# Mandolin Rain

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"**Mandolin Rain**" is the third track from *[The Way It Is](/source/The_Way_It_Is_(Bruce_Hornsby_album))*, the debut album for [Bruce Hornsby and the Range](/source/Bruce_Hornsby_and_the_Range). The song was co-written by Bruce Hornsby and his brother [John](/source/John_Hornsby), and featured Range member [David Mansfield](/source/David_Mansfield) on the title instrument.

*[Cashbox](/source/Cashbox_(magazine))* called "Mandolin Rain" an "inspired song" with "emotional acoustic-flavored production". They also predicted that the song would replicate the commercial success of "[The Way It Is](/source/The_Way_It_Is_(Bruce_Hornsby_song))".[2]

## Background

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."[3]

## Charts

The song, released in late 1986, peaked at number four on the [Billboard Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100) in March 1987, following on the success of their previous single, the #1 hit and title track to their debut album, "[The Way It Is](/source/The_Way_It_Is_(Bruce_Hornsby_song))". It also reached number one on the [adult contemporary](/source/Adult_contemporary) chart for three weeks,[4] and number two on the [Mainstream Rock Tracks](/source/Mainstream_Rock_Tracks) chart for two weeks, also in early 1987. The song peaked at number 38 on the [country chart](/source/Hot_Country_Songs).

Chart (1987) Peak position UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[5] 70

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

## References

1. ["Bruce Hornsby and the Range - Mandolin Rain"](https://www.45cat.com/record/50877r)

1. ["Single Releases"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1987/CB-1987-01-17.pdf). *[Cashbox](/source/Cashbox_(magazine))*. January 17, 1987. p. 9. Retrieved August 2, 2025. – via World Radio History.

1. ["Mandolin Rain"](https://www.bruuuce.com/wiki/mandolin-rain/). *Bruuuce.com*

1. Whitburn, Joel (2002). *Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001*. Record Research. p. 118.

1. ["BRUCE HORNSBY | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company"](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/4688/bruce-hornsby/). *www.officialcharts.com*. Retrieved 2020-11-21.

1. "1987 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". *Billboard*. Vol. 99, no. 52. December 26, 1987.

## External links

- [Bruce Hornsby Artist Biography](https://web.archive.org/web/20021030070825/http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/hornsby_bruce/bio.jhtml)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mandolin Rain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandolin_Rain) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandolin_Rain?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.