Nursery Rhyme Songs: Rain, Rain Go Away

Several similar rhymes about rain are sung all over the world. The first English version of this short nursery rhyme dates back to the 17th century when James Howell, an Anglo-Welsh historian and writer, added a line about the Spanish Armada.

Rain, rain, go to Spain,

Never show your face again!

In the late 16th century, Spain and England were rivals at sea. The English fleet of ships was outnumbered by larger Spanish ships. In the end the Spanish Armada was defeated. Ships were scattered about by stormy weather and returned home to Spain.

The original “Rain, Rain Go Away” lyrics contained just the first set of two rhyming lines. In the 19th century, lines were added by James Orchard Haliwell, a collector of nursery rhymes, about a little boy named Arthur who wanted to go out to play.