Queen of Rain

"Queen of Rain"
Single by Roxette
from the album Tourism
B-side"Pearls of Passion"
Released28 October 1992 (1992-10-28)
RecordedJune 1990
StudioEMI (Stockholm, Sweden)
Length4:49
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Clarence Öfwerman
Roxette singles chronology
"How Do You Do!"
(1992) 		"Queen of Rain"
(1992) 		"Fingertips '93"
(1993)
Music video
"Queen of Rain" on YouTube

"Queen of Rain" is a song by Swedish duo Roxette. It was released on 28 October 1992 as the second single from their fourth studio album, Tourism (1992). The ballad became a top-20 hit in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, and spent over three months on the German Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 19.

Background and recording

The song was recorded in July 1990 at EMI Studios in Stockholm during sessions for their 1991 album Joyride. It was originally set to appear as that album's final track, but was excluded in favour of "Perfect Day". However, the closing notes and sound effects contained on the outro of the album version of "Things Will Never Be the Same" – the track which precedes "Perfect Day" on Joyride – can still be heard over the crowd noise contained on the intro of "Queen of Rain".[1] Roxette later recorded a Spanish version of the track, titled "Una reina va detrás de un rey" ("A Queen Goes After a King"), for their 1996 compilation album Baladas en Español.

Prior to the release of "Queen of Rain", one of the single's b-side, "Pearls of Passion", had remained unreleased outside of Sweden. The song would later be included as a bonus track on the 1997 reissue of their debut album, Pearls of Passion (1986).

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Bryan Buss described the song as "haunting" and "hopeful" in his review of Tourism.[2]

Formats and track listings

  • Cassette and 7-inch single (Europe 8650124 · UK EM253)
  1. "Queen of Rain" – 4:49
  2. "It Must Have Been Love" (Live from the Sydney Entertainment Centre on 13 December 1991) – 5:29
  • CD single (Europe · Australia 8650132)
  1. "Queen of Rain" – 4:49
  2. "It Must Have Been Love" (Live from Sydney) – 5:29
  3. "Paint" (Live from Sydney) – 3:20
  4. "Pearls of Passion" – 3:33
  • UK CD1 single (UK CDEMS253)
  1. "Queen of Rain" (Radio Edit) – 4:28
  2. "Pearls of Passion" – 3:33
  3. "Interview with Roxette" – 14:30
  • UK CD2 single (UK CDEM253)
  1. "Queen of Rain" – 4:49
  2. "It Must Have Been Love" (Live from Sydney) – 5:29
  3. "Paint" (Live from Sydney) – 3:20
  4. "Dangerous" – 3:46

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of The Ballad Hits.[3]

Studios

  • Recorded at EMI Studios (Stockholm, Sweden) in June 1990
  • Mixed at EMI Studios (Stockholm, Sweden)

Musicians

Charts

Chart (1992) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[4] 66
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 14
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 47
Germany (GfK)[7] 19
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 26
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[9] 20
Spain (AFYVE)[10] 7
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 12
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] 27
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 28

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom October 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 EMI [14]
Europe 28 October 1992
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [11]
Japan 8 January 1993 Mini-CD [15]

References

  1. ^ "Digital booklet". Tourism (liner notes). Roxette. Stockholm, Sweden: EMI Records. 1992. 7777 99929 2 8.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ Buss, Bryan. "Roxette - Tourism: Songs from Studios, Stages, Hotelrooms & Other Strange Places". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  3. ^ Lindström, Sven (2002). The Ballad Hits (CD liner notes). Roxette. Capitol Records. 72435 42798-2 9.
  4. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 239.
  5. ^ "Roxette – Queen of Rain" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1825." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Roxette – Queen of Rain" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Roxette" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Roxette – Queen of Rain" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  10. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  11. ^ a b "Roxette – Queen of Rain". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  12. ^ "Roxette – Queen of Rain". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  13. ^ "Roxette: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  14. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 17 October 1992. p. 17.
  15. ^ "クイーン・オブ・レイン | ロクセット" [Queen of Rain | Roxette] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 23 January 2024.