The song was originally recorded in 1979 by its co-writer Gerard Kenny who composed it with Drey Shepperd about a struggling musician who never gives up.

Manilow heard the song and revised the lyric with Jack Feldman and Bruce Sussman to make the song about the everyday person's struggles, rather than those of a profession.

According to Billboard, "I Made It Through the Rain" "sustains a rather contemplative mood with gradual building and finally one of Manilow's most dynamic finishes.

[1] Record World praised Manilow's "resounding vocal performance" and the song's "string grandeur.

[3] Kenny's original version was included on his 1979 RCA Records album called Made It Through the Rain, which reached the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart and remains on his set-list at concerts as of 2024.