LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Susanna Hoffs has revealed that the iconic hit song 'Eternal Flame' by her band The Bangles was almost never released due to rejection from her bandmates. The 64-year-old singer-songwriter expressed her dismay that the song nearly didn't make it to the airwaves.
Hoffs explained that her bandmates Vicki Peterson, Debbi Peterson, and Micki Steele didn't want the song to be included in their third album. The rejection left her mortified as she had been excited about it and would take the cassette everywhere.
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'The band rejected that song, and I was bereft over it'
In an interview with The Mirror, Hoffs said, "The band rejected that song, and I was bereft over it, I was like mortified. I had taken the cassette of 'Eternal Flame' everywhere with me asking people if I could show them the new song I'd just written. I was really excited about it, but then we had this band meeting about our third album, 'Everything,' and it was rejected."
'Yes! Please, please!'
The album's song allocation policy added to the pressure. Each member was entitled to contribute three songs to the album. Hoffs explained, "There were four members of the band and everybody got three songs on the album, it was very conscripted, almost anxiety-inducing." However, halfway through the album's production, the producer suggested that 'Eternal Flame' should be included. Hoffs enthusiastically agreed, saying, "Yes! Please, please!"
'I had no idea it would end up being the biggest hit'
Hoffs had no notion that 'Eternal Flame' would become the tremendous success that it is today. "I was very happy with the way it came out, but I had no idea it would end up being the biggest hit," she explained. She drew on this experience in her debut novel, 'This Bird Has Flown,' which is about a one-hit wonder named Jane. Jane, who originates from a Jewish family in Los Angeles, achieves popularity in her twenties but then sinks into obscurity, playing at Stag Dos and living with her mother. Jane moves to Britain and falls in love with an English professor at Oxford University.
'I’ve known the ups and I’ve known the downs'
Hoffs explained that Jane is not based on herself, but rather represents the music industry, which she is well-versed in. "It’s a world I know well. I’ve known the ups and I’ve known the downs” she said. Her son, Jackson, 28, was the motivation behind Susanna's plunge.
She told the publication, “I’ve always dreamed of writing a novel. Jackson gave me the nudge and said, ‘What are you waiting for? Tomorrow you’re going to open your blank screen and you are going to write’. And I did that, I wrote two pages that day." She added, "Then I forced myself to read it to Jay, my kids, my parents, and everybody resoundingly told me to keep going and that was all I needed."
She continued, “Then on my 60th birthday after I’d finally finished it was Jackson again who took the manuscript from me and went to Fedex in the pouring rain to send it to the publisher. So it might not have ever been written if it wasn’t for him.” Susanna Hoffs is now on tour with 'The Bangles', who reformed in the late 1990s.
The band's journey
'Sweetheart of the Sun,' their most recent album was released in 2011. Despite their success, the band split up in 1990 but reformed for the 1999 film 'Austin Powers,' recording the song 'Get The Girl' for the film. In the early 2000s, they went on tour and released a new album 'Doll Revolution' which marked the departure of bandmate Michael Steele. The Bangles had several popular singles throughout the years, including 'Eternal Flame,' 'Manic Monday,' and 'Walk Like An Egyptian.'
