Compiled and annotated by Liam Brigg
Coordinated for Cherry Red Records by John Reed
Remastered by Simon Murphy at Another Planet Music, with thanks to Mark Stratford and FX Copyroom
Design by Keith Davey
With thanks to Adam Velasco, Paul Robinson, Dave Timperley, Matt Ingham and all at Cherry Red Records Ltd.
Special thanks also to David Aspden, Steve Bowen Lawrence, German Morales, Matt Prior, Matt Davis, Kenny Vaughan and David Grant (Sony Music) and Leigh Jones
Where were you when I needed somebody to lean on?
Where were you when I needed a shoulder to cry on?
Oh! Oh baby, I was always around
To pick you up when you were falling down
Now, now baby, when you were crying the blues
Wasn’t I the one that you came crying to?
In all the years gone by you’ve never seen me cry
I never let you see the other side of me
Where were you when I needed somebody to lean on?
Oh baby, where were you when I needed a shoulder to cry on?
I always held you close when you were feeling weak
Guess I was walking down a one-way street
I was a fool to think that you’d be there for me
Exactly where were you?
Oh baby, when you needed a friend
I stuck beside you then through thick and thin
Now, now baby, when no-one cared at all
Wasn’t I the one that you would always call
I gave away my heart, I knew just where I stood
Till I reached out for you because I thought I could
Where were you when I needed somebody to lean on?
Oh baby, where were you when I needed a shoulder to cry on?
I always held you close when you were feeling weak
Guess I was walking down a one-way street
I was a fool to think that you’d be there for me
Now even more than what I’m going through
The cut that hurts the most is your attitude
You’re pretty good at taking what you need
You’ve got a lot to learn about loyalty
Believe me baby
There were times you drove me crazy
I was so blind
Where were you when I needed a shoulder to cry on?
I always held you close when you were feeling weak
Guess I was walking down a one-way street
I was a fool to think that you’d be there for me
Where were you (when I needed somebody to lean on?)
(where were you) … [fade out]
BMG Rights / Hornall Brothers Music ℗ 1992 Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH
Breakout (long version)
Breakout now …
Breakout now …
Breakout now …
Speak out, in the world out there
Impossible dreams can take you where, ooh ooh, you can win it all
Speak out, it’s the way you feel
Reaching out can make it real, ooh ooh, together we can win it all
No more living in a golden cage
There’s only one way you’re gonna go front page
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
You gotta break out now
You gotta break out
You’re taking on the world
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
You gotta break out
It’s a full scale shake out
You’re taking on the world
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
You gotta break out now
You gotta break out
You’re taking on the world
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
A full scale shake out
You gotta break out
You’re taking on the world
Taking on the world … tonight
Like a cat, on a hot tin roof
It don’t take long to see the proof
You can do, anything you want to do
Push it to the limit, don’t ever stop
There’s only one way you’re gonna get on top
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
You gotta break out now
You gotta break out
You’re taking on the world
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
You gotta break out
It’s a full scale shake out
You’re taking on the world
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
You gotta break out now
You gotta break out
You’re taking on the world
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
A full scale shake out
You gotta break out
You’re taking on the world
You’re taking on the world … tonight …
Taking on the world …
Breakout now …
Breakout now …
Taking on the world …
Breakout now …
Breakout now …
You’re taking on the world …
Breakout now …
Breakout now …
You’re taking on the world …
No more living the under-dog
There’s only one way you’re gonna get on top
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
You gotta break out now
You gotta break out
You’re taking on the world
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
You gotta break out
It’s a full scale shake out
You’re taking on the world
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
You gotta break out now
You gotta break out
You’re taking on the world
Ooh, you gotta breakout now
A full scale shake out
You gotta break out
You gotta break out
[repeat chorus with ad-libs to end]
Taking on the world
Tonight …
Tonight …
Tonight …
A&G Songs / Chrysalis Music ℗ 1990 Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH
Sem Limites Pra Sonhar (Reaching for the Infinite Heart)
Fábio Jr. featuring Bonnie Tyler
Boy
Ha uma chance da gente se encontrar
Ha uma ponte pra nos dois em algum lugar
Quando homem e mulher
Se tocam num olhar
