‘Make It Rain’ by Riley Green - Lyrics & Meaning

Ah, yes, Riley Green's infamous ‘Christmas Tree song’.

We first heard an acoustic rendition of this heartbroken ode in February 2025, when Green performed ‘Make It Rain‘ in his living room. Some fans took to the comments to toast the sinuous melodies and powerful wordplay, but most of us couldn't help but notice the Christmas Tree that was still standing proudly in the back of the shot - in February.

The Alabama native amusingly poked fun at himself, captioning the clip, “first person to make a smartass remark about my Christmas tree still being up is gettin blocked”.

In August 2025, we finally got to hear the full studio version of ‘Make It Rain’, with the keenly anticipated track dropping as part of Green's Don't Mind If I Do (Deluxe) album.

‘Make It Rain’ finds Riley Green's weathered, rugged vocals drifting wearily across the sparse, intricate instrumental, mirroring how jaded and despondent the protagonist feels.

Aptly, the introduction of the distorted electric guitar towards the tail-end of this track creates a sound that feels similar to that of a rumbling storm cloud.

“I can’t make the moon glow
And I can’t make a grey storm cloud
And I can’t make the wind blow or the sun come out
I can’t make the waves break
And I can’t turn the whole sky blue
No, I can’t do a lotta things
There’s one thing that I can do”

Riley Green spends the verses of ‘Make It Rain’ outlining the various feats he simply cannot achieve, such as having power over the waves, the moon or the sky. It sets up the hook, where the ‘Worst Way’ singer-songwriter reveals one thing he can do...

“I can make it rain
I can make her tears fall down
Take everything we used to be and leave it puddled up on the ground
Yeah, I can make it flood and watch it wash it all away
Take all our love and pour it down the drain
Yeah, I can make it rain
I can make it rain”

While he might struggle to have any influence over the natural elements, Green has no trouble when it comes to breaking his partner's heart and making her tears fall to the floor. The imagery of there being a deluge of rain conveys just how strongly she feels about whatever it is our protagonist has done to let her down yet again.

I can’t make the moon glow
And I can’t make a grey storm cloud
And I can’t make the wind blow or the sun come out I can’t make the waves break
And I can’t turn the whole sky blue
No, I can’t do a lotta things
There’s one thing that I can do

I can make it rain
I can make her tears fall down
Take everything we used to be and leave it puddled up on the ground
Yeah, I can make it flood and watch it wash it all away
Take all our love and pour it down the drain
Yeah, I can make it rain
I can make it rain

No, I can’t make her stay
And I can’t make her take me back
And I can’t make her miss me no, I can’t do none of that
I can’t make her smile
And I can’t make her hurt no less
And no, I can’t un-break her heart, but I can leave it soaking wet ‘cause

I can make it rain
And I can make her tears fall down
Take everything that we used to be and leave it puddled up on the ground
‘Cause I can make it flood and watch it wash it all away
Take all our love and pour it down the drain
Yeah, I can make it rain
I can make it rain

And I can see her pain in every drop, but I can’t see no way to make it stop

But I can make it rain
And I can make her tears fall down
Take everything that we used to be and leave it puddled up on the ground
Yeah, ‘cause I can make it flood and watch it wash it all away
And take all our love and pour it down the drain
Yeah, I can take all our love and just pour it down the drain
‘Cause I can make it rain
Yeah, I can make it rain

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For more on Riley Green, see below:

Riley Green

Artist