Rain (Mika song)

"Rain"
Single by Mika
from the album The Boy Who Knew Too Much
Released 23 November 2009
Format Digital download, CD single
Recorded 2008–2009
Genre Synthpop
Length 3:43 (Album Version)
3:35 (Radio Edit)
Label Casablanca[1]
Writer(s) Mika, Jodi Marr
Producer(s) Greg Wells, Mika
Mika singles chronology
"We Are Golden"
(2009)		 "Rain"
(2009)		 "Blame It on the Girls"
(2010)

"Rain" is a song by Mika, released as the second single from his second studio album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much.[2][3] The song was produced and mixed by Greg Wells and features violinist Owen Pallett.

Description

The song's lyrics are taken from a break-up letter that Mika wrote to an ex.[4] In an interview with Q magazine, Mika says:

“ ["Rain"] is an unapologetic '80s pop record. I bumped into producer Stuart Price while he was working with The Killers at Olympic Studios. He helped me program this. It reminded him of ABBA and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. ”
— Mika, Q Magazine[5]

Keira performed Mika's song at Australian Idol's grand finale along with "We Are Golden". On 5 February 2010 Mika performed a special operatic version of the song in a duet with opera star Danielle de Niese on the ITV1 show 'Popstar to Operastar'.

Reception

The song received very positive reviews from most critics. Nick Levene from Digital Spy gave to the song 4 stars (out of 5) and said: "Those unconvinced that much had changed when Mika returned with 'We Are Golden' this summer should be pleasantly surprised by 'Rain', the second single from his second album. The shrieking has been reined in, the nursery rhyme hooks have been ditched and instead we're treated to a concoction of shimmering synths, layered vocals and throbbing, clubby beats. As it builds towards a crescendo that's both intriguingly dark and glitteringly magical, Mika proves he's perfectly capable of channelling his hyperactivity in the right direction. Here's hoping for more of this in the future".[6] Heather Phares from Allmusic says that "Rain" is a kissing cousin to "Relax"'s pulsing, melancholy disco-pop.[7]

Music video

A frame from the "Rain" music video.

The music video for "Rain" was filmed in Epping Forest in Essex and premiered online on 16 October 2009. It was directed by Nez Khammal.[2] The video is set in a dark enchanted forest with Mika waking up in a colourful tent. He is soon joined by various strangely dressed imps and creatures who dance around him at first but chase him out of the forest amid exploding fireworks.

Track listing

UK CD single[3]
No.TitleLength
1."Rain"  3:43
2."Poker Face" (Radio 1 Live Lounge Session)3:09
3."Rain" (Seamus Haji Big Love Edit)3:05
French 2-Track CD single[8]
No.TitleLength
1."Rain"  3:43
2."Rain" (Acoustic Version)3:04
French 4-Track CD single[9]
No.TitleLength
1."Rain"  3:43
2."Poker Face" (Radio 1 Live Lounge Session)3:09
3."Rain" (Seamus Haji Big Love Edit)3:05
4."Rain" (Benny Benassi Remix)6:10
Italian CD single[10]
No.TitleLength
1."Rain" (Benny Benassi Edit)3:29
2."Rain" (Seamus Haji Big Love Edit)3:08
3."Rain" (Diamenco Torti Edit)3:36
4."Rain" (Benny Benassi Remix)6:10
5."Rain" (Benny Benassi Dub)6:13
6."Rain" (Seamus Haji Big Love Remix)8:25
7."Rain" (Diamenco Torti Extended Remix)6:17
8."Rain" (Magistrates Remix)4:34
9."Rain" (Radio Edit)3:26
UK Digital Download[3]
No.TitleLength
1."Rain"  3:43
2."Rain" (Benny Benassi Remix)6:10
3."Rain" (Seamus Haji Remix)5:43
4."Rain" (Acoustic Version)3:04

Charts

The single was released on 23 November 2009 in the United Kingdom in both digital and physical formats. The single peaked at #72 on the UK Singles Chart, making this Mika's lowest charting UK single. Casablanca Records believed this was due to low promotional airplay on UK Radio. The song was received better in continental Europe, where it peaked at #4 in Italy, being certified platinum by the Federation of the Italian Music Industry.[11] It also peaked inside the Top 40 in the Netherlands and Spain, and debuted at #8 in Wallonia. The single debuted at #5 in French Singles Chart and peaked #16 in Digital Singles Chart.

Weekly charts

Chart (2009/2010) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[12] 90
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[14] 3
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[15] 13
France (SNEP)[16] 5
Germany (Official German Charts)[17] 56
Israel (Israeli Airplay Chart)[18] 2
Italy (FIMI)[19] 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 24
Slovakia (IFPI)[21] 13
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[22] 18
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 28
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[24] 72

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/Shipments
Italy (FIMI)[25] Platinum 30,000

Year-end charts

Chart (2010) Position
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[26] 83
Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)[27] 40
French Singles Chart [28] 38
European Hot 100 Singles [29] 52
Italian Singles Chart[30] 69

Credits

References

  1. ↑ Business Wire (14 June 2009). "Global Pop Phenomenon, MIKA, Releases Sophomore Album, WE ARE GOLDEN, 22 September", Business Wire. Retrieved on 2009-07-14.
  2. 1 2 http://www.mikasounds.com/news/view/704/Watch_Blame_it_On_The_Girls
  3. 1 2 3 http://www.mikasounds.com/news/view/702/Mika_Set_To_Rain_Supreme
  4. ↑ Rain Songfacts
  5. ↑ Allen, Matt (1 June 2009). "Exclusive: Mika's Second Coming", Q magazine. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  6. ↑ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/singlesreviews/a187705/mika-rain.html
  7. ↑ Heather Phares review Mika's Rain
  8. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rain-2-Track-Mika/dp/B002UZ2FSI/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326103711&sr=1-2
  9. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rain-TRACK-Single-incl-Poker/dp/B003626SMS/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326103711&sr=1-5
  10. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/images/B0030C0V72/ref=dp_otherviews_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&img=1
  11. ↑ "Certificazioni Download FIMI" (PDF) (in Italian). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  12. ↑ "The ARIA Report - Week Commencing 30 November 2009 - Issue #1031" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association / Pandora.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  13. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mika – Rain" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  14. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Mika – Rain" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  15. ↑ "Mika – Chart history" European Hot 100 for Mika.
  16. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Mika – Rain" (in French). Les classement single.
  17. ↑ "Musicline.de – Mika Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  18. ↑ http://mediaforest.biz/WeeklyCharts/HistoryWeeklyCharts.aspx?year=2009&week=44
  19. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Mika – Rain". Top Digital Download.
  20. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Mika search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  21. ↑ http://www.ifpicr.cz/hitparadask/index.php?a=tyden&hitparada=18&tyden=1945&sec=7a19e4bc3b2560e999757a97aa12c1a0
  22. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Mika – Rain" Canciones Top 50.
  23. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Mika – Rain". Swiss Singles Chart.
  24. ↑ UK Top 100 Singles Chart
  25. ↑ Italy Certifications - FIMI
  26. ↑ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2010
  27. ↑ http://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2010
  28. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20140111100413/http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2010
  29. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/european-hot-100-singles
  30. ↑ http://www.fimi.it/dett_ddmercato.php?id=73
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