# Rain, Rain, Go Away

"Rain, Rain, Go Away" is an English nursery rhyme reaching back to at least the 17th century — a little weather-charm children have chanted for centuries to wish the rain away so they can go and play.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | 17th century (recorded 1659) |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/rain-rain-go-away/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

Rain, rain, go away,
Come again another day.
Rain, rain, go away,
Little Bobby wants to play.

## Common questions

**How old is "Rain, Rain, Go Away"?**

At least three and a half centuries. James Howell recorded an early form — "Raine, raine, goe to Spain: faire weather come againe" — in a collection of proverbs in 1659, and around the same time John Aubrey noted that children had "a custom when it raines to sing or charme away the Raine".

**What kind of rhyme is "Rain, Rain, Go Away"?**

A weather-charm: a little chant meant to make the rain stop. Children have always changed the last line to name whoever wants to go out — "little Bobby wants to play", or their own name — which is part of why it survives so easily.

**Are there other versions?**

Many. Regional forms were collected all over Britain and North America, each with its own ending about when the rain should come back. Charms like this are ancient — the Greeks and Romans had rain-rhymes too — so the little song belongs to a very old habit of singing at the weather.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — Rain Rain Go Away](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_Rain_Go_Away)
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4184716