‘Only Happy When It Rains’ is an alternative rock song written and produced by American alternative rock band Garbage for their self-titled debut studio album (1995). It was recorded at the band's own studio, Smart Studios, in Madison, Wisconsin, and is known for its tongue-in-cheek lyrics parodying the typically angst-filled themes of mid-'90s alternative rock. ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ was the band's breakthrough track in the United Kingdom, receiving positive reviews from the music press and strong support from BBC Radio One. In the United States, the single built upon the success of ‘Queer’ at alternative radio and in early 1996 charted strongly on the Hot 100.
This is about enjoying being depressed, similar to a country song by Patty Loveless which features the lyric, "You Can Feel Bad If It Makes You Feel Better." When the members of Garbage met for the first time, they found that they shared a love for dark music. In a 1995 interview with Addicted to Noise, Steve Marker, the band's guitarist, said, "It's really just us poking fun of ourselves... We're poking fun at the alternate rock angst, wearing your heart on your sleeve thing and at ourselves for writing such dark songs." Singer Shirley Manson is from Scotland, where it rains frequently. She thinks of the song as an example of the Scots' self-deprecating humor.
After its first week on-sale, ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ debuted and peaked on the UK Singles Chart at number 29. At the end of the month, Garbage made their debut live appearance to perform the single on Top of the Pops, providing momentum for the album Garbage to debut on the UK Albums Chart at number 12. Garbage made their US TV debut performing ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ on Saturday Night Special on April 27, as the song peaked at number 54 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. In mid-May, ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ peaked at number 16 on the alternative charts and at number 55 on the Hot 100, eventually spending twenty weeks on the chart. Garbage rounded out the promotional work for the track by performing ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ at the 1996 MTV Movie Awards on June 8.
The music video made MTV's next-big-thing Buzz Bin category, helping ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ to cross over to Top 40 radio formats, and propelling the album Garbage from being a Heatseeker title into the top half of the Billboard 200 album chart. In Europe, where it was the fourth single from Garbage, it followed the success of ‘Stupid Girl’, by reaching the top ten European Alternative Rock airplay charts over the summer of 1996.
Labels – Mushroom, Almo Sounds
Songwriters – Garbage
Producers – Garbage
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]I'm only happy when it rains
I'm only happy when it's complicated
And though I know you can't appreciate it
I'm only happy when it rains
You know I love it when the news is bad
And why it feels so good to feel so sad
I'm only happy when it rains
[Chorus]
Pour your misery down
Pour your misery down on me
Pour your misery down
Pour your misery down on me
[Verse 2]
I'm only happy when it rains
I feel good when things are going wrong
I only listen to the sad, sad songs
I'm only happy when it rains
[Verse 3]
I only smile in the dark
My only comfort is the night gone black
I didn't accidentally tell you that
I'm only happy when it rains
You'll get the message by the time I'm through
When I complain about me and you
I'm only happy when it rains
[Chorus]
Pour your misery down
(Pour your misery down)
Pour your misery down on me
(Pour your misery down)
Pour your misery down
(Pour your misery down)
Pour your misery down on me
(Pour your misery down)
Pour your misery down
(Pour your misery down)
Pour your misery down on me
(Pour your misery down)
Pour your misery down
(Pour)
[Bridge]
You can keep me company
As long as you don't care
[Verse 4]
I'm only happy when it rains
You wanna hear about my new obsession?
I'm riding high upon a deep depression
I'm only happy when it rains
[Outro]
(Pour some misery down on me)
I'm only happy when it rains
(Pour some misery down on me)
I'm only happy when it rains
(Pour some misery down on me)
I'm only happy when it rains
(Pour some misery down on me)
I'm only happy when it rains
(Pour some misery down on me)
I'm only happy when it rains
(Pour some misery down on me)
(Pour some misery down on me)
(Pour some misery down on me)
(Pour some misery down on me)
I'm only happy when it rains
(Pour some misery down on me)
(Pour some misery down on me)
(Pour some misery down on me)