Rainy Night in Georgia - wikipedia Rainy Night in Georgia This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( November 2011 ) `` Rainy Night in Georgia '' Single by Brook Benton from the album Brook Benton Today B - side `` Where Do I Go From Here ? '' Released December 1969 Format Vinyl record ( 7 '' 45 RPM ) Recorded 1969 Genre R&B, Soul Length 3 : 29 Label Cotillion / Atlantic Songwriter ( s ) Tony Joe White Producer ( s ) Arif Mardin `` Rainy Night in Georgia '' is a song written by Tony Joe White in 1967 and popularized by R&B vocalist Brook Benton in 1970. It was originally released by White on his 1969 album, `` Continued '' on Monument Records, shortly before Benton 's hit single was issued. In a January 17, 2014 interview with music journalist Ray Shasho, Tony Joe White explained the thought process behind the making of `` Rainy Night in Georgia '' and `` Polk Salad Annie ''. When I got out of high school I went to Marietta, Georgia, I had a sister living there. I went down there to get a job and I was playing guitar too at the house and stuff. I drove a dump truck for the highway department and when it would rain you did n't have to go to work. You could stay home and play your guitar and hangout all night. So those thoughts came back to me when I moved on to Texas about three months later. I heard `` Ode to Billie Joe '' on the radio and I thought, man, how real, because I am Billie Joe, I know that life. I 've been in the cotton fields. So I thought if I ever tried to write, I 'm going to write about something I know about. At that time I was doing a lot of Elvis and John Lee Hooker onstage with my drummer. No original songs and I had n't really thought about it. But after I heard Bobbie Gentry I sat down and thought... well I know about Polk because I had ate a bunch of it and I knew about rainy nights because I spent a lot of rainy nights in Marietta, Georgia. So I was real lucky with my first tries to write something that was not only real and hit pretty close to the bone, but lasted that long. So it was kind of a guide for me then on through life to always try to write what I know about. In 1969, after several years without a major hit, Benton had signed to a new record label, Cotillion Records ( a subsidiary of Atlantic Records ) by label A&R chief and producer Jerry Wexler. Benton recorded the song in November 1969 with arranger / producer Arif Mardin. Session personnel on the record included Billy Carter on organ, Dave Crawford on piano, Cornell Dupree and Jimmy O'Rourke on guitar, Harold Cowart on bass, Tubby Ziegler on drums, and Toots Thielemans on harmonica. Included on his `` come - back '' album Brook Benton Today, the melancholy song became an instant hit. In the spring of 1970, the song had topped the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles chart. It also reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and number two on the Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, the song made # 2 on the RPM Magazine Hot Singles chart, # 2 on the AC Chart, and # 58 in the 1970 Year End Chart. The RIAA certified the single gold for sales of one million copies. In 2004, it was ranked # 498 on the List of Rolling Stone 's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Covers The song has been covered by a number of musicians, including Ray Charles, Otis Rush, Gil Parris, Little Milton, Dolla, Hearts Of Stone, Randy Crawford, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Al Hirt, Johnny Rivers, Amos Garrett, Hank Williams, Jr. ( # 21 Can. ), Nat Stuckey, a Conway Twitty / Sam Moore duet ( # 33 Can. ), Arthur Prysock, Aaron Neville, Chris Young, Ana Popovic and Shelby Lynne. Randy Crawford 's version reached No. 18 in the UK Singles Chart in 1981. David Ruffin recorded a cover version of the song the same year as Benton, but Motown did not release the album until the 2000s. B.J. Thomas also recorded the song the same year as Benton for his album Most of All. Several reggae covers have been recorded including ones by : Ken Parker, Lord Tanamo, Nicky Thomas, John Holt, and reggae bands The Gladiators and The Congos. In 