Keith Whitley — I’m No Stranger To The Rain

February 22, 2008

I meant to write about this song a couple of weeks ago when I posted on Merle’s “Big City”. It’s another one of my favorite songs that shows up on my mix while I’m running and hurting. I do, however, find it ironic that this song is all about weathering the storm and coming out the other side better for it. After all, Keith Whitley ended up drinking himself to death. I know someone who had encounters with him in the days leading up to his death, and by their accounts he wasn’t weathering his personal storm very well.

Regardless, I find this song very inspirational. I’ve always liked songs that don’t sound tough until you listen to their lyrics (Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” for instance). “I’m No Stranger to the Rain” has one of the toughest, hard nosed lines of any country song in my opinion:

I’ve fought with the devil
Got down on his level
But I never gave in, so he gave up on me

In the end, he’s confident he’ll win, and actually seems to relish the fight

I’ll put this cloud behind me
That’s how the man designed me
Ride the wind and dance in hurricane
I’m no stranger to the rain

It’s really sad that Keith Whitley died so young. He was a great songwriter and singer. I’d love to have heard the songs he would have written if he’d continued to live, especially having made it through the tough times he was having when he died.

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