“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”
Introduction
There’s something undeniably special about Kris Kristofferson’s “Here Comes That Rainbow Again.” It’s one of those songs that feels more like a conversation between old friends—a simple story told with such tenderness that it leaves you reflecting long after the music fades. Inspired by a scene from John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Kristofferson takes us on a brief, yet deeply poignant journey through kindness, struggle, and unexpected hope.
The song is set in a small roadside café, where a couple of truckers stop for a bite to eat. They’re joined by two poor kids, barely scraping by, trying to make a little go a long way. When it comes time to pay for their food, an act of quiet generosity plays out. The waitress doesn’t charge the kids for their meager meal—just a candy bar—and the truckers, touched by the moment, pay for their drinks and head out. It’s such a small, fleeting moment, but that’s the beauty of it—Kristofferson captures how something as simple as kindness can create a ripple of warmth in the coldest of times.
What makes “Here Comes That Rainbow Again” stand out is its delicate balance between sadness and hope. The title itself is a metaphor for those rare, unexpected moments of beauty that emerge from life’s storms. We all go through difficult times—moments when everything feels overwhelming—but like the rainbow that follows a storm, acts of kindness and human connection can remind us that hope is never too far away.
Musically, the song is stripped back, with Kristofferson’s gravelly voice delivering the lyrics with a kind of quiet reverence. It’s not a song that tries to impress with flashy arrangements or bold melodies. Instead, it lets the story speak for itself. Each word is deliberate, drawing you in and inviting you to sit with the emotions of the scene. You can almost picture yourself there, sitting at that counter, witnessing the exchange and feeling your heart soften just a little.
The message of the song is timeless. In a world that can often feel harsh and unforgiving, “Here Comes That Rainbow Again” reminds us that kindness is powerful, even in its smallest forms. It’s a song about seeing the humanity in each other, about those moments when we’re reminded that no matter how tough things get, there’s always a chance for a rainbow to appear—however fleeting it may be.
Kristofferson’s storytelling ability shines in this song. He doesn’t preach or try to tug at your heartstrings in an obvious way. Instead, he presents a simple story and lets the emotions unfold naturally, allowing the listener to take from it what they will. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to be a little kinder, to look for those rainbows in your own life and, perhaps, to be the one who helps them appear for someone else.
Video
Lyrics
The scene was a small roadside café
The waitress was sweepin’ the floor
Two truck drivers drinkin’ their coffee
And two okie kids by the door
“How much are them candies?” They asked her
“How much have you got?” She replied
“We’ve only a penny between us”
“Them’s two for a penny, ” she lied
And the daylight grew heavy with thunder
With the smell of the rain on the wind
Ain’t it just like a human?
Here comes that rainbow again
One truck driver called to the waitress
After the kids went outside
“Them candies ain’t two for a penny”
“So what’s it to you?” She replied
In silence they finished their coffee
Then got up and nodded goodbye
She called, “Hey, you left too much money”
“So what’s it to you?” They replied
And the daylight was heavy with thunder
With the smell of the rain on the wind
Ain’t it just like a human?
Here comes that rainbow again