It Never Rains In Manchester
by @davidtaro · @jonmeta
Liner Notes
@davidtaro: I'm not sure what to say other than I love these lyrics so much!! I'm hugely grateful to Jon for sharing them, and then for being such a top notch collaborator - sharing ideas, refining the shape of the thing, and generously giving me the context and back story to all the lines, which I'll let him elaborate on in his own words...
@jonmeta: David is ace! I had the idea for an anthemic song to a city I grew to love (in the spirit of Amsterdam's "Does This Train Stop on Merseyside?"). I couldn't think of anyone better to bring it to life than David, and was delighted when he agreed. I knew the title would grab (confuse?) people, but it comes from experience. I was told it always rains in Manchester, and then after years of living there, realised that I almost never carried an umbrella. Damp and misty - yes - but not much heavy rain. ... My wife and I went back recently - first time since the pandemic - and the first breath of misty air as we stepped off the bus in Piccadilly Gardens brought everything rushing back, and that's when I made a few notes for February. ... I don't like over-explaining, especially when we all carry the world's knowledge in our pockets. You can look up the paintings of L. S. Lowry, and who the navvies were, and even the Lass O'Gowrie. ... But one story: when our kids were young, we'd sometimes visit Styal Mill (aka, Quarry Bank Mill), one of the earliest cotton mills of the Industrial Revolution. You can walk through the journey from household economies to the all-consuming Machine that turned people into mere cogs. There was a large loft where the children slept who worked in the mills. On Christmas Day - a rare day off work - they would each receive a gift of a single orange. That detail didn't make it into the song (what rhymes with orange?) but it started me imagining the mist and drizzle as the tears of the saints of the working poor washing the city. Water as love and also as blessing.
Lyrics
It never rains in Manchester No matter what they say down south The liquid air in Manchester Kisses you with a lover’s mouth
So you step off the kerb by the Gardens Where the buses flit yellow and black You breathe cigarettes and wet pavement And lean in and kiss her right back
The pavement shines down the Curry Mile The doorman greets you with, Alright, love? While the poor dirty children of Styal Drop their sweet blessèd tears from above And the water goes singing a weaving song And washes away all their stains But, no, in Manchester It never rains
She is a mist from the Irish Sea Her eyes are a luminous grey She covers your face with wet kisses And says, Boy, no more going away
So you smile and reply, Lass O’Gowrie When the cabbie says, Where to, love? While the weary souls painted by Lowry Drop their sweet blessèd tears from above And the water goes singing a Navvy song And carries away all their pains But, no, in Manchester It never rains
And the water goes singing a working song And laughing along through the drains But, no, in Manchester It never rains
Comments
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Masterful in lyric, vocals and the music is so appealing.Felt like i was there The recording is top notch. I felt like I was there! Kudos to both of you.
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You guys knocked this one out of the park. This song properly inhabits the place; I lived there for a while, back in the 80s. This evokes memories of drinking in Tommy Duck's at lunchtime, of seeing the Durutti Column supporting John Cooper Clarke in a tiny venue on Oxford Road...
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Thanks Chris! It’s good to hear from someone else who’s lived there. On my profile page there’s a quote from John Cooper Clarke. Pretty cool that you saw that show.
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Hoooweeee!!! That left ear lead guitar is wonderful! Your fingers sing as well as your mouth…I know that sentence is creepy as written but my heart is in the right place. Great lyric! Lots of great phrasings and sentiments. David always blows my mind. I’m still star struck by him. The production is so pro all of your instrumentation is interesting and plays well together in this little ecosystem. You’re truly an Inspiration and I am but a worm that is happy to share a sun with you. Sorry for fanboying…lovely collab, very catchy song that brightened up my 2AM significantly as I commit time piracy in a movie theater listening to this song for the 3rd time in a row.
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What a lovely love letter to a unique city. Adore all the little details in the lyrics, and very much recognise the Manchester painted here (although my heart obviously remains true to Glasgow). David, this is a cracker. Brilliant expansive chords, killer pop hook right from the off and superb vocals. This isn't collaboration, this is true partnership in craft.
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What a lush lovely love song about loving a place that people disparage. I like the way the beauty streams along in the squalor. There’s such and urge (does urge rhyme with orange) to reduce people, places, things and ideas to good or horrible. This song reminded me that everywhere and everyone is everything at once.
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Jeez, guys... WHAT AN INCREDIBLE SONG!!! Wonderful lyrics and David is at the top of his game with this one! ❤️
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A great 60s vibe, but with a modern sound. Fantastic overall production, love the accenting electric guitar, as well as when it kicks in for the lead. Brilliant lyrics, treating the city as a lover.
