music.wikisort.org - Composition

"Mandolin Rain" is the third track from The Way It Is, the debut album for Bruce Hornsby and the Range. The song was co-written by Bruce Hornsby and his brother John, and featured Range member David Mansfield on the title instrument.

"Mandolin Rain"
Single by Bruce Hornsby and the Range
from the album The Way It Is
B-side	"The Red Plains"
Released	December 1986[1]
Recorded	1985
Genre	Soft rock
Length	5:19 (album version) 4:45 (single mix)
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Bruce Hornsby John Hornsby
Producer(s)	Bruce Hornsby Elliot Scheiner
Bruce Hornsby and the Range singles chronology
"On the Western Skyline" (1986) "Mandolin Rain" (1986) "The Valley Road" (1988)

Background

It appears to be partly inspired by the song "You Don't Miss Your Water" by William Bell due to it employing the same hook (heard at the beginning of both songs), and by a similar swing feel (albeit with different chords).^{[citation needed]}

Co-writer of the song John Hornsby said the song is about missing someone badly. "...it’s about trying to pull through when so many things remind you of her – a tune, a ferry whistle, mainly a summer storm."[2]

Charts

The song, released in late 1986, was a #4 Billboard Hot 100 hit single for the band in March 1987, following on the success of their previous single, the #1 hit and title track of their debut album, "The Way It Is". It also reached #1 on the adult contemporary chart for three weeks,[3] and #2 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for two weeks, also in early 1987. The song reached the Top 40 on the Country chart, hitting #38.

Chart (1987)	Peak position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	14
Canada Adult Contemporary Tracks (RPM)	1
Canada Country Singles (RPM)	49
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[4]	70
US Billboard Hot 100	4
US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	2
US Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart	1
US Billboard Hot Country Singles[5]	38

Year-end chart (1987)	Position
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[6]	65

Cover versions

• The song was covered by Pam Tillis on the 1995 album All of This Love.

In popular culture

• The song was used in the 2009 movie World's Greatest Dad, with Robin Williams. Hornsby made a cameo appearance in the film and played an alternate acoustic version, which had been previously arranged but never released until the film's soundtrack.^{[citation needed]}

Sources

• Bruce Hornsby Artist Biography

References

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