"Kiss the Rain"
Artwork used for American, Australian, and non-UK European releases
Single by Billie Myers
from the album Growing, Pains
B-side"Tell Me"
Released23 September 1997 (1997-09-23)
Length4:30
LabelUniversal
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Desmond Child
Billie Myers singles chronology
"Kiss the Rain"
(1997)		 "Tell Me"
(1998)
Music video
"Kiss the Rain" (European version) on YouTube

"Kiss the Rain" is a song by British singer-songwriter Billie Myers, from her debut album, Growing, Pains (1997). Produced by Desmond Child, the song was released on 23 September 1997 as the lead single from the album by Universal Records.[1] Myers co-wrote it with Child and Eric Bazilian, and also recorded a Spanish version titled "Besa la lluvia (Piensa en mí)" ("Kiss the Rain (Think of Me)"). The song charted at number four on the UK Singles Chart and became an international hit, reaching number two in Canada and number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100. There are two different versions of the music video for the song.

Background

Desmond Child, who produced the album, got the idea for the title after hearing the Bush song "Glycerine". Child misheard the title as "Kiss the Rain." When he was told the correct title, he decided to use "Kiss the Rain" for a future song.[2]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "The gripping, acoustic sounds of the track's mood-setting guitar makes the palpable echoes of Billie Myers' voice really stand out." He noted further, "In fact, the chaotic, ever-sure echo full of Myers' emotions charmingly reaches the audience and has a lasting effect. The drum beats wonderfully complement the compelling guitar sounds. This wonderful single [...] is full of depth, emotion, and musical clarity".[3] Joe Jackson from Irish Times noted "her witty, slightly left-of-field lyrics, lines such as In the space of a five-hour time difference/ My imagination has run a marathon of thought. And, yes, she does manage to sing that potentially prosaic line, with the necessary lilt, in the hit single "Kiss the Rain"."[4]

A reviewer from Music Week said, "It's easy to see the crossover appeal of Billie Myers. She's successfully married her distinctive soulful voice and strong presence to a trendy soft-rock backing. The song has a strong chorus, but if anything is a little formulaic."[5] In a separate review, the magazine also complimented its "melancholic beauty".[6] Gerald Martinez from New Sunday Times stated that "her arresting voice immediately makes the song a bit special." He described it as "a song of jealousy and insecurity and vulnerability, over a long-distance lover."[7]

Music video

There were produced two different music videos for "Kiss the Rain"; one for the US market, directed by Matt Mahurin,[8] and another for the European market, directed by David Betteridge.[9] Myers told in an interview, "I wasn't entirely happy with the American video and didn't feel it was quite right for Europe. When you work with some video directors they forget that when someone writes a song they have a vision. The new European promo reflects the real me far more accurately."[10]

Track listings

Personnel

Personnel are adapted from the US CD single liner notes.[12]

  • Billie Myers – vocals, background vocals, writing
  • Eric Bazilian – background vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drum programming, writing
  • Desmond Child – background vocals, writing
  • Randy Cantor – organ
  • Kenny Aronoff – drums and percussion

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[39] Silver 200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States 25 August 1997 Alternative radio
[40]
26 August 1997 Contemporary hit radio [41]
23 September 1997
  • CD
  • cassette
 [42][43]
Japan 21 February 1998 CD Universal [44]
United Kingdom 30 March 1998
  • CD
  • cassette
  • Universal
  • Deston
 [45]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/song/t3222372
  2. ↑ "Desmond Child – The Billboard Interview". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 48. 27 November 1999. p. DC-20. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  3. ↑ Flick, Larry, ed. (21 February 1998). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 8. p. 64. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  4. ↑ Jackson, Joe (29 May 1998). "Rock/Pop". Irish Times.
  5. ↑ "Single reviews" (PDF). Music Week. 21 March 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "Album reviews" (PDF). Music Week. 11 April 1998. p. 25. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  7. ↑ Martinez, Gerald (15 March 1998). "Late Bloomer Delivers". New Sunday Times. p. 13. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Billie Myers: Kiss the Rain (US Version)". IMDb. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "Billie Myers: Kiss the Rain (European Version)". IMDb. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  10. ↑ "Artist Profile: Billie Myers" (PDF). Music Week. 28 March 1998. p. 25. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  11. ↑ Kiss the Rain (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Billie Myers. Universal Records, Deston. 1997. US7-56192.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. 1 2 Kiss the Rain (US & Australian CD single liner notes). Billie Myers. Universal Records, Deston. 1997. UDS-56140.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ Kiss the Rain (Japanese CD single liner notes). Billie Myers. Universal Records. 1998. MVCU-9003.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ↑ Kiss the Rain (UK CD single liner notes). Billie Myers. Universal Records, Deston. 1998. UND56182.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ↑ Kiss the Rain (UK cassette single sleeve). Billie Myers. Universal Records, Deston. 1998. UNC 56182.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ↑ Kiss the Rain (Italian 12-inch maxi-single vinyl disc). Billie Myers. Universal Records. 1997. UNV 9810.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ↑ "Billie Myers – Kiss the Rain". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  18. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3496." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  19. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3498." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  20. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 16. 19 April 1998. p. 10. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  21. ↑ "Billie Myers – Kiss the Rain" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  22. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (28.5.–4.6. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 29 May 1998. p. 22. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  23. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Kiss the Rain". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  24. ↑ "Hits of the World – Italy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 31. 1 August 1998. p. 62. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  25. ↑ "Billie Myers – Kiss The Rain" (in Dutch). top40.nl. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  26. ↑ "Billie Myers – Kiss the Rain" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  27. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  28. ↑ "Billie Myers – Kiss the Rain". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  29. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  30. ↑ "Billie Myers Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  31. ↑ "Billie Myers Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  32. ↑ "Billie Myers Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  33. ↑ "Billie Myers Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  34. ↑ "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63, no. 12. 14 December 1998. p. 20. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  35. ↑ "RPM's Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of '98". RPM. Retrieved 12 January 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  36. ↑ "Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100". Music Week. 16 January 1999. p. 7.
  37. ↑ "Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1998 wg sprzedaży" (in Polish). Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  38. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1998". Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  39. ↑ "British single certifications – Billie Myers – Kiss the Rain". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  40. ↑ "Be on the Lookout". Gavin Report. No. 2168. 15 August 1997. p. 16.
  41. ↑ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1211. 22 August 1997. p. 35.
  42. ↑ "Kiss the Rain / Shark & the Mermaid". Amazon. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  43. ↑ "Kiss the Rain". Amazon. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  44. ↑ "キス・ザ・レイン | ビリー・マイヤーズ" [Kiss the Rain | Billie Myers] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  45. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 28 March 1998. p. 35. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
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