1967 Prince Buster rewrote the lyrics and recorded a sexually explicit reggae version of this song called `` Big Five '', usually found with certain words bleeped out. Gregory Isaacs did a dancehall style version at the start of the 90s. More recent covers include those by indie folk - rock band Hem from their album No Word from Tom ( 2006 ), and by Boz Scaggs from his album Memphis ( 2013 ). Australian band Ross Hanniford Trio recorded a cover of the song on their 1994 album. In 2000, guitarist Eric Essix covered the song on his album Southbound. An electronic - influenced downtempo / chillout version was recorded by Boozoo Bajou and Tony Joe White in 2006. Rod Stewart included the song on his 2009 album Soulbook. Singer Frank Shiner released the song as the first single and video from his 2017 album Lonely Town, Lonely Street. The song is featured in Haruki Murakami 's novel Hear the Wind Sing. References Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Top R&B / Hip - Hop Singles : 1942 - 2004. Record Research. p. 54. Jump up ^ `` Cover versions of Rainy Night in Georgia written by Tony Joe White ''. SecondHandSongs.com. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 03. Jump up ^ Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. p. 125. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Most of All overview ''. Allmusic.com. Jump up ^ `` Southbound overview ''. Allmusic.com. Brook Benton Singles `` Endlessly '' `` It 's Just a Matter of Time '' `` So Many Ways '' `` Thank You Pretty Baby '' `` Baby ( You 've Got What It Takes ) '' `` Fools Rush In ( Where Angels Fear to Tread ) '' `` Kiddio '' `` A Rockin ' Good Way ( to Mess Around and Fall in Love ) '' `` Think Twice '' `` Frankie and Johnny '' `` Boll Weevil '' `` Shadrack '' `` Walk on the Wild Side '' `` Laura ( What 's He Got That I Ai n't Got ) '' `` My Way '' `` Rainy Night in Georgia '' Other songs `` Goodnight My Love '' `` It 's Been a Long, Long Time '' Hank Williams Jr. Studio albums Your Cheatin ' Heart Connie Francis and Hank Williams Jr. Sing Great Country Favorites Ballads of the Hills and Plains Blues My Name A Time to Sing Songs My Father Left Me Luke the Drifter Jr. Vol. 2 Live at Cobo Hall After You, Pride 's Not Hard to Swallow Hank Williams Jr. and Friends Family Tradition Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound Habits Old and New Rowdy The Pressure Is On High Notes Strong Stuff Man of Steel Major Moves Five - O Montana Cafe Hank Live Born to Boogie Wild Streak Lone Wolf Pure Hank Maverick Out of Left Field Hog Wild A.K.A. Wham Bam Sam Three Hanks : Men with Broken Hearts Stormy The Almeria Club Recordings I 'm One of You 127 Rose Avenue It 's About Time Compilation albums Greatest Hits Greatest Hits Vol. 2 Fourteen Greatest Hits Hank Williams Jr. 's Greatest Hits Hank Williams Jr. 's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 America ( The Way I See It ) The Best of Hank Williams Jr. Volume One : Roots and Branches Tribute to My Father 20 Hits Special Collection, Vol. 1 Early Years, Vol. 1 Early Years, Vol. 2 The Bocephus Box That 's How They Do It in Dixie : The Essential Collection Notable singles `` Long Gone Lonesome Blues '' `` Nobody 's Child '' `` All for the Love of Sunshine '' `` So Sad ( To Watch Good Love Go Bad ) '' ( with Lois Johnson ) `` Eleven Roses '' `` Rainy Night in Georgia '' `` I 'll Think of Something '' `` I Fought the Law '' `` To Love Somebody '' `` Family Tradition '' `` Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound '' `` Women I 've Never Had '' `` Kaw - Liga '' `` Old Habits '' `` Texas Women '' `` Dixie on My Mind '' `` All My Rowdy Friends ( Have Settled Down ) '' `` A Country Boy Can Survive '' `` Honky Tonkin ' '' `` The American Dream '' `` Gonna Go Huntin ' Tonight '' `` Leave Them Boys Alone '' ( with Ernest Tubb and Waylon Jennings ) `` Queen of My Heart '' `` Man of Steel '' `` Attitude Adjustment '' `` All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight '' `` Major Moves '' `` I 'm for Love '' `` This Ai n't Dallas '' `` Ai n't Misbehavin ' '' `` Country State of Mind '' `` Mind Your Own Business '' ( with Reba McEntire, Tom Petty, Reverend Ike and Willie Nelson ) `` Born to Boogie '' `` Heaven Ca n't Be Found '' `` Young Country '' `` If the South Woulda Won '' `` Early in the Morning and Late at Night '' `` There 's a Tear in My Beer '' ( with Hank Williams Sr. ) `` Finders Are Keepers '' `` Ai n't Nobody 's Business '' `` Good Friends, Good Whiskey, Good Lovin ' '' `` I Mean I Love You '' `` If It Will, It Will '' `` Devil in the Bottle '' `` Are You Ready for the Country ? '' ( with Eric Church ) Guest singles `` The Conversation '' ( with Waylon Jennings ) `` Bartender Song ( Sittin ' at a Bar ) '' ( with Rehab ) Family Hank Williams Audrey Williams Jett Williams Hank Williams III Holly Williams Related articles Discography Living Proof : The Hank Williams Jr. Story Conway Twitty Studio albums Sings Saturday Night with Conway Twitty Lonely Blue Boy Fallin ' for You for Years Borderline Still in Your Dreams House on Old Lonesome Road Crazy in Love Even Now Final Touches Collaboration albums We Only Make Believe Lead Me On Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man Country Partners Dynamic Duo Compilation albums 25 Number Ones Notable singles `` It 's Only Make Believe '' `` Mona Lisa '' `` Danny Boy '' `` Next in Line '' `` I Love You More Today '' `` To See My Angel Cry '' `` Hello Darlin ' '' `` Fifteen Years Ago '' `` How Much More Can She Stand '' `` I Ca n't See Me Without You '' `` ( Lost Her Love ) On Our Last Date '' `` I Ca n't Stop Loving You '' `` She Needs Someone to Hold Her ( When She Cries ) '' `` You 've Never Been This Far Before '' `` There 's a Honky Tonk Angel ( Who 'll Take Me Back In ) '' `` I 'm Not Through Loving You Yet '' `` I See the Want To in Your Eyes '' `` Linda on My Mind '' `` Touch the Hand '' `` This Time I 've Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me '' `` After All the Good Is Gone '' `` The Games That Daddies Play '' `` I Ca n't Believe She Gives It All to Me '' `` Play Guitar Play '' `` I 've Already Loved You in My Mind '' `` Georgia Keeps Pulling on My Ring '' `` Boogie Grass Band '' `` Your Love Had Taken Me That High '' `` Do n't Take It Away '' `` I May Never Get to Heaven '' `` Happy Birthday Darlin ' '' `` I 'd Love to Lay You Down '' `` Rest Your Love on Me '' `` Tight Fittin ' Jeans '' `` Red Neckin ' Love Makin ' Night '' `` The Clown '' `` Slow Hand '' `` We Did But Now You Do n't '' `` The Rose '' `` We Had It All '' `` Lost in the Feeling '' `` Heartache Tonight '' `` Three Times a Lady '' `` Somebody 's Needin ' Somebody '' `` I Do n't Know a Thing About Love ( The Moon Song ) '' `` Ai n't She Somethin ' Else '' `` Do n't Call Him a Cowboy '' `` Between Blue Eyes and Jeans '' `` Desperado Love '' `` Fallin ' for You for Years '' `` Julia '' `` I Want to Know You Before We Make Love '' `` That 's My Job '' `` Goodbye Time '' `` Saturday Night Special '' `` I Wish I Was Still in Your Dreams '' `` She 's Got a Single Thing in Mind '' `` House on Old Lonesome Road '' `` Fit to Be Tied Down '' `` Crazy in Love '' `` I Could n't See You Leavin ' '' `` Rainy Night in Georgia '' Collaboration singles `` After the Fire Is Gone '' `` Lead Me On '' `` Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man '' `` Feelins ' '' `` The Letter '' `` I Ca n't Love You Enough '' `` Making Believe '' `` Do n't Cry Joni '' Related articles Discography Discography with Loretta Lynn Joni Lee Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rainy_Night_in_Georgia&oldid=850159908 '' Categories : 1962 songs 1970 singles Brook Benton songs Billboard Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs number - one singles Songs written by Tony Joe White Song recordings produced by Arif Mardin Songs about Georgia ( U.S. state ) Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from November 2011 All articles needing additional references Articles with hAudio microformats Talk About Wikipedia Norsk nynorsk Edit links This page was last edited on 14 July 2018, at 01 : 24 ( UTC ). 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Question: who sings it's a rainy night in georgia
Answer: Brook Benton