Early Morning Rain

 "Early Morning Rain", sometimes styled as "Early Mornin' Rain", is a song written, composed, and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. The song appears on his 1966 debut album Lightfoot! and, in a re-recorded version, on the 1975 compilation Gord's Gold. 

Lightfoot wrote and composed the song in 1964, but its genesis took root during his 1960 sojourn in Westlake, Los Angeles. Throughout this time, Lightfoot sometimes became homesick and would go out to the Los Angeles International Airport on rainy days to watch the approaching aircraft. The imagery of the flights taking off into the overcast sky was still with him when, in 1964, he was caring for his 5-month-old baby son and he thought, "I’ll put him over here in his crib, and I’ll write myself a tune." "Early Morning Rain" was the result. 

The version by Ian & Sylvia reached #1 on the Canadian AC charts, August 2, 1965. Peter Paul and Mary's version of the song was recorded in August 1965, reaching No. 39 in Canada, and No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100. The next year, George Hamilton IV's version hit No. 9 on the US country chart In April 1971, Oliver's version hit No. 38 on the US adult contemporary chart. Paul Weller took the song to No. 40 in the United Kingdom in 2005. Notably, Elvis Presley recorded and played the song live dozens of times. A French cover of this song, "Dans la brume du matin" (in the morning mist), was a hit in France for Joe Dassin. 

To download the easy alphanotes sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Lyrics:

In the early morning rain
With a dollar in my hand
With an achin' in my heart
And my pockets full of sand

I'm a long way from home
And I miss my loved ones so
In the early morning rain
With no place to go

Out on runway number nine
Big 707 set to go
But I'm stuck here in the grass
Where the cold wind blows

Now, the liquor tasted good
And the women all were fast
Well, there she goes my friend
Well, she's rollin' down at last

Hear the mighty engines roar
See the silver bird on high
She's away and westward bound
Far above the cloud, she'll fly

Where the mornin' rain don't fall
And the sun always shines
She'll be flyin' o'er my home
In about three hours time

This old airport's got me down
It's no earthly good to me
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground
As cold and drunk as I can be

You can't jump a jet plane
Like you can a freight train
So, I'd best be on the way
In the early morning rain

You can't jump a jet plane
Like you can a freight train
So, I'd best be on the way
In the early morning rain