Song Premiere: Susanna Hoffs, 'Raining'

Click to listen to Susanna Hoffs' 'Raining'

Susanna Hoffs' new single has all the elements of a feel-good ballad: the simple, comforting strums of an acoustic guitar, the steady beat of a tambourine and a delicate, sweet lament in the melody that ties it all together. Sure enough, the song stems from a different era. "'Raining' is a song I wrote with Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) back in 1989," Hoffs tells Rolling Stone. "I rediscovered the song when I was sorting through a box of old demos and decided to update it with my writing partner, Andrew Brassell."

Hoffs, who is also a member of the Bangles, acknowledges the bittersweet nature of the song, as it recounts an experience that, for many, is all too familiar. "The song tells the story of an intense relationship that has just ended," said Hoffs. "Feelings of disbelief, confusion, desperation, longing and loneliness are revealed in the wake of the breakup. In the final refrain, the stormy emotions have calmed, and though acceptance comes, there is still the lingering sadness of missing someone."

As a taste of Hoffs' upcoming solo album, Someday, "Raining" is indicative of the Sixties vibe the singer is known for, from a female vocalist who isn't afraid to pour out her heart.