<Table> <Tr> <Td> "Down by the River" (1972) </Td> <Td> "It Never Rains in Southern California" (1972) </Td> <Td> "If You Gotta Break Another Heart" (1973) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> "Down by the River" (1972) </Td> <Td> "It Never Rains in Southern California" (1972) </Td> <Td> "If You Gotta Break Another Heart" (1973) </Td> </Tr> <P> "It Never Rains in Southern California", written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood, is a song first released by Hammond, a British born singer - songwriter, in 1972 . Instrumental backing was provided by L.A. session musicians from the Wrecking Crew . The song is from his album, It Never Rains in Southern California . Hammond's version peaked at number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 that year . </P> <P> In the UK the song is perhaps the quintessential example of a turntable hit: a song which, although very frequently played and requested on radio, never makes it into the charts . Through the 1970s, the record was re-issued at least five times by various labels but remained outside the UK top 40, despite yet more airplay, and is still frequently to be heard on UK radio . </P>

Who wrote the song it never rains in southern california