Nao ha forca que os separe
Ha uma porta que um de nos vai ter que abrir
Ha um beijo que ninguem vai impedir
Quando homem e mulher
Se deixam levar
E facil viver mais
Ha uma estacao
Onde o trem tem que parar
To na contramao
Te esperando pra voltar
Pra poder seguir
Sem limites pra sonhar
Pois e so assim
Que se pode inventar o amor
Girl
There’s a story which is waiting for the heart to write
I’m going crazy here, just wanting you to close up the night
When the love in a woman
Finds the love in a man
There’s nothing too precious to hold it
The door is open for the time when your heart returns
In the silence of a kiss we will burn
When the heat in a woman
Finds the heat in a man
The flame burns forever
There’ll come a time, my love
When the searching has to end
I’m on the wrong-way street
I need more than just a friend
And I’m standing here
Just trying to touch the stars
Nothing else to lose
When you’re reaching for the infinite heart …
Girl Reach across an empty space Boy Space that you and I can cross Girl When the love of a woman Boy Finds the love of a man
(there’ll come a time, my love) Boy There’ll come a time, my love
(when the searching has to end) Boy When the searching has to end
(I’m on the wrong-way street) Boy On the wrong-way street
(I need more than just a friend) Boy I need more than just a friend
(and I’m standing here) Girl And I’m standing here
(just trying to touch the stars) Girl Trying to touch the stars
(nothing else to lose) Girl Nothing else to lose
(when you’re reaching for the infinite heart) Girl When you’re reaching for the infinite heart …
Bitterblue (true blue mix)
Children’s choir
Bitterblue, oh, Bitterblue
Breaking up is hard to do
Bitterblue, you know that I’m too proud to cry
Bitterblue, oh, Bitterblue
I can’t take my eyes off you
That’s no way to say goodbye …
I’ll take the train to nowhere, this love is a sacrifice
My heart ain’t big enough, babe, for your paradise …
Oh, darling, I’m crazy — after all these years
Don’t throw away my love babe, I’m not a lonely child
Tomorrow’s such a long time, my dreams are running wild …
Oh, darling, I’m crazy — after all these years
I gave you all my love for free
My tears are full of memories
Give me love, give me all
Baby, catch me when I’ll fall tonight
Bitterblue, oh, Bitterblue
Breaking up is hard to do
Bitterblue, you know that I’m too proud to cry
Bitterblue, oh, Bitterblue
I can’t take my eyes off you
That’s no way to say goodbye …
I’ll be sailing on a rainbow ig you will change your mind
Don’t throw away this love, babe, love is hard to find …
Oh, darling, I’m crazy — after all these years
Come save a little room, babe, in your heart for me
We can make it better, love is a mystery …
Oh, darling, I’m crazy — after all these years
Oh, I sold my heart to you
I gave you love and heaven, too
Give me love, give me all
Baby, catch me when I’ll fall tonight
[repeat chorus]
[repeat chorus, with children’s choir]
[instrumental]
[repeat chorus]
[repeat chorus, with children’s choir]
And that’s no way to say goodbye
And that’s no way to say goodbye
And that’s no way to say goodbye …
Published by Hanseatic M.V.
Say Goodbye (classical version)
Somewhere inside is burning
I don’t know why it’s hurting
Hoping for just one sign in your eyes
That tells me you will be still
Say goodbye, I’ll never forget
Say goodbye, I believe in the day
Say goodbye, our hearts gonna beat both together
‘Cause we, we’ll find a way
Say goodbye, I’ll never forget
Say goodbye, I believe in the day
Say goodbye, our hearts gonna beat both together
‘Cause we, we’ll find a way … one day
What can I do, to hold you
Now that I know, I love you
Never found that our hearts felt the same
‘Til the cold light of day stole our dreams
Say goodbye, I’ll never forget
Say goodbye, ‘cause I believe in the day
Say goodbye, our hearts gonna beat both together
‘Cause we, we’ll find a way
Say goodbye, I’ll never forget
Say goodbye, I believe in the day
Say goodbye, our hearts gonna beat both together
‘Cause we, we’ll find a way
We will find a way
We will find a way
We will find a way …
Published by BMG ufa / Kilauea Musikverlag gmbh / Metro-Score Musikverlag gmbh
From the Bottom of My Lonely Heart (long version)
They say love is blind, but you are always on my mind
I’ll never, never feel this way again
It’s hard for me to say, to tell you why I feel this way
I’ll never, never feel this way again
I wouldn’t try to fool you
It’s you I give my love to
From the bottom of my lonely heart
Every moment that we spend apart
Baby, I promise you my love
From the bottom of my lonely heart
Just for you, no matter where you are
Baby, I promise you my love …
“Love hurts,” so they say, this time — love is here to stay
I’ll never, never feel this way again
It’s all clear to me that loving you is all I need
I’ll never, never feel this way again
I wouldn’t try to fool you
It’s you I give my love to
[repeat chorus]
[instrumental]
[repeat chorus]
Published by Hanseatic M.V.
