Tune of the Day: Chocolate Rain
When 24-year-old Minneapolis-born artist Tay Zonday uploaded a music video of his original song “Chocolate Rain” on Youtube in April 2007, little did he know that it would become an instant viral hit, achieving over 100 million views. Within four months, Tay was making appearances on national television, and even made the front page of the Los Angeles Times!
Musically, “Chocolate Rain” has two very distinctive features: a hypnotically repetitive keyboard loop, and Tay Zonday's unique bass singing voice. Sadly, at first not many people seemed to pay much attention to the lyrics, which carried the most important message. As the artist subsequently made clear in interviews, “Chocolate Rain” is, in fact, a metaphor for racism against African Americans.
The song quickly became the subject of numerous tributes, parodies, remixes, and covers. Major musical artists (such as John Mayer and Green Day drummer Tré Cool) have spoofed the song in concert, on TV, and on YouTube.
Today, we are proud to present you our version of “Chocolate Rain” for flute and piano. Enjoy!