Susanna Lee Hoffs (born January 17, 1959) is a vocalist & rhythm guitarist … Read Full Bio ↴Susanna Lee Hoffs (born January 17, 1959) is a vocalist & rhythm guitarist for The Bangles. She has also released five albums as a solo artist, two in collaboration with Matthew Sweet. The Picture Me Songfacts states that her most recent one, Someday, was released via Vanguard Records on July 17, 2012. The 1960s-influenced set was co-written with Nashville musician Andrew Brassell and produced by Mitchell Froom.

Early life

Hoffs was born in Newport Beach, California to a Jewish family. Her mother was a fan of The Beatles and played their records for Hoffs when she was a child. She began playing the guitar in her teens and hooked up with Vicki Peterson and Debbi Peterson, who needed a singer for their band, which would later become The Bangles. Susanna attended Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. In 1980, she graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a BA in Art.

The Bangles years

The Bangles released their first album All Over The Place in 1984, but their major breakthrough album was Different Light in 1986, with the hit singles "Manic Monday" and "Walk Like an Egyptian." Her fame rising, Susanna starred in the movie The Allnighter in 1987. It was directed by her mother Tamar Simon Hoffs and also featured Joan Cusack and Pam Grier. She also made the covers of many magazines, and the Rickenbacker guitar company issued a Susanna Hoffs model, which she still plays during gigs. Although the Bangles did not have a set lead vocalist, and the girls alternated on singing, Susanna was perceived by many casual fans to be the main vocalist. She also received by far the most media attention, which led to tensions within the band. The Bangles released their very successful third album Everything in 1988, with their biggest selling single "Eternal Flame." But the breakup was inevitable, and they disbanded in 1989.

Solo career and personal life

Susanna released a solo album When You're a Boy in 1991, which didn't sell very well (although it did spawn a US Top 40 hit with "My Side of the Bed"). In 1993, she married Jay Roach, later the director of the Austin Powers movies and Meet the Parents and producer of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. They have two sons, born in 1995 and 1998.

In 1996, Susanna released her second solo album Susanna Hoffs, this time with more personal lyrics and a more mature sound. Although it received some praise in the press (and yielded a minor US hit with the single "All I Want"), it didn't sell well either. Susanna also recorded another album during 1993/1994, prior to leaving Columbia records. So far it remains unreleased, though substandard bootleg copies have been circulating for years. Susanna also records demos prolifically, and these also sometimes surface on the internet. The best known of these is probably the song "Pride," which can be legally downloaded at Bill Bonk's website.

Hoffs appears in the first Austin Powers movie as a member of the fictitious 1960s rock group Ming Tea, fronted by the title character. In real-life, Ming Tea consisted of actor Mike Myers, Hoffs, Canadian musician/producer Christopher Ward, and singer Matthew Sweet. This group made a number of TV performances (with Myers in character as Powers) and had a minor hit with the song "BBC." Hoffs returned with the group in the second and third Austin Powers films.

Bangles reunion

In the late 1990s, Susanna started to contact the other members of the Bangles again. They recorded the single "Get the Girl" for the second Austin Powers movie in 1999. Playing together and enjoying themselves, they announced their decision to reunite in 2000. Their fourth album, called Doll Revolution, was released in 2003, followed by a tour.
Cover of Under the Covers, Vol. 1

Sid 'n' Susie

In 2006, Susanna teamed up with fellow Ming Tea rocker, Matthew Sweet, under the name Sid 'n' Susie to record 15 covers on an album appropriately called Under the Covers, Vol. 1. The Album was released in April of 2006 and they appeared on July 18th on Late Night with Conan O'Brien to promote the album and tour.

Catch the Wind
Susanna Hoffs Lyrics

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In the chilly hours and minutes of uncertainty
I long to be
In the warm hold of your loving mind
To take your hand along the sand
Would be the sweetest thing
Would make me sing
Ah but I may as well try and catch the wind

When rain has hung the leaves with tears
I want you near to kill my fears
To help me to leave all my blues behind
For standing in your heart
Is where I want to be and long to be
Ah but I may as well try and catch the wind

When sundown pales the sky
I want to hide awhile, behind your smile
And everywhere I'd look your eyes I'd find
For me to love you now
Would be the sweetest thing
Would make me sing
Ah but I may as well try and catch the wind

In the chilly hours and minutes of uncertainty
I long to be
In the warm hold of your loving mind
To take your hand along the sand
Would be the sweetest thing
Would make me sing
Ah but I may as well try and catch the wind

Ah but I may as well try and catch the wind
Ah but I may as well try and catch the wind

Overall Meaning

In "Catch the Wind," Susanna Hoffs sings about longing for the comfort and security of a loved one's presence during uncertain times. She yearns to escape her worries and fears by being wrapped in the warm embrace of the person she loves. Hoffs describes how being with this person would make her feel so happy that she would want to sing, but she realizes that trying to catch the wind is just as impossible as trying to hold onto this moment forever.

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the different moods and emotions Hoffs feels as she yearns for her loved one. The chilly hours and minutes of uncertainty, the tears on the leaves, and the paling of the sky all signify sadness and uncertainty. However, with the presence of her loved one, Hoffs would find comfort, love, and a safe haven where she can leave her troubles behind. Hoffs paints a romantic picture of finding a true love who will help us navigate life's uncertainties and soothe our fears.

Line by Line Meaning

In the chilly hours and minutes of uncertainty
During moments of doubt and confusion

I long to be
I desire to be

In the warm hold of your loving mind
Wrapped up in the comfort of your affectionate thoughts

To take your hand along the sand
Walking hand in hand on the beach

Would be the sweetest thing
It would be the most beautiful experience

Would make me sing
Making me feel ecstatic

Ah but I may as well try and catch the wind
Though it may seem impossible, I will still try to attain it

When rain has hung the leaves with tears
During the times when everything seems gloomy

I want you near to kill my fears
I want you to be by my side to calm and eliminate my apprehensions

To help me to leave all my blues behind
To assist me in abandoning my sorrows

For standing in your heart
Being a part of your life and heart