Sola a la orilla del mar (Sitting on the Edge of the Ocean — Spanish version)
Volvi ya lo ves
Me tienes aqui
Y si resultó
Así se planeó
No sé qué decir
Hay tanto que hablar
Me das tu calor, amor
Tan sólo al mirar
Con gran confusión
Ansiosa tal vez
Dos amantes que al fin
Se ven otra vez
Y ahora siento que camino en el borde
Sola a la orilla del mar
Las cartas sobre la mesa
¿Quien me las puede cortar?
Ahora siento que camino en el borde
Dándole cuentas al mar
Yo sólo sé que te quiero
Para qué necesito explicar
Yo la conocí
Mucho antes que a ti
Fue mi primer amor
Por el que sufri
No hay otra razón
Lo sabes muy bien
Te di el corazón
Mi vida también
Y ahora siento que camino en el borde
Sola a la orilla del mar
Las cartas sobre la mesa
¿Quien me las puede cortar?
Ahora siento que camino en el borde
Dándole cuentas al mar
Yo sólo sé que te quiero
Para qué necesito explicar
Y ahora siento que camino en el borde
Sola a la orilla del mar
Las cartas sobre la mesa
¿Quien me las puede cortar?
Ahora siento que camino en el borde
Dándole cuentas al mar
Yo sólo sé que te quiero
Para qué necesito explicar …
God Gave Love to You (radio version)
There were times when I was young and free
And I said I’ll need nobody, only you eternally
But tonight I’m feelin’ so alone
And I know I need somebody but your heart is made of stone
And I know I need somebody but your heart is made of stone
Tonight don’t last forever, babe
Tonight my dreams can come true, baby
‘Cause there’s no mountain high enough
If God gave love to you
All my dreams are just memory
Of a river full of love, babe, to my endless destiny
Oh, you said you’d make my dreams come true
But I have never been so lonely, I have never been so blue
Oh, I need, I need your love, babe
And you know you need me, too
Tonight don’t last forever, babe
Tonight my dreams can come true, baby
‘Cause there’s no mountain high enough
If God gave love to you
Oh baby, God gave love to you
Oh baby, baby, God gave love to you …
Published by Hanseatic M.V.
Sayonara Tokyo (サヨナラ Tokyo)
Sometimes you were tender, so tender to me
But I was lookin’ for freedom … just had to be free
Like a baby with a new toy … I was too young to know
I was livin’ in a dream world where real love can’t grow
Now it’s …
*Sayonara Tokyo
It’s goodbye forever
I’ll never be back, never be back
Sayonara Tokyo
We cannot live in a memory
I’m lookin’ for love where it finds me
Sayonara Tokyo
Time is a train on a one-way track
I’m goin’ away to the cold North …
Now it seems such a long time when the miles come between …
The many nameless faces and the places I’ve seen …
Bringin’ yesterday’s memories so clear to my mind
I can finally see where my heart was blind
But it’s …
* Kindly repeat
Looking for love, where it finds me …
In the cold North …
Sayonara Tokyo …
Sayonara Tokyo …
It’s goodbye …
It’s time to be free …
Sayonara Tokyo … [fade out]
30th Music (p) '81 RVC Corporation
The Desert is in your Heart (Πεθαίνω Στην Ερημιά)
Sofia Arvaniti featuring Bonnie Tyler
Sophia
Αυτός ο δρόμος που 'χω πάρει μ' έχει βγάλει σε ψεύτικα φώτα
Εγώ όμως θέλω να τα πω και τολμώ να χτυπήσω μια πόρτα
Κανείς δε βγαίνει κι ούτε ψίθυρος, ούτε ένα σημάδι
Όλη η πόλη έχει κλείσει φοβάται κι αυτή το σκοτάδι
Να μπορούσα να κρυφτώ … ή να χαθώ
Αφού σε τούτο τον κόσμο κανείς για κανένα δε νοιάζεται
Να γινόταν να είσαι εδώ να κρατηθώ
Μακριά από έναν κόσμο που κλαίει, χτυπιέται και φτιάχνεται
Γιατί τόση ερημιά
Μοναξιά
Πεθαίνω στην ερημιά
Κι εσύ είσαι πάντα μακριά
Δως μου ένα σήμα ζωής
Σ' απόσταση μιας αναπνοής
Κοίμησέ με μες τη ζεστή σου αγκαλιά
Και δεν θα βγάλω τσιμουδιά
Γιατί τόση ερημιά
Μοναξιά
Πεθαίνω στην ερημιά
Κι εσύ είσαι πάντα μακριά
Bonnie
You move the veil from your face and escape from the world that is hurting
You feel oppressed when you know that the words are killing the meaning
There is no reason to hide in the dark when you’re far from the fighting
How can you dream in a world that is getting greyer than grey?