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The title hook ropes you in but the relentless Jam keeps you there. Great job both of you.
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Wow! The title already caught me. But all these word, pictures and rhymes are so awesome.. and then David comes with full blown brit pop fun. I love that!
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The production here is epic. This sounds so huge I love it. The lyrics are great, you can feel the love. Killer vocal performance by DT, he definately nailed the emotion of the lyrics. Great collab!
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What a delight. Totally nailed the indie pop vibe, everything about the arrangement is perfectly placed. Especially those stops which really breathe life into it. Vocals are rock solid, and I'd be convinced you lived in Machester based on your delivery. The lyrics paint a perfect picture of a well loved city... Guess I'll have to get there one day!
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Must be the other Manchester! Thus is a very fine lyric so descriptive in a real life sense! I can see the single with a Lowry picture on it! Tales from The flat caps Great delivery Mt T you are warming up away from that soft acoustic start! Top notch Collab from some of the best talent around
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Holy wow! Such an incredible collab! This is ace from top to bottom, left to right! I've never been to Manchester but I feel like I have via this song. Such vivid imagery and lyricism mixed with a fire melody. Brilliant stuff, y'all.
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This is indie pop gold! So catchy and fun, glorious vibe, production, delivery, everything is spot on, great recurring guitar hook. And those unreproachable DT vocals, makes it sound easy floating over the melody. Superb.
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Ahhh you had me at the rainfall at the beginning of the track. Such a great vibe to this song, and holy moly these lyrics are amazing and I wish I had written them myself ("She is a mist from the Irish Sea/Her eyes are a luminous grey/She covers your face with wet kisses/And says, Boy, no more going away" - COME ON!!) That chord progression is perfect roll-down-the-windows-and-drive, and David, that chromatic line on "the water goes singing a working song" is just so delightful.
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i image the manchester rain is like that of seattle..mostly drizzle, you can feel it on your face but rarely get wet. but i could never describe it as well as jon does (The liquid air in Manchester/Kisses you with a lover’s mouth) or sign about it as swingingly as david. tow of my most favorite fawmers making the kind of songs i love the best. music that makes you feel like you are in love and lyrics that are like reading poetry.
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YES, I have forgotten how to speak English, but I'll try. Everything about this mix makes my ears so happy, and has left me, yet again, speechless. You are so fantastic at your craft, David! The lyrics are so fluid, and make me want to go to Manchester to soak up the sun :)
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Aw, thank you Abby! First time anyone’s ever called it ‘craft’ and I will take it all day long ☺️😆
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LOVE + SUNSHINE! Very wonderful!
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Wonderful laid back feel. Lyrics paint a picture of a worthy tribute to the city. Had to look up Navvie. Understanding that word helps with the context. Such easy listening. Crushed the vocals here DT. And the guitar playing...Catchy as can be...Top notch...
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Having been there today, I’m afraid to tell you it does in fact sometimes rain in Manchester, but this is a blast of sunshine pop which could blow away any clouds! Great work!
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Nice to start with a sound effect. Wow! These vocals are so good! I like this laid back feeling. Great guitar playing. Oh! Strings! Cool! Overall a great tune and a perfect production. Glad I found it!
Cheers Vince, really appreciate this!!
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My middle child has made Manchester their home and I can’t wait to share this with them! Man, this is some chef’s kiss of a collab, you two. (A big, wet, lover’s mouth of a Manchester kiss.)
Haha, thanks Caitlin! Perhaps your middle child can compare notes with @jonmeta, who is the Manchester expert in this collab. Hope they're enjoying the city :)
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Those words are pure poetry, nothing more, nothing less. So evocative! And they deserve a performance this fine. And fine it is. Really, really fine 😀 Goodness me, this is a bloody good song.
Aw, cheers mate, that is very very nice to hear 😊
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I had to listen to a song that was just so plainly a lie 😊. Firstly - your mix is sooo loud! Chapeaux. The words are just great - it paints a picture of Manchester so well. Then the musical choices are great - had that manc Pop rock feel - a mosh mash of all our favourite 90s Brit pop icons. Beautifully produced and performed as ever - love that guitar tone you have on the recurring lick - really tidy number !
Sorry for blowing your ears off mate 😬 😆 Glad those mancpop influences are coming through... I may need to add that hashtag actually (thanks!)
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Fantastic lyrics, music, singing, playing and production. Very cool title. It sure grabs the attention. Very visual song, expressive, catchy and awesome. Brilliant collaboration.