Umbrella
Featuring
Producers
Umbrella Lyrics
Uh-huh, uh-huh (Yeah, Rihanna)
Uh-huh, uh-huh (Good Girl Gone Bad)
Uh-huh, uh-huh (Take three, action)
Uh-huh, uh-huh (Hov)
[Verse 1: JAY-Z & Rihanna]
No clouds in my stones
Let it rain, I hydroplane in the bank
Comin' down with the Dow Jones (Ayy, ayy, ayy)
When the clouds come, we go, we Roc-A-Fella (Ayy-ayy-ayy, ayy)
We fly higher than weather, in G5's or better
You know me (You know me)
In anticipation for precipitation, stack chips for the rainy day
Jay, Rain Man is back (Ayy-ayy-ayy, ayy)
With Little Miss Sunshine, Rihanna, where you at? (Ayy-ayy-ayy, ayy)
[Verse 2: Rihanna]
You have my heart, and we'll never be worlds apart
May be in magazines but you'll still be my star
Baby, 'cause in the dark, you can't see shiny cars
And that's when you need me there
With you, I'll always share because
[Chorus: Rihanna]
When the sun shine, we shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said "I'll always be your friend"
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out 'til the end
Now that it's rainin' more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy
These fancy things
Will never come in between
You're part of my entity
Here for infinity
When the war has took its part
When the world has dealt its cards
If the hand is hard
Together, we'll mend your heart because
[Chorus: Rihanna]
When the sun shine, we shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said "I'll always be your friend"
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out 'til the end
Now that it's rainin' more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy
You can run into my arms
It's okay, don't be alarmed
Come into me
There's no distance in between our love
So, gonna let the rain pour
I'll be all you need and more because
[Chorus: Rihanna]
When the sun shine, we shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said "I'll always be your friend"
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out 'til the end
Now that it's rainin' more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy
Under my umbrella
Ella-ella, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy
[Outro: Rihanna]
It's rainin', rainin'
Ooh, baby, it's rainin', rainin'
Baby, come into me
Come into me
It's rainin', rainin'
Ooh, baby, it's rainin', rainin'
You can always come into me
Come into me
It's pourin' rain
It's pourin' rain
Come into me
Come into me
It's pourin' rain
It's pourin' rain
Come into me
About
Rihanna comforts her lover by telling him she will be there for him, in good times and bad. The umbrella is a metaphor for her support.
“Umbrella” stayed on top of the UK Singles Chart for 10 consecutive weeks, longer than any other single that decade. The single remained at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks. During the tracking week ending February 25, 2023, the song re-entered the Hot 100 at #37.
The accompanying music video, directed by Chris Applebaum, was released on May 11, 2007.
In 2008, “Umbrella” won a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It won two MTV Music Video awards in 2007, but was nominated for three. This song is number 412 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Mary J. Blige revealed in an interview that this song was actually written by The-Dream and Tricky Stewart for her:
They did the song for me. And it was during the Grammy time and I was really, really busy, and I heard it, and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, that’s a smash. I love this song.’ And it was like, ‘It’s yours.’ So in the midst of it being mine, they were probably telling [Rihanna] it was hers. She’s such a beautiful lady, and I love her to death. I was so glad that she caught it and knocked it out of the park, and it’s still one of my favorite songs to date.
When Chris Brown and Rihanna were still dating, he recorded his own version of this song. He changed the chorus to “You can be my Cinderella.”
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
The song was initially offered to Britney Spears management, who declined, to which The Dream (song co-writer) and Rihanna reacted:
We thought, ‘Let’s save our friend.'
I’m so thankful for it, I prayed for this song.
Per the Rolling Stone
In 2018, NPR ranked this as the #24 greatest song by a female or nonbinary artist in the 21st century, saying:
Rihanna’s status as a pop icon was cemented on her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, specifically with this irrepressible single. The song examines a fairly basic tenet of romantic relationships with a nuanced vocal delivery that slowly ensnares you. Just try getting the hook, ‘ella, ella, eh, eh, eh,’ out of your head; its sinewy simplicity is inescapable. Rihanna wisely recognized how well that repetitive refrain would ‘workworkworkworkwork,’ to quote a later hit of hers. ‘Umbrella’ offers a cool confidence to which we can all aspire.
Me, my cousin Tricky Stewart [founder of Atlanta’s music production company RedZone Entertainment] and The-Dream wrote “Umbrella.“ [Former Def Jam chairman/CEO] L.A. Reid heard it through Island Def Jam’s Karen Kwak. Rihanna just signed to the label and they knew right away that was a hit for her. A week later, we were in Los Angeles cutting this record. This was the first big artist I’ve ever worked with, and I wasn’t even technically considered a vocal producer at that point. I was like a kid in a candy store! But once I get in the studio, I’m not thinking about anytime except for making sure I get the best performance out of the artist. And once I’m done with a record, I don’t get into the science of, “Man, this artist is going to be huge!” I just stick to the emotions.”
Co-Writer Kuk Harrell via Billboard
Also, producer The-Dream said to Billboard:
I felt in my heart at the time that I needed a friend like this. I wanted to also be that person for someone else. It took maybe 15 minutes to get out the song, it began like a rap freestyle and it just never stopped pouring, metaphor after metaphor. I was in a zone and in a feeling that wasn’t going to end until I finished what I had to say.