Wednesday 13 April 2011

Wendy Moten 'Come In Out Of The Rain'

Chart Peak: 8

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'Come In Out Of The Rain' was the debut British hit for the young American singer Wendy Moten... This powerful ballad took her to No. 8 in February 1994.
And so we move from an act with a seemingly endless run of hits to one known principally for one song over here, although Moten did manage one other Top 40 hit in the UK, and was considerably more successful in Japan. Mind you, we could question whether she's really even remembered for this one big hit nowadays - I certainly haven't heard it in a long time (other than in 1994-specific contexts) but then again I don't listen to the sort of radio stations that I'd expect to play it. It does crop up on a fair few compilations at any rate.

I always thought of this as a somewhat gospel-influenced ballad, although I might just have got that idea from the title. Individual parts of the lyric could certainly be read as having religious meanings, although they wouldn't fit together. There are still elements of the style, at least, and it's to Moten's credit that she doesn't overwork the song: compared to Toni Braxton's similar 'Breathe Again' (a bigger hit at the same time, but never on a Now album) this is by far the more satisfying listen, but the song never quite seems to get into gear anyway and I can't call it a great injustice that Simon Mayo's prediction on TotP that it would get to Number One didn't come true.

Available on: True Love Songs

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