"Only Happy When It Rains" is a song written and produced by alternative rock band Garbage for their self-titled debut studio album (1995). The song was recorded at the band's own recording studio, Smart Studios, in Madison, Wisconsin, being mixed twice before its release. The bleak content of the lyrics was intended as a parody of the angst-filled themes present in mid-1990s alternative rock, as well as a sarcastic reference to Garbage's own preference for darker themes.

"Only Happy When It Rains" was released on September 18, 1995 as the third single from Garbage. The song received positive reviews, praising the production and Shirley Manson's vocals, and became the band's breakthrough single, charting strongly on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100. It also crossed over to pop radio formats, propelling their debut album into the top 100 of the Billboard 200 for the first time, and the song's music video, directed by Samuel Bayer, received much airplay on MTV. "Only Happy When It Rains" has gone on to be an enduring work for the group, being featured in the video game Guitar Hero 5 and receiving covers by Richard Cheese, Katerina Graham and Metallica.

"Only Happy When It Rains" was written and recorded between March 1994 and May 1995, with the composition happening in sessions between band members Duke Erikson, Shirley Manson, Steve Marker and Butch Vig in Marker's basement recording studio, and the recording itself being done at their own Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin.Bass on "Only Happy When It Rains" was played by Mike Kashou, and additional percussion by Pauli Ryan. In the latter stages of the album recording, Garbage mixed "Only Happy When It Rains" twice before it was sent for mastering. At the last minute, Vig decided to increase the mix of the guitar tracks louder; he later claimed that the song still did not sound the way he wanted it to, in his head. The mixing was noted for Manson's voice being at the same volume level as the instruments, while in mainstream pop the singing is louder than the musical backdrop. The song is written in the key of G# minor, set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 120 beats per minute, and the chord progression is G#m–F#–E–C#m–E–F# in the verses and C#-F#-A-B in the chorus.

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