Interpreting the song in its time period (1970), and the resigned but somewhat angry feeling of the song, many see "Who'll Stop the Rain" as a thinly veiled protest against the Vietnam War, with the final verse lyrics and its references to music, large crowds, rain, and crowds trying to keep warm being about the band's experience at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969.
Menafsirkan lagu dalam periode waktunya (1970), dan perasaan mengundurkan diri dari lagu tersebut, banyak yang melihat "Who'll Stop the Rain" sebagai protes terselubung terhadap Perang Vietnam , dengan lirik bait terakhir dan rujukannya untuk musik, kerumunan besar, hujan, dan kerumunan berusaha untuk tetap hangat tentang pengalaman band di Woodstock Festival pada bulan Agustus 1969.