My Grandma's Texas Rain Song
"Why Won't It Rain?"
My memaw used to sing me a funny little song about rain in Texas. I can't find it anywhere on the web, so I'm going to sing it for you.
I only know one verse of the song plus a chorus. I think it may be one of those old traditional ditties and poems that people used to share like "Found a Peanut." Except it's probably not that old; I'm betting it arose during the Texas Drought of the 1950s.
If anyone knows more lyrics to this "Texas Rain Song," I'd really appreciate it if you'd share them in the guestbook below.
Photo Credit: CalsidyRose on Flickr, Creative Commons
"Texas Rain Song" Lyrics
I walked into an inn
and saw a little boy of ten
and asked him if he thought that it would rain.
He looked up from his book
and answered with a startled look,
"What is this thing called rain?"
Oh, why won't it rain
Why won't it rain
Oh why won't it rain
Around here?
I wonder what the hex is
In this here part of Texas?
Oh why, oh why won't it rain?
~ Artist Unknown
The Texas Drought 2011 - 20 inches below normal rainfall for parts of Texas
Map of Texas rainfall levels, U.S. Drought Monitor
The 2011 drought is serious, but the Great Texas Drought in the 1950s was even worse. That 1950s drought could be the origin of my grandma's song, trying to make the best of a serious situation before modern water management mitigated at least some of the damage.
P.S.: Texas Music Trivia
Did you know?
Most of Emily Dickinson's poems scan perfectly to "The Yellow Rose of Texas."
A Little about my grandmother
Astronomer, planetarium director
When my Memaw wasn't singing songs or giving me wind-up toys, she was the director of Hudnall Planetarium (now CESSE Planetarium) at Tyler Junior College in east Texas. Here's an essay she wrote about the planetarium in the 80s.
She and my grandfather were educators who instilled in their family a love of science and space exploration. Some of my childhood memories include peering through Memaw's backyard telescope on a cold winter night in Texas, staring at the craters on the moon, or simulating shooting stars on the ceiling by whipping a flashlight during her planetarium shows. I'm proud of the fact that my Memaw was with Carl Sagan in Houston during the Voyager 2 flyby of Saturn.
Sadly, Memaw passed away soon after Columbia broke up on reentry over Texas...and her house.
[P.S. Dear Louisa: I am mourning the comment of yours that promised more verses to this song, which I would dearly love to find.
My fingers are spastic, and I accidentally hit delete when I was trying to hit approve. I promise to be more careful if you'd care to share the lyrics here! I'd love to see them! Or use the Contact button on my profile page to send 'em to me. And thank you!]
