Laughter in the Rain
"Laughter in the Rain" is a song composed and recorded by Neil Sedaka, with lyrics by Phil Cody. It includes a 20-second saxophone solo by Jim Horn. Cody claims to have written the lyrics in about five minutes after smoking marijuana and falling asleep under a tree for a couple of hours.
Background
The song was released on Elton John's Rocket Records.After hearing a version of "Laughter in the Rain" by singer Lea Roberts on the radio several weeks before the planned release of his single, Sedaka phoned Elton John to have MCA Records rush the Sedaka version to release within five days.
The opening chord of the chorus was based on that used by John in "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", which Sedaka has described as a "drop-dead chord."
Chart performance
In the U.S., "Laughter in the Rain" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 1, 1975. The song spent two weeks at the top of the adult contemporary chart.The record was also a major hit in Canada, reaching #2 on the pop singles chart and #1 on the adult contemporary chart. It was also released in the U.K., where it spent nine weeks on the Singles Chart, peaking at #15 on June 22, 1974.
Weekly charts
;Lea Roberts| Chart | Peak position |
| US Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 | 109 |
| US Billboard R&B | 20 |
;Neil Sedaka
| Chart | Peak position |
| Australia | 17 |
| Canada RPM Top Singles | 2 |
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| Netherlands | 35 |
| UK Singles Chart | 15 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 1 |
| Yugoslavian Singles Chart | 2 |
Year-end charts
Personnel
- Neil Sedaka – lead vocal, piano
- Danny Kortchmar – electric guitar
- Dean Parks - acoustic guitar
- Leland Sklar – bass guitar
- Russ Kunkel – drums
- Jim Horn – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
- William "Smitty" Smith – Hammond organ, background vocals
- Abigail Haness, Brenda Gordon, Brian Russell – background vocals
Cover versions
- This song was covered by Johnny Mathis on his 1975 album titled When Will I See You Again.
- This song was covered by Asha Puthli on her 1975 album titled She Loves to Hear the Music.
- This song was covered by Ace Spectrum on their 1975 album entitled Low Rent Rendezvous.
- The song was covered by Earl Klugh on his 1976 self-titled album, by Thomas Anders in his 1992 album Down on Sunset and by Pepe Jaramillo on his Mexican Tijuana / Mexican Gold album.
- The Weather Girls covered the song on their 1985 album Big Girls Don't Cry.
- In 2007 Donny Osmond released a cover of the tune on his solo studio album Love Songs of the '70s.
- The Ray Conniff Singers recorded a vocal harmony arrangement of the song on their 1975 album, Laughter in the Rain.
- There was also a Finnish cover version performed by Markku Aro, entitled "Kun sä Vierelläin Sateesa Oot".
- Disco funk-soul outfit Vitamin E covered this song on their 1977 release Sharing, featuring horns by Randy Brecker.