Remembering Bonnie Tyler

My 1980s playlist included Bonnie Tyler

This morning I was gutted to hear on the news that singer Bonnie Tyler had died yesterday in a hospital in Portugal. She was 75 years old.

She was most famous for Total Eclipse of the Heart, which has been described as a song that starts of soft and vulnerable, and builds into a crescendo full of emotion and power.

And that gravelly voice! It made her sound human and gave meaning to every word she sang. Tyler was also known for other hits like It's a Heartache, and Holding Out for a Hero.

Tyler was born in Wales

I didn't know she was from Wales, and that her real name was Gaynor Hopkins. She changed her name to Bonnie Tyler in the 1970s to avoid being confused with another Welsh singer, Mary Hopkin.

Tyler had a husky voice after she had surgery in 1975 to remove nodules on her vocal cords. 

I was 14 years old when my family made our first trip to Sydney to see my father's side of the family. His older sister lived there with her four children. 

The eldest was old enough to drive and he drove us kids around and we were subjected to his cassette mixed tapes. Up until that point all I knew of music was almost exclusively classical thanks to piano lessons and my father insisting on listening to classical music in the car.

Here was my older cousin who introduced me to pop and rock music, and Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart was one of the songs we listened to over and over again.

A few weeks ago he visited us and again I heard his now digital playlist in the rental car and it brought back memories of the 1980s and our first visit to Australia, driving wheel on the right side, kangaroos, Australian accents, and that Mackers was slang for McDonald's.

Tyler's singing was so unforgettable, and many of us during that time remember the lyrics to Total Eclipse of the Heart:

Tyler died yesterday at the age of 75

(Turn around)

Every now and then I get a little bit lonely

And you 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

(Turn around)

Every now and then I get a little bit restless

And I dream of something wild

(Turn around)

Every now and then I get a little bit helpless

And I'm lying like a child in your arms

(Turn around)

Every now and then I get a little bit angry

And I know I′ve got to get out and cry

(Turn around)

Every now and then I get a little bit terrified

But 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

chorus

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 we can take it to the end of the line

Our 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

Now I′m only falling apart

There's nothing I can do

A total eclipse of the heart

Once upon a time

But now there's only love in the dark

Nothing I can say

A total eclipse of the heart

verse

Turn around, bright eyes

Turn around, bright eyes

((Turn around))

Every now and then, I know you′ll never be the boy

You always wanted to be

((Turn around))

But every now and then, I know you′ll always be the only boy

Who wanted me the way that I am

((Turn around))

Every now and then, I know there's no one in the universe

As magical and wondrous as you

((Turn around))

Every now and then, I know there′s nothing any better

There's nothing that I just wouldn′t do

(Turn around, bright eyes)

Every now and then, I fall apart

(Turn around, bright eyes)

Every now and then, I fall apart

chorus

And I need you now tonight (and I need you)

And I need you more than ever

And if you only hold me tight (if you love me)

We'll be holding on forever

And we′ll only be making it right (and we'll never)

'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 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

A total eclipse of the heart

A total eclipse of the heart

outro

Turn around, bright eyes

Turn around, bright eyes

(Turn around)

Ooh-ooh

Ah-ha, ah-ha

Ah-ha, ah-ha

Ooh-ooh