When love gets strong, people get weak. Sometimes they lose control and wind up in too deep; they fall like rain. Who let in the rain?

1993. A horrible year for music. The 80s was dead and gone, and a new tacky style of dance music was getting hardcore rotation at clubs. Piano breaks fused with new-jack swing. Techno crap. Stuff to gyrate to with doing Ecstasy at the rave. Moby was on the rise. On the bright side, Cyndi Lauper had come back; unfortunately, nobody cared. In 1989 Cyndi released A Night to Remember, an enjoyable pop record that she was unhappy with. The album has been largely ignored by the singer for being the result of record industry confrontation. The record provided her with her last Top 10 hit, I Drove All Night, though, which remains a song in her current live line-up. Following this record, Cyndi took a well deserved break from music. By the time she came back, the United States just didn't care anymore. The UK, though, propelled her singles into the Top 40 for years to come.

Let's look at the cover. For reference, since it's not on Epinions, the image can be seen at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/deuxdg. Cyndi is showing off a new look. Gone are the insane red patches of hair and insane make-up that made her look like a clown. It's subtle. It's sad. Her wispy blond hair in front of her face as she stares out the window, looking defeated and near dead.

Who Let in the Rain was released at the lead-off single from her forth record Hat Full of Stars, which is (now) a fan-favorite as well as an artistic statement. Whether or not the mainstream wanted to hear it, it was still a very empowering record. Rain is a down-tempo ballad with a gorgeous melody and very sad lyrics. Within the context of the album, it follows a song about spousal abuse, which gives it an even sadder outlook. Cyndi's voice is crazy good on this track, as it hits high notes at the end as she scats. Before this record, Cyndi was seen as more of a personality, but she really proves herself as a strong vocalist.

Those who aren't fans of adult contemporary music, though, might want to avoid this song. It still has that dated 90s sound, but the melody is so strong and beautiful that it can't be ignored. In fact, Cyndi re-recorded the song for 2001's Shine.

Whenever a single is released, I really prefer B-Sides over remixes, and, luckily, Cyndi decided to include a great bonus track from the Hat Full of Stars sessions. Cold is an upbeat dance track with a new-jack swing vibe in the vain of That's What I think, the opening track from Stars. "How'd it get so cold?" asks Cyndi, as she signs this cute little dance song that, really, should have been on the album. In fact, I could think of one or two songs from that album that could have been eliminated with ease.

At the time, CD singles were hot. Unfortunately, this has become a dying item. At this part, they are really only seeked out by collectors. But if you find yourself really getting into Ms. Lauper catalogue, searching on Amazon or eBay to get this disc is well worth it. B-sides make everything worth it.

TRACK LIST
Who Let in the Rain (Radio Edit)* (5 Stars)
Cold (5 Stars)

OVERALL SCORE: 5 Stars

*The radio edit is only about 10 seconds shorter than the album version.

Recommended: Yes