The disco hit “It’s Raining Men” will be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame this week, it was announced Monday.
The track was co-written by Toronto-born Paul Shaffer with U.S. lyricist Paul Jabara in 1979.
“Of all the honours one can receive, recognition from one’s home country is the most meaningful,” Shaffer said, in a release.
Jabara died from complications of AIDS in 1992. He was 44.
“I know my late co-author … is proud of me as I thank the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame for auspiciously acknowledging our song.”
Shaffer, 71, is best known as David Letterman's longtime musical director.
“It’s Raining Men” was intended for queen Donna Summer to record. When she turned it down – Cher, Diana Ross and Barbra Streisand also reportedly passed – the song was given to The Weather Girls, who released it in 1982. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo.
Despite being written from a woman’s point of view, the song quickly became a gay anthem. Martha Wash of The Weather Girls teamed up with RuPaul for a version in 1998 and Geri Halliwell of Spice Girls covered the song in 2001.