Vassallo: ‘Who’ll Stop the Rain?’

Photo courtesy MTV.com

Every now and then I need a wake-up call as we all do periodically. This past Thursday night Rosie and I were holding court at Rafters primarily with a younger audience. The sound system was playing a familiar tune, although no one recognized it save me.

“Long as I remember the rain been comin’ down”….I attempted to stay focused on the conservation, but the lyrics kept ringing in my head. No disrespect to Creedence Clearwater Revival, I just couldn’t come up with their name.

“Clouds of mystery pourin’ confusion on the ground”…The table talk turned to Ole Miss football and presidential politics with politics prevailing. The millennials were making a case for Dr. Carson as we baby boomers were not totally convinced. And still the rain kept coming down.

“Good men through the ages tryin’ to find the sun”…While the debate ensued, issues over candidates grabbed center stage as immigration, terrorism, the national debt and China took control. I was still struggling with the band and alas it finally came to me.

“I went down to Virginia seekin’ shelter from the storm”…I immediately quizzed the eight or nine gathered who the artist was. A few had heard the song, but no one could name the band. When I provided the answer “Creedence Clearwater Revival”, all I received were blank stares. I was totally crushed.

“Five year plans and new deals wrapped in golden chains”…Then it dawned on me all that this younger generation was unfamiliar with while recognizing time has passed me by. I brought up the great bands of yesteryear like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young when “Ohio” sounded throughout the bar. Still no name recognition from the 20 year olds.

“Still the rain kept pourin’, fallin’ on my ears…And I wonder, still I wonder who’ll stop the rain”… It saddened me afterwards reflecting on all the great music of the 60’s and 70’s that I took for granted that this generation may never learn to appreciate. As we left the bar headed back to our 1960’s world, I couldn’t get the tune out of my head and wondering who stopped the rain.

Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.