♫ Total Eclipse Of The Heart ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

I haven’t played this one since March 2019, so when Clive mentioned last night that it is his favourite by Bonnie Tyler and said it was “OTT” (I had to think on that one for a minute to come up with ‘over the top’) I figured that gave me a good excuse to redux it this morning!

This song from 1983, recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, became Tyler’s biggest career hit.  The song peaked at #1 in the United States, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom. At its peak, it sold 60,000 copies per day, and approximately 6 million copies in total.  It was written by Jim Steinman, producer for Meat Loaf (the band, not the food), who said …

“With ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’, I was trying to come up with a love song and I remembered I actually wrote that to be a vampire love song. Its original title was ‘Vampires in Love’ because I was working on a musical of Nosferatu, the other great vampire story. If anyone listens to the lyrics, they’re really like vampire lines. It’s all about the darkness, the power of darkness and love’s place in the dark…”

Myself being somewhat dimwitted when things are elusive or cryptic, I did not understand this video until I read …

“The music video for “Total Eclipse of the Heart” was directed by Russell Mulcahy and was filmed on location at the Holloway Sanatorium, a large Victorian Gothic hospital near Virginia Water, Surrey, England. The video features Bonnie Tyler clad in white, dreaming or fantasizing about her students in a boys’ boarding school. Young men are seen dancing and participating in various school activities and singing in a choir.”

I love the song, but frankly found the video a bit off-putting.  Incidentally, this was the first record by a Welsh artist to top the US chart.

Total Eclipse of the Heart
Bonnie Tyler

Turn around, every now and then I get a little bit lonely
And you’re never coming ’round
Turn around, every now and then I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears
Turn around, every now and then I get a little bit nervous
That the best of all the years have gone by
Turn around, every now and then I get a little bit terrified
And then I see the look in your eyes
Turn around bright eyes, every now and then I fall apart
Turn around bright eyes, every now and then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight
We’ll be holding on forever
And we’ll only be making it right
‘Cause we’ll never be wrong together
Together we can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time)
I don’t know what to do and I’m always in the dark
We’re living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever’s gonna start tonight
Forever’s gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I’m only falling apart
There’s nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there’s only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart

Turn around bright eyes, every now and then I fall apart
Turn around bright eyes, every now and then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight (and I need you now)
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight (if you only)
We’ll be holding on forever
And we’ll only be making it right
‘Cause we’ll never be wrong together (’cause we’ll never be wrong)
Together we can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (all of the time)
I don’t know what to do, I’m always in the dark
We’re living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever’s gonna start tonight
Forever’s gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I’m only falling apart
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart
A total eclipse of the heart
A total eclipse of the heart
Turn around bright eyes

Songwriters: James Steinman
Total Eclipse of the Heart lyrics © Carlin America Inc

26 thoughts on “♫ Total Eclipse Of The Heart ♫”

  3. One of the best songs were ever written. And I cannot imagine anyone performing it better than Bonnie Tyler. This song also made the theme song for the musical Dance of the Vampires. It is perfect for that musical. And last year I finally got the chance to see it.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I actually said that this one overshadowed all of her other records, not that it is my favourite of hers. It is ridiculously OTT and the video compounds that, though I do quite like it. I wasn’t a huge fan of hers, but I think if pressed I’d choose Lost In France as my favourite of her singles.

    RG invited us to mention other Welsh acts that had topped our charts. He gave us Tom Jones, others include Ricky Vallance, Burly Chassis, Mary Hopkin, Amen Corner, Shakin’ Stevens and there are no doubt others I’ve forgotten.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ahhhhh … once again I wasn’t paying attention. Forgive me … my mind seems to be in a dark place where it can’t see very clearly of late. But, since you liked the video, I shan’t beat myself up too much 😉 I don’t recall Lost In France … but if I hear it, I’ll likely recognize it … maybe.

      I’ve heard of Burly Chassis (through you) and Mary Hopkin, but not the others. Thanks!

      Liked by 1 person

      • No need at all to beat yourself up! Lost In France is a nice little tune, and it was her first hit here.

        Of those others: Ricky Vallance was a one hit wonder back in 1960 with a cover of Tell Laura I Love Her, Bassey had a couple of #1s in the 50s, Amen Corner had a #1 among a string of hits in the late 60s then disappeared, Shakin’ Stevens was a rock and roll revival singer who had his first #1 a year or two before Bonnie Tyler. He sold by the truckload here, I thought he was 💩

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Pingback: ♫ Total Eclipse Of The Heart ♫ | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

  7. Now that you said who wrote this, I can hear Meatloaf singing it. That totally changes everything.
    And just as a note, Welsh-born singer Tom Jones had three #1 records in Canada, and at least 3 in the UK. I know you were talking about US charts, but that makes it sound like no one else from Wales ever hit the top. Roger or Clive can probably tell us of other singers from Wales who accomplished that feat elsewhere.

    Liked by 1 person

    • As a further note, your post showed up today without any reference to any past posting of this song, or any other post at all. There are always past posts. Did something go wrong at WordPress, or is this the future of the site. I like going to read past posts.
      Is it only me?

      Liked by 1 person

    • If that changes everything, does it make you like it more … or less?

      Oh no, I didn’t mean to make it sound like that at all! Tom Jones was very popular here, and I still love his music. In fact, I didn’t realize until I did this post the first time that Bonnie Tyler was Welsh.

      Like

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