Music of the night: #11 "I Love a Rainy Night" Eddie Rabbitt (1981)

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A Nashville songwriter born in Brooklyn? That was Eddie Rabbitt and that was his real name. He is largely forgotten today in part due to his untimely 1998 death at 56 of lung cancer. Rabbitt was a big name for awhile who first established himself as a songwriter with “Kentucky Rain” for Elvis. His crossover singing career got going with the title track to Clint Eastwood’s movie “Every Which Way But Loose” (1975) reaching #30. “Drivin’ My Love Away” reached #5 and its followup went bigger. “I love a rainy night I love to hear the thunder Watch the lightning When it lights up the sky You know it makes me feel good” What a massive crossover hit topping both Billboard Hot 100 and country charts. The album “Horizon” went platinum. The song started from some lyrics Rabbitt wrote in the 60s and he co-wrote “I Love a Rainy Night” with David Malloy and Even Stevens. Rabbitt would enjoy later hits though none would equal “I Love a Rainy Night.”