Night Rains
Studio album by
Janis Ian
ReleasedSeptember 1979
Recorded1978
StudioA & R Studios, New York City
CBS Recording Studios, New York City
Musicland, Munich, West Germany
Rusk Sound, Los Angeles, California
The Hit Factory, New York City
LabelColumbia
ProducerJanis Ian, Ron Fragipane
Giorgio Moroder
Janis Ian chronology
Janis Ian
(1978)		 Night Rains
(1979)		 Restless Eyes
(1981)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Wilson and Allroy[2]
Rolling Stone Album Guide (1992)[3]

Night Rains is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Janis Ian, originally released in 1979 on Columbia Records.

The commercial failure of her previous self-titled album and its accompanying singles led Columbia to demand Ian make a major change of direction for Night Rains to restore her commercial fortunes.[4][5] She initially focused on writing film music for Foxes and The Bell Jar,[6] and then adopted a fully commercial pop sound, collaborating with Albert Hammond of "It Never Rains in Southern California" fame on one song, and with superstar disco producer Giorgio Moroder on two tracks including the Foxes theme.[4] E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons played on two songs and jazz pianist Chick Corea on "Jenny (Iowa Sunrise)".

Consequent upon its release alongside twenty-four other Columbia Records albums in the fall of 1979,[7] Night Rains was effectively un-promoted by the label in the United States and became Ian's first to not dent the Billboard albums chart since Present Company. Even a re-release a year later with much greater record company promotion failed to get Night Rains onto the chart.[6]

Although first single "Here Comes the Night" (Theme from The Bell Jar) did not chart anywhere, second single "Fly Too High" became a top ten hit in the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, and drove Night Rains into the top twenty in those markets. "Fly Too High" and third single "The Other Side of the Sun" also became Ian's first-ever chart entries in the United Kingdom, although Night Rains did not crack the top 75 albums.

Subsequent to Ian's 1990s comeback, "Fly Too High" and "Jenny (Iowa Sunrise)" have remained part of her live setlist, and both those songs have appeared on career-spanning compilations.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Janis Ian, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Produced byLength
1."The Other Side of the Sun"Albert Hammond, Janis IanJanis Ian, Ron Fragipane3:59
2."Fly Too High"Janis Ian, Giorgio MoroderGiorgio Moroder5:10
3."Memories" Janis Ian, Ron Fragipane4:46
4."Night Rains" Janis Ian, Ron Fragipane3:24
5."Here Comes the Night" (Theme from The Bell Jar) Janis Ian, Ron Fragipane3:37
Total length:20:56
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Produced byLength
1."Day by Day"Janis Ian, Giorgio MoroderJanis Ian, Ron Fragipane4:14
2."Have Mercy Love" Janis Ian, Ron Fragipane4:38
3."Lay Low" Janis Ian, Ron Fragipane3:06
4."Photographs" Janis Ian, Ron Fragipane2:47
5."Jenny (Iowa Sunrise)" Janis Ian, Ron Fragipane3:32
Total length:18:17

Charts

Chart (1979/1980) Peak

position

Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 11
New Zealand[9] 11
Netherlands (Dutch Charts)[10] 2

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[11] Platinum 50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ William Ruhlmann. "Night Rains – Janis Ian". All Music Group.
  2. ↑ Wilson, David Bertrand. "Night Rains – Janis Ian". Wilson and Allroy’s Record Reviews. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  3. ↑ DeCurtis, Anthony; George-Warren, Holly and Henke, James; The Rolling Stone Album Guide – Completely New Reviews: Every Essential Album, Every Essential Artist, p. 339 ISBN 0679737294
  4. 1 2 Hunt, Dennis (1980-09-01). "Janis Ian Gave 'Em What They Wanted and So What Now?". Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 10-A.
  5. ↑ Hunt, Dennis (1980-10-11). "Believe It or Not, Janis Ian Has Changed". The Journal-Herald. Dayton, Ohio. p. 22.
  6. 1 2 Garner, Jack (1980-07-27). "Learning To Live with Peaks and Troughs". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. p. 1C.
  7. ↑ Beck, Marilyn (1980-08-08). "Producers Dig In for Long Actors' Strike". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. A-6.
  8. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 145. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ↑ "Janis Ian — Night Rains". charts.nz. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  10. ↑ van Slooten, Johan; Albumdossier 1969-2002 GottmerBecht, 2002.
  11. ↑ "Kent Music Report No 341 – 5 January 1981 > Platinum and Gold Albums 1980". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 12 November 2021 – via Imgur.com.
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