“Eternal Flame” is another song that came into my head from out of nowhere. It just started playing in my mind on its own. I remembered the song, but I had never heard of (or don’t remember) an all-girl band called The Bangles. The group was popular in the 1980s. Susanna Hoff, their lead singer, wrote Eternal Flame with songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. The idea came from a Cyndi Lauper song Hoff admired, and from the eternal flame shrine near the Elvis Presley tomb in Graceland, where The Bangles saw it.
“Eternal Flame” became one of The Bangles’ biggest hits, reaching #1 in nine countries, including the USA in 1989.
I still don’t know why “Eternal Flame” barged unannounced into my head, but I’m glad it did. The song is BEAUTIFUL! Here’s my cover.
Enhanced Version
Original Version
Heart Banter by David Gittlin 
4 replies on “‘Eternal Flame’: The Story Behind The Bangles’ Iconic Song”
Great job with your version of “Eternal Flame”! Being a child of 80s MTV I well remember The Bangles. They weren’t around long but who can forget Susanna Hoffs doing that thing with her eyes in the “Walk Like an Egyptian” video? My favorite song from them is actually “Be With You”, a sub-three-minute high energy banger, and of course their cover of “Hazy Shade of Winter” completely eclipsed the original for my generation, such that all the subsequent covers (like Gerard Way’s from Umbrella Academy) seem to be covering the Bangles and not Simon & Garfunkel.
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Glad you enjoyed the Bangles’ music. They certainly deserve an informed audience.
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Actually that reminds me, you should track down their song “Following”, which consists of pretty much just Michael Steele’s vocals and an acoustic guitar. Might be right up your alley!
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I saw an article in which Hoffs said she wasn’t intending a sexy eye roll, but a desperate search for a friendly face in the crowd.
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