Song Stories: Travis: Why Does It Always Rain On Me

"Why Does it Always Rain on Me" has gone on to become one of the most iconic songs of the 1990s. Written by Fran Healy while on holiday in the Israeli desert, "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" draws from a personal experience of misfortune and bad timing. Healy was looking for an escape from the typically dreary UK weather, but in an almost ironic twist of fate, it rained as soon as he arrived. That experience fed into the song’s existential musings on why some people seem to be followed by bad luck, no matter where they go.

The song is a simple melody, but has a rather deep sentiment which has resonated with listeners years after it's release. t’s a track that speaks to anyone who has ever felt weighed down by bad luck, sorrow, or a persistent feeling of gloom—both metaphorical and, in Travis’ case, literal rain. Exploring why bad things happen to us, with the songs narrator questioning this throughout.

The most famous line—"Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?"—is both quirky and revealing. It feels like a half-joking, half-serious attempt to pinpoint where things started to go wrong. This introspective questioning of whether past mistakes somehow influence present-day hardships speaks to a very human need to find meaning in misfortune. The song never explicitly answers this question, leaving the listener to wonder if there’s any rhyme or reason to the challenges they face, or if they’re just a part of life’s natural rhythm.

As well as being a fan favourite it was also a song that saw Travis embrace a new sound, a more introspective melancholic sound.  It was one of the key tracks that defined the mood of their second album, The Man Who, which was much more atmospheric and melancholic in comparison.
This shift resonated with listeners, especially in the late 1990s, when Britpop was fading and a new wave of more introspective, emotional music was emerging. Alongside bands like Coldplay and Radiohead, Travis helped set the tone for the turn-of-the-millennium sound, where emotional vulnerability in rock music was becoming more prominent.

Travis had a rather special moment with this song, at the Glastonbury festival in 1999. The band had released "The Man Who" and  "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" had already gained momentum as a radio hit. 

As the first chords of the song echoed across the festival grounds, something almost magical occurred rain began to pour from the sky, drenching the crowd. The timing was so perfect that it felt scripted, as if the song had summoned the weather itself. Suddenly, the track’s melancholy hook, "Why does it always rain on me?" had a literal answer in real-time.

This spontaneous downpour gave the performance a surreal, cinematic quality. The audience—covered in mud but embracing the rain—was transformed from passive listeners to participants in a shared experience. What could have been just another good festival set became one of Glastonbury’s most memorable moments.

The band were praised for their performance by Joe Whiley and John Peel and were called the band f the weekend. Following that performance the song became Travis first Top 10 hit in the UK.

Following the release of this song and the album "The Man Who" the band went on an extensive 237-concert world tour, including headlining the 2000 Glastonbury, T in the Park, and V festivals, and a US tour leg with Oasis.

This song provided the band with some of their biggest moments, and is one of the most important songs of the Post-Britpop era.

Thank you for reading

Jack