You don’t have to hide your face, there’s no disgrace
There’s no harm in knowing we’re all a part of the human race
You have got to lift your head, think of what he said
You were born to know the truth, nothing but the truth and what the truth is worth
Oh, the desert is in your heart
In your heart
The desert is in your heart
In your heart
It’s so hard to try to forget
So many things that you regret
You try to look back, but there’s little to see
Just nothing can’t take this pain from me
Oh, the desert is in your heart
In your heart
You have got to lift your head, think of what he said
You were born to know the truth, nothing but the truth and what the truth is worth
Oh, the desert is in your heart
In your heart
The desert is in your heart
In your heart
Sophia
Δως μου ένα σήμα ζωής
Σ' απόσταση μιας αναπνοής
Κοίμησέ με μες τη ζεστή σου αγκαλιά
Και δεν θα βγάλω τσιμουδιά
SophiaΓιατί τόση ερημιά Bonnie In your heart SophiaΠεθαίνω στην ερημιά Bonnie In your heart
Bonnie The desert is in your heart SophiaΜοναξιά Bonnie The desert is in your heart SophiaΚι εσύ είσαι πάντα μακριά …
If it was a matter of money, you’d be in by now
She’d be lying by your side
You’d be thinking love’s door is open wide
You feel defeated, but you’re acting proud
Would you try to hide it?
She doesn’t care how you come at all
You know all that matters is that your love is strong
It’s a matter of the heart
It’s a matter of the soul
You know a good love only starts when you start to lose control
If she’s calling out your name and she needs you in the night
You gotta run into the flame ‘til you’re blinded by the light
You got to take her in your arms and let her know
She’ll always be your spark
It defines a mans’ heart
It’s just a matter of the heart
You thought she’d swallow all the tales you told
Ready to believe
You’re so together, there’s nothing you can’t do, no
But first impressions only leave her cold
It isn’t what she needs
She doesn’t care about the world you planned
But she’ll run to you, if you understand
It’s a matter of the heart
It’s a matter of the soul
You know a good love only starts when you start to lose control
If she’s calling out your name and she needs you in the night
You gotta run into the flames ‘til you’re blinded by the light
You got to take her in your arms and let her know
She’ll always be your spark
It defines a mans’ heart
It’s just a matter of the heart
Oh …
[instrumental]
Oh—it’s a matter of the heart
It’s a matter of the soul
You know a good love only starts when you start to lose control
If she’s calling out your name and she needs you in the night
You gotta run into the flames ‘til you’re blinded by the light
You got to take her in your arms and let her know
She’ll always be your spark
It defines a mans’ heart
It’s a matter of the heart
It’s a matter of the heart
It’s a matter of the heart, oh yeah
A matter of the heart …
Oh, yeah …
Matter …
Matter …
It’s a matter of the heart … [fade out]
Published by BMI
Against the Wind (extended version)
Living in a danger zone
A lonely man, a lonely child
So many miles away from home
Emotions running wild with me
Come take my heart, come feel the burns of fire
Come and break my heart and feel my loving mind
Oh, against the wind—I’m flying
Against the wind—I’m crying
This night was made for the lonely
Don’t break my heart tonight, oh no
Against the wind—I’m flying
Against the wind—I’m crying
This night was made for the lonely
Don’t break my heart tonight, oh no …
[instrumental]
[repeat chorus]
Oh, you need a helping hand
The times are getting tough
Baby, come and try again
There’s no living without love, in my heart
It’s hard for me, but it’s harder to ignore it
Oh, my fantasy, come feel my love tonight, yeah
[repeat chorus]
Don't break my heart tonight
Oh, no …
Published by Hanseatic M.V.
