a darker side to the success of It's Raining Men and the songs that followed. Martha Wash is arguably the most famous voice you never knew you knew. In the late 80s and early 90s, producers loved her voice but, in a move that was incredibly fatphobic and racist, they didn't think her image "fit" the MTV era.
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When Black Box released "Everybody Everybody" and C+C Music Factory released "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)," they used Martha’s powerhouse vocals but featured thinner models lip-syncing in the music videos.
Wash didn't just take it. She sued.
She literally changed the music industry. Because of her legal battles, federal legislation was pushed to make vocal credits mandatory on CDs and music videos. So, every time you see a "Featured Artist" credit today, you kind of owe a thank you to the woman who sang It's Raining Men. She fought for the right to be seen as well as heard.
Why the Song is a Queer Anthem
It’s more than just a catchy beat. For the LGBTQ+ community, It's Raining Men became a symbol of liberation. In the early 80s, the community was under siege by the HIV/AIDS crisis. Amidst all that pain and fear, this song offered a moment of pure, unadulterated fantasy and joy.
The lyrics are absurd, sure. But the idea of a "downpour" of men was a playful, safe way to express desire in a world that was often hostile to it. It remains a staple at every Pride event for a reason. It’s a song about abundance and celebration in a world that often tries to limit both.
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The Anatomy of the Hook
Why does it work?
- The Intro: The weather report narration sets a theatrical stage. It’s not just a song; it’s a story.
- The Tempo: It’s roughly 136 BPM (Beats Per Minute). That is the "sweet spot" for high-energy dance. It’s fast enough to get your heart rate up but slow enough that you can still scream the lyrics without losing your breath.
- The Call and Response: The structure allows the audience to participate. When they sing "It's raining men," the crowd shouts back "Amen!" It’s built-in community.
How to Experience It Now
If you want to actually appreciate the song beyond the meme level, you need to go back to the original 12-inch version. Skip the radio edits. The extended mixes give the percussion room to breathe and let you hear the intricacies of the arrangement that get lost on a crappy phone speaker.
Listen to the backing track. It’s surprisingly complex. There’s a heavy rock influence in the guitar work that people often overlook because the vocals are so dominant. It’s a masterclass in cross-genre production.
Practical Steps to Rediscover the Classic:
- Listen to the Sylvester Catalog: Since Martha and Izora started with him, listen to "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)." It provides the missing link between gospel and the dance-pop of the 80s.
- Watch the 1982 Music Video: It’s a low-budget masterpiece of camp. The green screen effects and the umbrellas tell you everything you need to know about the era's DIY spirit.
- Check out Martha Wash’s Solo Work: Her 1992 self-titled album is a vocal powerhouse. "Carry On" is a spiritual successor to the energy of her Weather Girls days.
- Read up on the 1990 Vocal Credit Lawsuits: Understanding the "Milli Vanilli" era of music gives you a much deeper respect for what the Weather Girls actually accomplished as vocalists who demanded their due.
The song isn't just a relic of the 80s. It’s a testament to the power of a "no" turning into a "yes," the importance of vocal ownership, and the simple, undeniable fact that sometimes, you just need to dance to something ridiculous.