Every Billboard Hot 100 Single 1970: #451: “Fire and Rain”- Johnny Rivers and Friends. September 5, 1970.
- Single:”Fire and Rain”- Johnny Rivers and Friends
- Record Company- Imperial
- Genre: Pop
- Written by James Taylor
- Time: 3:15
- B-side:”Apple Tree”
- Album-
- Grade: B
- Peaked at #94 2 weeks in Billboard Hot 100.
Born John Ramistella in 1942 Brooklyn, New York- raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana- as Johnny Rivers- he has had a lengthy career as a Rock and Roll singer/songwriter/ guitarist and producer. Rivers had 29 Hot 100 singles with 12 making the Top 40. His biggest hit being #1 “Poor Side Of Town” in 1966. His version of the famous James Taylor hit “Fire and Rain” actually entered the charts a week ahead of Taylor’s original- but where Taylor’s single cracked the Top 5- Rivers just cracked the Hot 100 briefly.
I absolutely love this tune. While this is a pretty good cover, with the horns giving it an interesting touch, I really dig James Taylor’s voice, so prefer his original.
I will go with the original too- but this I agree is a pretty good cover.
I like Rivers. Never heard this before. Sounds good. I’m liking this cover.