Song Lyric Sunday: Johnny Nash, “I Can See Clearly Now”

Song Lyric Sunday, Song of the Day 2 Minutes

I am not the world’s greatest reggae fan, and whenever I say that people hit me with "What, you don’t like reggae? How can you call yourself a music guy and not like reggae?" Anyway, Jim declared this reggae week, so I came up with something. Maybe not everyone’s idea of real authentic reggae…

"I Can See Clearly Now" is a song written and sung by American singer Johnny Nash. The Blogger’s Best Friend™ tells us

After making modest chart advances for a month, the RIAA-certified gold single unexpectedly took only two weeks to vault from No. 20 to No. 5 to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 4, 1972, remaining atop this chart for four weeks, and also spent the same four weeks atop the adult contemporary chart.

And, might I say, for all the right reasons…

I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day

I think I can make it now the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I’ve been praying for
It’s gonna be a bright (Bright), bright sun shiny day

Look all around, there’s nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothing but blue skies

I can see clearly now; the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day
It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun shiny day

Source: Genius

In 1974, WLS-TV in Chicago moved it tranmission facility from Marina City to the Sears Tower. To celebrate the much-clearer signal, meteorologist John Coleman (later the meteorologist for Good Morning America, WMAQ-TV in Chicago, and KUSI-TV in San Diego) was (through some trick photography) show dancing on the tower, singing "you can see clearly now, the shadow’s gone."

Johnny Nash, by the way, is the guy who sang the theme song for the cartoon series The Mighty Hercules…

That’s Song Lyric Sunday and Song of the Day for April 23, 2023.

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

Published

24 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: Johnny Nash, “I Can See Clearly Now””

  1. Pingback: The End Of A To Z Week That Was – The Sound of One Hand Typing

  4. When I toured the US on my motorcycle as a 58 year old widow, I avoided highways and took state routes and local roads. I often found myself singing pertinent songs. “I can see for mile”, “This land is my land”, “OOklahoma,” “Gary Indiana Gary…”, “Rain rain go away,” and yes, “I can see clearly now”.

    Donna McNicol – My A to Z Blogs
    DB McNicol – Small Delights, Simple Pleasures, and Significant Memories
    My Snap Memories – My Life in Black & White

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    1. So you avoided the Inerstates and the US highways? That’s a great way to see the country. I always wanted to take US 41 from up in the UP of Michigan to Miami… Anyway, bet you had a great time!

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      1. As much as possible. There were times I took US highways but usually that was due to a meet-up and timing or weather when I needed to get to my night stop. In 2005 I rode 27k miles through 42 states. Such great memories, my first GRAND adventure.

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  8. I love this tune – one of the best picker uppers I know and I great summer tune! In fact, as I’m typing my clever comment, it’s a bright sunshiny day in good ole central Jersey! And I’m possibly getting my first sun burn of the season!😆

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