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Rain King Lyrics

Artist: Counting Crows
Album: August And Everything After

When I think of heaven (Deliver me in a black-winged bird)
I think of flying down into a sea of pens and feathers
and all other instruments of faith and sex and God
In the belly of a black-winged bird
Don't try to feed me
I've been here before and I deserve a little more

I belong in the service of the Queen I belong anywhere but in between
She's been crying I've been thinking And I am the Rain King

Mama, why am I so alone?
I can't go outside
I'm scared I might not make it home
I'm alive but I'm sinking in
If there's anyone at home at your place
Why don't you invite me in
Don't try to bleed me
I've been there before and I deserve a little more

I belong in the service of the Queen
I belong anywhere but in between
She's been lying
I've been sinking
And I am the Rain King

Hey, I only want the same as anyone
Henderson is waiting for the sun
Oh, it seems night endlessly begins and ends
After all the dreaming I come home again...

When I think of heaven (Deliver me in a black-winged bird)
I think of dying Lay me down in a field of flame and heather
Render up my body into the burning heart of God in the belly of a black-winged bird
Don't try to bleed me
I've been here before and I deserve a little more

I belong in the service of the Queen
I belong anywhere but in between
She's been dying
I been drinking and I am the Rain King.

Comments/Interpretations

by Gamma on 8/5/2008 10:43am
"Deliver me in a black winged bird" shouldn't be in brackets...

by Delta on 8/25/2008 1:24am
Yes they should, they are also sung by backup singers.

by Ali on 8/29/2008 2:23am
no it's not, it's sung by adam

by tom on 9/20/2008 6:29pm
what a freakin wierd song..

by tracy on 9/28/2008 10:18pm
yeah, it's strange, but it makes a little more sense if you've ever read Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow. that book inspired this song

by Matt on 11/24/2008 7:48pm
I think the black winged bird thing is also a reference to Greek mythology. To the Greeks, Zeus's, Great-Grandfather (the god of all gods) was a black winged bird named Nyx.

by Mike 56 on 1/14/2009 9:58am
This is on e of the crows best works The lyrics really do nothing for the music which carries this song

by andrea on 1/26/2009 8:25am
ITS A LOVE SONG

by Dances With Jelly Fish on 3/6/2009 2:42am
It is truly a great song. I love the insight of the song as well as the critics.

by Dancesn With Jelly Fisf on 3/6/2009 2:49am
I am definetly going to read Herzog. It seemingly is congruent to my life. I strongly anticipate that I will author a book along such truth. This is truly a great song for the Crowes.

by mike on 3/11/2009 10:15pm
What an awsome song thanx for posting the lyrics and the info about the henderson rain king book!

by i belong anywhere but in between on 4/3/2009 9:29am
this song means a lot to me. it is amazingly written, like every other Counting Crows song.

by Nikki C. on 4/23/2009 2:31pm
No matter what the song means or represents, it is by far my FAVORITE Counting Crows song to date! I can't help but dance and sing along everytime I hear it!!!

by bronagh on 5/15/2009 2:42pm
i'm in the middle of reading "henderson the rain king" it's a fantastic book. glad this song led me to it. cracking song too. one of the best of counting crows...but there are many so i cant choose =]

by renae on 10/23/2009 11:29am
the song is based off the book Henderson the Rain King. It's def not a love song, but a philosophical discourse, like the book. SO well written!

by Don on 11/4/2009 6:38pm
Tis is by far the best song Adam ever did. It is about dying and starting over with the oes we love and the ones we loved and screwed up with. it is about second chances in the wake of death and the beginning of life. Anyone who wants to discuss furher may email me at don.leboeuf@yahoo.com only true counting crows fans who will understand.....D

by Don on 11/4/2009 6:39pm
This is by far the best song Adam ever did. It is about dying and starting over with the oes we love and the ones we loved and screwed up with. it is about second chances in the wake of death and the beginning of life. Anyone who wants to discuss furher may email me at don.leboeuf@yahoo.com only true counting crows fans who will understand.....D

by shauna on 11/11/2009 6:58am
awww cmon...its a song about living & loving..."love you & give you some awseome shit" but if you aint gonna return it then...hmmmmmmm ..."dont try to feed me...i been here before &deserve a little more..i belong in the service of the queen ...." its more about living & loving & "been there" aint going there again unless you freakin putting the "little more" into it xxxx

by G on 11/17/2009 2:00pm
I agree with Don y Shauna. But it's also about the decisions we have to make in order to archive what we want. It's like he is in the middle of two warring factions... "I belong in the service of the queen, i belong anywhere but in between", like he still feels like he owe something to someone and can't move on with he's life...

by Randy on 12/22/2009 6:35pm
Not sure what it's about, but it is one of the best songs I've ever heard!!! the live version kicks ass!!!!

by the location on 1/26/2010 8:48pm
i agree live version is absolutely breath taking. love this song,and truly i have never read the rain king but this song means a lot to me

by ben on 5/7/2010 4:25pm
I see a realationship that has deteriorated. And an inablilty to make his lover happy all he can acquire is tears or "rain".

by manda on 5/11/2010 12:45pm
The acoustic version is better.

by adam on 11/23/2010 1:08pm
everytime im down i listen to this song and yell to the world I AM THE RAIN KING!

by Pulkit on 1/27/2011 4:16am
The words "I belong in the service of the queen" makes me think of why I'm working, making money, consciously becoming a better man everyday ... It's all in the service of my future queen, and I haven't even met her yet :)

by Mary on 2/21/2012 6:23am
glad i read this...found the book cheap on amazon and bought it. cant wait for it to come! i never knew thats what inspired the song! cant wait to tell my sister who may be an even bigger fan than me! (yeah right...well, she DOES have 7 crows tattooed on her side...)

by Jeff on 4/25/2012 10:23am
No way, those guys are fags!

by Deyanira Estevez on 7/26/2012 8:31pm
Everyone deserve a little more :) OMG I'm so in love.... but I'm confuse don't know if I'm in love with my boyfriend or the music his dedicated to me well I love u both.

by lil on 8/4/2012 11:56am
I love this song so many years

by will on 9/12/2013 12:35am
such a beautiful song, adam really displays great emotion on this, its obviously very personal no matter what its about, my favorite cc song

by llh2sweet on 10/16/2014 8:52pm
Its about his sister Maria, that died of cancer...its about whatever you can relate to in your own life..or death....