http://nightdimness.deviantart.com/art/Fool-In-The-Rain-187411356

I woke up from a very bad dream. I dreamed that Mom and dad left me under a bridge. I was thirteen. We lived under the bridge for some years now. We called it home. There was nowhere to go.

Mom and dad left a note for me. I found it on the bridge’s abutment. It was hanging there, swaying with the summer wind, held loosely by a stale bubble gum. I learned from the note that Mom and dad went to a show. They didn’t exactly describe what show they were going to. I didn’t care. They don’t have the penchant for describing things. For making things simple. But at least today, strangely, they left a note. 

I waited for hours on end. They never came back. At midnight, a foul wind came, whispering. Followed by rain, raging. Rain in the summertime. I danced like a fool in the rain. But I was happy. I was free. I was young, innocent. I felt good. And then I felt raindrops rushing into my nostrils. Into my throat. Into my soul. I was drowning. I woke up screaming. #

“68 Guns” (#17, 1983)

Save for a piddly #68 showing in the UK with their song “The Stand,” this was the first single by the band to make the charts. Written by Mike Peters and Eddie MacDonald, recorded at Good Earth and released in September ’83, it has the spirit of punk and the grandeur of Springsteen.

“Rain In The Summertime” (#18, 1987)

Produced in 1987 by John Porter for their Eye of the Hurricane album, this one embraced technology (electronic drums!), embraced melody (no electronic voices!) and managed to grab a little from the [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]U2[/lastfm] songbook at the same time.

[metrolyrics artist="The Alarm" song="Rain in the Summertime"]

“Where Were You When The Storm Broke” (#22, 1984) and “Spirit of ’76 (#22, 1986)

An early single from the Alarm, “Where Were You When The Storm Broke” was a far more original piece for the band, more indicative of their Welsh roots than “Spirit of ’76,” which again co-opts Springsteen. Both charted at #22 on the UK rosters.

If it was Big in Britain, and we wrote about it, you’ll find it here…

I love to feel the rain in the summertime
I love to feel the rain on my face
I love to feel the rain in the summertime
I love to feel the rain on my face

And then I run til the breath tears my throat
til the pain hits my side
As if I run fast enough
I can leave all the pain and the sadness behind–
“Rain in the Summertime,” The Alarm

I know it’s not summertime, but tonight while running at the gym, I heard this song on my iPod and along with “Believe” by The Chemical Brothers, it kept me moving. Plus I love those last lines I quoted from The Alarm song: “As if I run fast enough/I can leave all the pain and sadness behind.” Also the song reminded me of my personal record (so far) in the 5K which I ran on August 24, 2004 at the Breakaway 5K in Old Orchard Beach, Maine with a 28:29 or a 9:10 pace. Obviously, it was raining that day and it was a super flat course. It was the best race I’ve run so far.

Tonight, however, wasn’t the best training run I’ve had so far, but after falling on the sidewalk on Sunday and scraping my left knee pretty badly, it wasn’t the worst either. I actually felt like I was getting a good rhythm. I’m glad I took the couple days off and moved back my running schedule this week by one day. With the gym being closed Monday, because of New Year’s, and my knee injury, I pushed back my first running day of the week to Wednesday. Then I’ll do weights tomorrow and Saturday morning (for only two days this week), and then follow up with my runs on Thursday and Sunday. I’ll keep you all posted as my training develops.