"If the Rain Comes?' I say, 'Let It Rain!'

Hello Folks, it does appear that I have fallen behind here in Blogville!  Been busy working on this video & preparing for the "Let It Rain" CD release / RAINN Benefit  in NYC on April 22nd @ Kenny's Castaways on Bleecker st. 

 NYC & NJ - I can't wait to see you soon!!

This evening is a Benefit Concert for RAINN.org.

One Night - 6 Bands - "making music that makes a difference!" 

So, how does this tie into "Let It Rain?"

I have been writing everywhere that part of all proceeds are being donated to a charity called, RAINN.org. which stands for rape, abuse, incest, national network -they are the nation's largest anti-sexual assault charity offering 24/7 crisis hotlines via phone and computer IM, education & awareness programs as well as legal counsel to survivors.  

However,   I am going to focus this blog (minus my random tangents...) on talking about how "Let it Rain" came to be..... & Next Time details on RAINN.org

First, It ended up being serendipity (Yay! for frozen hot chocolate on 62nd st.-nyc) and Kismet (see track #7 on the new record) that "Let it Rain" was the title of a record that would eventually tie into a charity called RAINN.    This title track was written in 2006 during a summer in NM - August - what we call Monsoon Season,  with luck in this desert climate we get lotsa rain & crazy storms -  I dig it! 

 I have always Loved the Rain - esp in summer when I can run around in it or back in college when we used to slide down hills in the mud and when in nyc people would be shrinking on the street under their umbrellas and store fronts -  But crazy little me would just be cruising sans umbrella letting my clothes and hair get soaked.  Wondering , "what are these people afraid of ?"  My mom used to say, "you won't melt" unless of course your name is Elphaba aka the Wicked Witch of the West  (read 'wicked' for the reference).  Ah! I digress - 

So here I am in NM, at my little keyboard, looking out the window at the water streaming from the sky while contemplating my most recent romantic debacle and I said F** it ! "Let It Rain!"  Bring it on, have been thru, seen, and survived much worse, This nonsense won't tear me apart, and you just ' don't even show me your face, it's a crying shame & go back to that rock from under which you came...'  oops! that was Fiona Apple -  But, OK you get the point.  The song is about going thru it, reaching the other side, embracing our strength & letting go because often that's what it takes,  in life and in love....

Often in life things are perspective, you can view rain as a wet, icky inconvenience or look at the positive.... it's part of the cycle in nature that nurtures our earth, we need it for crops and grass to grow - and if we allow our souls to be touched or changed for the better by the unexpected & sometimes difficult things  that fall upon us, we too can use these 'stormy' experiences to transform...  Guess there's a bit of symbolism there, ah! my high school english teacher would be proud :)

"don't need my umbrella, never lost my soul, I got my smile back, babe, I got it all - so - Let It Rain...."

I recorded this song with Larry Mitchell @ Christmas of 2007.  And for some reason, I knew that would be the title track.   I was hoping to record a new record and hadn't planned on beginning it yet - Larry Mitchell, a friend and a brilliant musician/producer suggested I come to his studio to record one tune, we'd see how it went and then consider doing an album together.   I got the track back from him a few weeks later -freaked out cause I loved it and that's how the album started....  His talent, discography, GRAMMY, etc are too much to mention in this little blog so check him out on LarryMitchell.com!   It wasn't until the fall of 2007 when I wrote "The Birds & The Bees (sexual assault in the u.s.)" that the partnership with RAINN.org,  began.   Very soon, in my next post, I will talk about specifics of RAINN, 'The Birds & The Bees" and share more about how all THAT  came to be....   Until then, sending Love, Light, a Cloud, a Rainbow and a dash of Faith to tie them all together ......  xo Mer

PS you can get your very own copy of "Let It Rain" & Smile cause you're doing a Nice thing 

since part of proceeds are going to RAINN & you are supporting independent music :)

Search for Meredith Blis on Itunes or  at CDbaby.com/cd/blis3