(The World is Full Of) Married Men
The world is full of married men
With wives who never understand
They’re looking for someone to share
The excitement of a love affair
Just as soon as they find you
They wine you and dine you
You fly on the wings of romance
But in the eyes of the world
You’re just another crazy girl who loves a married man
Oh, your love is a secret
And you’ve got to keep it as long as you can
No don’t cry for your lover
There’s always another married man
The world is full of them
Oh yeah, you make him feel so young
But his wife will still be number one
He promises to marry you
Just as soon as his divorce comes through
And it’s not just a fling
He swears it’s the real thing
A love that could last till the end
As he’s driving away
You know it’s true what they say about married men
Oh, they do it, they do it
They do it, they do it—again and again
They do it, they do it
They do it, they do it—married men
Yeah…
Oh, he’ll run when the scandal
Gets too hot to handle
He’ll say I just want to be friends
They he’ll walk out of your life
He’ll go home to his wife ‘cause he’s a married man
Oh, your love is a secret
And you’ve got to keep it as long as you can
No, don’t cry for your lover
There’s always another married man
The world is full of them
Oh yeah
They do it, they do it
They do it, they do it—again and again
They do it, they do it
They do it, they do it—married men
He’ll walk out of your life
And go home to his wife—a married man (again and again)
Don’t cry for your lover
There’s always another married man (maried man)
They do it, they do it
They do it, they do it—again and again [fade out]
Pendulum/Sea Shanty/Chappell Music Ltd.
Race to the Fire (race mix)
[something spoken in French]
(race to the fire) (fire)
(race to the fire) (fire)
Race to the fire — he’s fighting for your life
Race to the fire (fire)
Race to the fire (fire)
Race to the fire — only the strong survive
Il me fait mal
Tu est fou …
Oh yeah
C’est le denier fois
Et je ne sais pas pourquoi …
Baby, love is a lonely number
Can’t you hear the wheels of thunder
They’re driving deep into your heart
Feelings they’ll never be torn apart
Oh maybe, he’s the man behind the wire
He’s living in a world of fire
He’ll sail his ship alone
There’s a heart but there’s no home
Race to the fire
All the wheels are turning
We’r all just in a lonely world
Till the end of the time
He’s fighting the crime
That’s no lie, my baby
Race to the fire
Till the end of Eden
To the city of the lost and found
He is too proud to cry or too live with a lie
Take him seriously, baby
Race to the fire (fire)
Race to the fire (fire)
Race to the fire — he’s fighting for your life
Race to the fire (fire)
Race to the fire (fire)
Race to the fire — only the strong survive
Maybe he’s goin’ through the motions
There’s a shadow of devotion
It’s showin’ his destiny
One minute past eternity
Oh, maybe good things don’t last forever
He’s living just now or never
No mountain is high enough
Times are getting really tough
[repeat chorus]
Race to the fire — fighting for your rights
Race to the fire — time is on his side
Race to the fire — two hearts collide
Race to the fire — there is no crime
Race to the fire
All the wheels are turning
We’r all just in a lonely world
Till the end of the time
He’s fighting the crime
That’s no lie, my baby
Race to the fire …
Published by Hanseatic M.V.
Stay (long version)
Please be mine
I know
Oh, I know, you’ve been fooling with my heart
‘Cause deep inside you don’t know where to start
So insecure of what tomorrow will bring
Oh, please be sure you’re my all and everything
You’ve heard it all before
I’m asking you once more
To, baby, stay—stay for a lifetime
Don’t go away, oh, baby, be mine
‘Cause I know
I’ll always be loving you
Oh, baby, stay with me forever
For we were born to be together
‘Cause we are strong
I’ve always believed in you
Oh, I know, strange things happen every day
This love will grow, you’re the light to guide my way
Don’t be afraid, I’ll never let you down
Please, won’t you stay—have faith in this love that we’ve found
Don’t throw this love away
Oh, baby, won’t you stay?
