Vintage hit returns to Hot 100

Chris Rainbow has entered the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, more than 10 years after his death and 47 years after “Be Like a Woman” was released. (billboard.com) Billboard reported on April 14 that “Be Like a Woman” debuted at No. 94 on the Hot 100. The song first came out in 1979 on Rainbow’s album *White Trails* and as the B-side of the single “Love You Eternally.” (billboard.com) (discogs.com) Rainbow, born Christopher James Harley in Glasgow, died in February 2015 at age 68. During his lifetime, he was better known for session and backing-vocal work with the Alan Parsons Project and Camel than for United States chart success under his own name. (udiscovermusic.com) (wikipedia.org) The Hot 100 is Billboard’s main United States singles chart, and it is built from streams, radio airplay and sales. That mix now allows older songs to chart when a burst of on-demand listening pushes them into the national totals for a given week. (officialcharts.com) (billboard.com) Billboard said the new entry followed a surge on TikTok, where “Be Like a Woman” spread to new listeners decades after its original release. Search results and platform listings also show the song circulating widely on TikTok and streaming services in recent weeks. (billboard.com) (tiktok.com) (spotify.com) That pattern has become more common in the streaming era, when catalog tracks can move like new releases if they catch on in short-form video or playlist culture. Billboard framed Rainbow’s arrival as another case of a historical recording finding a chart life long after its first run. (billboard.com 1) (billboard.com 2) Rainbow recorded a string of solo releases in the 1970s, including *Home of the Brave* in 1975, *Looking Over My Shoulder* in 1978 and *White Trails* in 1979. Critics and collaborators remembered him as a strong melodic singer, but his records sold modestly and many of his credits sat in album liner notes rather than on hit singles. (discogs.com) (udiscovermusic.com) Now one of those overlooked songs has reached the biggest United States singles chart for the first time. Nearly half a century after “Be Like a Woman” was recorded, the track has become Chris Rainbow’s first Hot 100 credit. (billboard.com)