April Showers – On the Rocks

by Silvers and de Sylva – Key of A

Composed by Louis Silvers and written by B.G. De Sylva, this song debuted in the 1921 Broadway musical Bombo and was performed by Al Jolson.

This song became a popular cover by several jazz and traditional pop singers, including Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Margaret Whiting, Eddie Fisher, Eydie Gorme, Mel Torme and Cab Calloway. R&B/Soul singer Jackie Wilson also included the song on his Al Jolson tribute album, Nowstalgia…You Ain’t Heard Nothin’ Yet, in 1961.

This song was featured in the 1948 film musical April Showers, starring Jack Carson and Ann Sothern as a married couple in a struggling vaudeville act.

This song has a rare claim to fame in that it was sung in a courtroom (by a judge). According to a report in the March 7, 1953 issue of the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper filed from Detroit, “Circuit Judge Vincent M. Brennan gave his decision in a contract suit between a singer and an orchestra leader,” and after recessing the court, “stepped down from the bench and sang ‘April Showers’ to prove he was ‘musically qualified’ to decide the case.”

Life is not a highway strewn with flowers,
Still it holds a goodly share of bliss
When the sun gives way to April showers
Here is the point you should never miss

Though April showers may come your way
They bring the flowers that bloom in May
So if it’s raining have no regrets,
because it isn’t raining rain you know, it’s raining violets

And where you see clouds upon the hills
You soon will see crowds of daffodils
So keep on looking for a blue bird,
and list’ning for his song whenever April showers come along

And where you see clouds upon the hills
You soon will see crowds of daffodils
So keep on looking for a blue bird
and list’ning for his song whenever April showers come along

120. APRIL SHOWERS 1921 |
THOUGH APRIL SHOWERS
MAY COME YOUR WAY,
THEY BRING THE FLOWERS
THAT BLOOM IN MAY.
SO IF IT’S RAINING, HAVE NO REGRETS,
BECAUSE IT ISN’T RAINING RAIN YOU KNOW,
IT’S RAINING VIOLETS.
AND WHEN YOU SEE CLOUDS
UPON THE HILL,
YOU SOON WILL SEE CROWDS
OF DAFFODILS.
SO KEEP ON LOOKING FOR A BLUEBIRD,
AND LISTENING FOR HIS SONG,
WHENEVER APRIL SHOWERS COME ALONG.