Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart

Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler, Music Video, Lyrics and Review

“Total Eclipse of the Heart” is a power ballad written and produced by Jim Steinman.
It was originally performed by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler in 1983.

Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart Lyrics

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

Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit restless and I dream of something wild
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit helpless and I’m lying like a child in your arms
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit angry and I know I’ve got to get out and cry
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit terrified but then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart
Turnaround 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’ll 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
We can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me 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

Turnaround bright eyes
Turnaround bright eyes
Turnaround, every now and then I know
you’ll never be the boy you always you wanted to be
Turnaround, every now and then I know
you’ll always be the only boy who wanted me the way that I am
Turnaround, every now and then I know
there’s no one in the universe as magical and wonderous as you
Turnaround, every now and then I know
there’s nothing any better and there’s nothing I just wouldn’t do
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart

Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart Review and Song Info

It has been covered several times, and rewritten (with Michael Kunze) for the musical Tanz der Vampire as “Totale Finsternis”.

The song appears on Tyler’s 1983 album, Faster Than the Speed of Night, on which it totaled nearly seven minutes in length. (6:57) Thus, an edited version was-and still is-most commonly played on radio. The radio version is just under 4:30, and removes the entire third verse and trims the extended fade-out ending. The music video version is about one minute longer than the radio version. The video mix of the song was released on the Billboard magazine compilation album for 1983.

It is probably Steinman’s most successful commercial composition to date and Bonnie Tyler’s most successful song, going to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and number one in Canada, Australia and the UK singles chart. At its peak, it sold 60,000 copies per day, and approximately 5-6 million copies in total, and was number one throughout (almost) the entire world charts according to Bonnie Tyler’s greatest hits manual.

The video was directed by Russell Mulcahy. The video opens in a room decorated to resemble the set of a stereotypical 1980s soap opera, with rows of burning candles and dramatic white lighting. Bonnie Tyler herself is dressed like a stereotypical Soap Opera actress. For the first several moments of the video Tyler stares out a window into the night; the image of a teenage boy with glowing white orbs in place of his eyes entering her bedroom prompts her to run into the hall.

The meaning behind the video is that Tyler’s character is fantasizing about her students, which is the reason for the numerous beefcake images. It so happens that last night’s fantasies were, in fact real.

In November 2002, it was voted the #72 in “The Greatest Number Ones Of All Time” in UK. Also in the UK, the video was voted #94 in “Greatest Music Video Of All Time” poll held by Channel 4.
In October, 2006, VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s included “Total Eclipse of the Heart’ at #56.

Released 1983
Format 7″
Genre Power ballad, Wagnerian Rock
Writer Jim Steinman
Producer Jim Steinman