I Wish It Would Rain Down

Recording

Eric Clapton provides lead guitar throughout the song. As Collins recalls, "I said 'Eric, have I never asked you to play? Come on, I've got a song right up your street.'" Collins felt that it was as close as he had ever gotten at the time to writing a blues song. Collins also felt that it was a Clapton song.

Music video

The 8:30 minute-long black-and-white music video, produced by Paul Flattery and directed by Jim Yukich, contains 2:30 minutes of acting prior to the start of the music. The setting is a theatre in the 1930s. Actor Jeffrey Tambor plays a hyper-critical, unhappy theatre director. He is rehearsing some dancers (who are dancing to the guitar/bass guitar riff from the song "Sunshine of Your Love" by the band Cream, in which Eric Clapton played guitar.) The director complains that the girls can neither dance nor sing, and then discovers that his star has appendicitis. Eric Clapton, seated on a stool, says that "Billy" used to be the drummer in a good band (an in-joke reference to Collins' tenure with the band Genesis, in which he played drums) and is a good singer, taking over when the original singer (Peter Gabriel) left. Members of Collins' backing band play various non-speaking parts (such as the janitor "Chester," who is played by Chester Thompson, and the bassist, played by Leland Sklar). Collins is forced to act with the play's star. The director deems Collins' acting "terrible," to which Collins replies, "I never said I could act, he said I could sing," (pointing to Clapton) and the director says, "alright, play the song." As Collins sings, his character fantasizes about becoming a famous stage actor, singer, and movie star.

The "Billy" character's name is inserted onto fake covers of major industry publications such as Variety and Billboard, and newspapers such as the Denver Post. Collins' face is inserted into still photographs from the television program You Bet Your Life (where he appears next to Groucho Marx) and films such as White Heat (where his image is inserted alongside that of James Cagney). "Billy" is depicted imitating the character of Davy Crockett (as played by Fess Parker on the television series of the same name), standing next to Marilyn Monroe, and acting out a scene from the 1941 film The Maltese Falcon (with Humphrey Bogart impersonator Robert Sacchi appearing in the scene). (Music video director James Yukich's name appears on the clapperboard.) "Billy" is shown receiving an Academy Award from Clark Gable (impersonated by actor Ralph Chelli).

During the montage, the published sheet music for the song is shown, prominently featuring Collins' photo. This is followed by a shot of the sheet music for "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven", the next single from the same album.

After the music ends, Tambor's character decides to cut the musical number, as he feels it was not any good compared to the dancing girls. The character says "the fellow on the guitar (Eric Clapton) is pretty good," but his assistant says that, "Eric gave a week's notice." Collins, in disbelief, goes back to sit behind the drums.

Chart performances

The song was a significant chart hit in 1990, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and No. 3 on the RPM Top 100 in Canada. It also reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart.

In Canada, it was the longest-running number one single of 1990, spending six weeks atop the charts, and ranked as the top single of the year on RPM's year-end charts.

Formats and track listings

1. "I Wish It Would Rain Down"
2. "Homeless" ("Another Day in Paradise" demo)
3. "You've Been in Love (That Little Bit Too Long)"

1. "I Wish It Would Rain Down"
2. "Homeless" ("Another Day in Paradise" demo)

1. "I Wish It Would Rain Down"
2. "Homeless" ("Another Day in Paradise" demo)
3. "You've Been in Love (That Little Bit Too Long)"

1. "I Wish it would rain down" 5:32
2. "Homeless (Another Day In Paradise Demo)" 4:15
3. You're been in love (that little bit too long)" 4:50

Virgin VSCD 1240 (Martin H)

Personnel