Lizzie and the Rainman
# Lizzie and the Rainman

"Lizzie and the Rainman" is a song written by Kenny O'Dell and Larry Henley. The song was first recorded in 1972, being that year a single release for its co-writer Kenny O'Dell and an album cut for Bobby Goldsboro (California Wine) and the Hollies (Romany, under the slightly different title "Lizzy and the Rain Man").

## Background

"Lizzie and the Rainman" relates how a rainmaker visiting a drought-stricken Texas town woos a skeptical local woman named Lizzie Cooper. The idea for the song came from the film The Rainmaker whose heroine is named Lizzie Curry.

## Tanya Tucker recording

In 1975, the song was recorded by American country music artist Tanya Tucker. A narrative song as was typical for the first phase of Tucker's career. She recorded her vocal for "Lizzie and the Rainman" in a 19 March 1975 session in Los Angeles produced by Snuff Garrett; Tucker would recall: "the recording was so impersonal. I was used to recording live with all the musicians in the studio, and I just sang to the tracks on this one." Released as the lead single from the album Tanya Tucker - which marked Tucker's MCA Records debut - "Lizzie and the Rainman" was Tucker's fourth Hot Country Songs #1 and was also her first single to make the Pop Top 40, reaching #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1975. A #7 A/C hit, "Lizzie and the Rainman" would prove to be Tucker's only Top 40 hit despite her later recording material more specifically aimed at the Pop market; her one subsequent Hot 100 item "Here's Some Love" peaked at #82.

## Chart performance

| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
| - | - |
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 85 |
| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard) | 1 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 37 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 7 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 66 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 2 |

## Other recordings

* In 1973, Alex Taylor had a single release of the song.
