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My Gen X Playlist: Like the Weather – 10,000 Maniacs

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Daily writing prompt
What is your favorite type of weather?
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When I was a kid, I loved springtime. Not because it was the start of baseball season, the blooming flowers or the end of winter. I loved it because it was a great time to be a kid in Southern California.

I remember driving to the local mountains for spring skiing on a Saturday. The weather was perfect to ski in jeans, without a jacket. The snow was partly man made and it wasn’t the best, but good enough to get a bunch of runs in and enjoy the sunshine and the slopes. It was the perfect day trip.

Come Sunday, we’d head out to the beach. Body surfing, enjoying the sun, hanging out with friends. Back to back days like this were incredible.

We didn’t have too many of these ski/beach weekends, but when we did it reminded us how lucky we were growing up with the mountains and beaches at our fingertips. So springtime weather, that’s my favorite.

10,000 Maniacs released Like the Weather in 1987. Although an upbeat song, it’s not a song about blue skis on a warm sunny day.

“Like the Weather” was written by lead singer Natalie Merchant, and is simply about being in a foul mood on a day when the weather is horrible and she can’t find a good reason to get out of bed.

The dark lyric stands in opposition to the buoyant music on this track: while Merchant is delivering lines like “A quiver in my voice as I cry, ‘What a cold and a rainy day,'” the band is playing a chipper tune. 

– Songfacts

The downside of living in a sunny area is the ridiculous reaction at the sight of rain. Local news goes on storm watch where they cut to a newscaster outside holding an umbrella, outstretched hand with their palm facing up, reporting on the latest sprinkle. The report from Los Angeles immediately cuts to another reporter in Hollywood. Same sprinkle, same upward facing palm, same report. This was hilarious growing up, even to us locals.

With climate change, however, the weather has become a bit unpredictable lately. Most people in any part of the country can also attest to drastic weather changes. A few weeks ago there was a tornado in Central California. A tornado? Really? We already have earthquakes. Isn’t that enough? Now when I catch storm watch on TV, I actually pay attention.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Color of the sky as far as I can see is coal grey. 
Lift my head from the pillow and then fall again. 
Shiver in my bones, just thinking about the weather. 
Quiver in my lip as if I might cry. 

Well by the force of will my lungs are filled and so I breathe. 
Lately it seems this big bed is where I never leave. 
Shiver in my bones, just thinking about the weather. 
A quiver in my voice as I cry, 

What a cold and a rainy day.
Where on earth is the sun hid away?

Hear the sound of a noon bell chime. 
Well I'm far behind. 
You've put in 'bout half a day 
while here I lie 
With a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather. 
A quiver in my voice as if I might cry, 

What a cold and rainy day. 
Where on earth is the sun hid away? 

Do I need someone here to scold me 
or do I need someone who'll grab and pull me out of four poster dull torpor pulling downward. 
For it is such a long time since my better days. 
I say my prayers nightly this will pass away. 

The color of the sky is grey as I can see through the blinds. 
Lift my head from the pillow and then fall again 
Shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather. 
A quiver in my voice as if I might cry, 

A cold and a rainy day.
Where on earth is the sun hid away? 
A cold and a rainy day I shiver, quiver, and try to wake.

23 thoughts on “My Gen X Playlist: Like the Weather – 10,000 Maniacs”

  1. Haha! I know what you mean! When it rains here, it’s the top story on the news and they call it a First Alert Weather Day. What is this liquid that seems to be falling from the sky? Also, drivers don’t know how to drive anymore. Ugh!

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    2. I apologize for jumping in here. I cant have my own comment for some reason . Natalie merchant w/10,000 maniacs) played at the bar i ran in the early 90’s. They played around town also. Their guitarist played our open mics regularly. I sometimes still see him around town.

      I moved into the Goo Goo dolls apartment after they moved out from above tbe bar. Robby and i used to stay after hours and drink a fair amount . .. or was it just me? Lol

      I also used to have them on the radio for interviews years before their breakout album.

      That doesn’t even get close to all of it.

      By-the-way, love that you write about the songs you like and appreciate. I lurk more than I participate

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      2. Wow… that is so cool. I must have been amazing to see them play up close in a smaller venue. I imagine you have a lot of interesting stories and experiences.

        Thanks for checking out the blog. It’s been fun reconnecting with these songs.

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      4. Nah, not in the least. I enjoyed your comments. No worries at all. Those experiences are really unique and probably dear to you. Loved hearing about them, especially because I’m a fan of Natalie Merchant.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Ski slopes AND beach in one weekend, what?! That’s pretty cool. The climate change part, not so much. Noticing it here, too.

    A 10,000 Maniacs song I didn’t know. Thanks! The tune has a lightness to it despite the theme. Nice bobby rhythm.

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  3. I love this song and the whole album. SoCal was our fantasy lifestyle growing up. Everyone wanted to go to college in Cali. The Beach Boys were a big part of that longing we had. good to know you were actually living the dream!

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    1. You definitely can’t beat the weather. These days, people are beginning to leave California. It’s lost some of its allure. I totally understand it. We have friends that have left for Texas and Tennessee.

      My nephew is at school in your neck of the woods and loves it, his sister soon to follow. Another niece a little north from you. My family is slowly transplanting across the country!

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      1. Interesting. I wanted to go to Occidental College, but my parents wouldn’t even let me apply! North Carolina colleges were their outer limit geographically. I would’ve let my kids apply in CA, but they weren’t really interested like I was.

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      2. Oxy is a great school. It’s in a cool area called Eagle Rock. Traveling clear across the country for school can be daunting. I give the young folks who can do it a lot of credit.

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  4. Great song. As you said, bouncy tune with sad lyrics. Sometimes that’s how life is! My wife and I will snowboard and paddleboard on the same day pretty soon. Kirkwood got twenty inches last night and spring is right around the corner!

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  5. A venture capitalist who was the interim CEO of a startup where I worked years ago used to surf in the morning on Fridays and then head to his place near Tahoe to get in some snowboarding before the day was over. He was a kid at heart. What a life. Being worth 100 million dollars at the time probably helped.

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