Fool in the Rain
"Fool in the Rain" is the third song on Led Zeppelin's 1979 album In Through the Out Door. It was the last single released in the US before they formally disbanded in 1980. The song reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 16, 1980.
Composition and recording
The song exhibits a Latin feel. The main section is in 12/8 meter; this section employs an unusual polyrhythmic groove, with the piano and bass playing six beats per measure and the melody playing four beats per measure. The result is that most of the instruments appear to be playing quarter-note triplets against the swing of the melody and drum kit. Drummer John Bonham plays a shuffle beat similar to the "Purdie shuffle" rhythm, along with a samba-style breakdown and hop-skip riff arrangement. A master drum track shows that the samba breakdown was recorded separately.Bassist John Paul Jones and vocalist Robert Plant developed the idea for the samba beat from watching the 1978 FIFA World Cup tournament in Argentina.
Critical reception
While In Through The Out Door was not regarded with the same praise as Led Zeppelin's previous albums, "Fool in the Rain" still managed to garner positive reception. Scott Ludwig, writing for Courier News in 1980, highly praised Bonham's drum playing. In a retrospective review, Andrew Doscas of PopMatters called it the "standout track", opining it was "the band’s last fun song" and "the only such found on In Through the Out Door".Other renditions
"Fool in the Rain" was never performed live by Led Zeppelin as a band. Robert Plant teamed up with American rock band Pearl Jam in 2005 and performed the song for the Hurricane Katrina benefit in Chicago's House of Blues. Pearl Jam originally did not plan to perform the song, but changed their itinerary after Hurricane Katrina went through New Orleans. All proceeds of the performance went to charities.Chart history
Single
| Chart | Peak position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 21 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Singles | 31 |
| U.S. Record World The Singles Chart | 34 |
| Canadian RPM Top 100 Chart | 12 |
| New Zealand Top 50 Singles Chart | 44 |
Single (Digital download)
| Chart | Peak position |
| Canadian Billboard Hot Digital Singles Chart | 69 |