Raindance
by Dave (featuring Tems)

Album: The Boy Who Played the Harp (2025)
Charted: 5
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Raindance" is a love song with thunder in the distance. Dave has never been one to hand out his emotions cheaply (this is, after all, the man who once turned therapy sessions into a Mercury-Prize-winning album, but here he lets his guard down. It's a slow, vulnerable back-and-forth between him and Nigerian singer Tems, a kind of emotional pas de deux under gray skies.
  • The song plays like an evolving conversation. Dave starts cautiously, circling around the idea of connection, telling a story that moves from guarded small talk ("you was hardly talking") to trust. Tems answers him with choruses that soften the edges, singing about love as an act of emotional refuge.

    Together they create a world where two souls find rhythm and navigate desire under the same storm, hence the title "Raindance," which never appears in the lyrics but soaks through the atmosphere.
  • The production matches that duality: Afrobeat-influenced drums contrasting with Jo Caleb's piano chords, creating a soundscape that mirrors the push and pull of romantic tension. It's the work of Dave's go-to beatmaker and childhood friend Kyle Evans, his engineer Jonny Leslie and Jo Caleb, the same trio behind "Sprinter" with Central Cee. Dave co-produced the track under his Santan moniker.
  • "Raindance" appears on The Boy Who Played the Harp, whose title nods to the biblical story of David soothing Saul's tormented spirit with music.
  • "Raindance" continues Dave's quiet tradition of weaving his Nigerian heritage into his work. Tems becomes the fourth Nigerian artist he's collaborated with, following Burna Boy ("Location"), Wizkid ("System"), and Boj ("Lazarus").

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go's

Charlotte Caffey of The Go-Go'sSongwriter Interviews

Charlotte was established in the LA punk scene when a freaky girl named Belinda approached her wearing a garbage bag.

Jeff Trott

Jeff TrottSongwriter Interviews

Sheryl Crow's longtime songwriting partner/guitarist Jeff Trott reveals the stories behind many of the singer's hits, and what its like to be a producer for Leighton Meester and Max Gomez.

Graham Parker

Graham ParkerSongwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Donny Osmond

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.