(stay with me forever)
(I’ve always believed in you)
(stay, hmmm mmmm)
(I’ll always be loving you)
Oh, baby, stay with me forever
For we were born to be together
‘Cause we are strong
I’ve always believed in you
Oh, baby, stay—stay for a lifetime
Don’t go away—baby, be mine
‘Cause I know
I’ll always be loving you
Oh, baby, stay—stay for a lifetime
Don’t go away—baby, be mine
‘Cause I know
I’ll always be loving you
Baby, stay …
Published by Warner Chappell Music / Blue Obesssion Music
Fools Lullaby (sweet lullaby mix)
Oh, baby, when I lost you my heart stood still
Oh, baby, when I kissed you, gave me such a thrill
Oh, I’m far away from home
Oh, baby, when I touched you, felt a shiver on my skin
Baby, oh, I love you, this love’s not a sin
Oh, I’m far away from home
I’m so alone
Far away from home
Oh, it’s a fool’s lullaby — oh, I never meant to make you cry
We can make a better life, don’t make my blue eyes lie
Oh, it’s a fool’s lullaby — I gave you all the best years of my life
Baby, take another chance and give it one more try
Oh, baby, if you call me I’ll he there
Whatever happens, baby, we just won’t care
Oh, I’m far away from home
Oh, baby, take my heart, let’s heal the pain
Take me in your arms, make love again
Oh, I’m far away from home
I’m so alone
Far away from home
[repeat chorus]
Oh, it’s a fool’s lullaby — oh, I never meant to make you cry
We can make a better life, don’t make my blue eyes lie …
Published by Hanseatic M.V.
Liner notes
[…]
Toward the end of her contract with RCA, Bonnie’s sales were in decline; a clear indication that the musical climate bwas changing, and the industry was moving on from from pop-country. Bonnie was determined to reinvent herself under her new contract with CBS (now known as Sony.) Inspired by a Meat Loaf performance on the Old Gey Whistle Test, she asked CBS A&R man Muff Winwood to put her in contact with songwriter Jim Steinman. Their pairing became the centerpiece of her entire career, globally propelling her profile with “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Her first album Faster Than the Speed of Night was released in the spring of 1983, featuring some of America’s to session musicians, including Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.
Peter Oxendale, who was working as her keys player during Bonnie’s time with CBS, encouraged her to write some B-sides. At the time, he was working with artists such as Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Alison Moyet and Paul Young. Bonnie was initially quite reluctant to write her own music, and so Peter began the process by putting together some backing tracks. “I wrote six songs for her,” he explains. “I went to her villa in Portugal and we finished them off together.” Of the six songs, Peter produced five of them and the sixth, “Under Suspicion”, was produced by Jim Steinman.
Peter named “It’s Not Enough” as his favourite, a song that he describes as a country-rock track at its heart. “Bonnie was fantastic to work with. She doesn’t suffer fools gladly and she wanted it all done in an hour.” He explained that many singers have a tendency to “drop in” and “drop out” when recording, and then compile the best vocals from the various takes. That was not the case with Bonnie. Peter describes her as a “one-take wonder,” concluding, “If you’re on the same wavelength as her it’s a phenomenal experience.”
Bonnie teamed up with her brother Paul to put together some more demos that found their way onto some of her CBS singles. Nicky Graham, best known for his work with BROS, and for discovering TV duo Ant & Dec, produced “Time” and “First Love.” He explained how the collaboration came about: “I was an A&R man working for Columbia Records (CBS) in their London base in Soho Square. I was one of the last remaining in-house staff producers, which was the end of an era as independents became the norm. Muff Winwood was head of A&R and he had signed Bonnie. I was tasked with producing some demos with her in order to play to the company and to other producers.”
“Bonnie was a delight to work with,” Nicky continues, “Such a great voice and work ethic.” The tracks were recorded in a short space of time with musicians including Dave Mattacks and Pete Glenister. “First Love” features as B-side of “Straight from the Heart,” Bonnie’s final single from Faster Than the Speed of Night. Bryan Adams, who visited the studio to watch Bonnie record the song, wrote the track and released his own version as a single only a few months earlier.
In the mid-80s Bonnie was recruited for a number of film soundtracks. Her infamous collaboration with Jim Steinman brought Bonnie to Paramount Studios to record “Holding Out for a Hero” for 1984’s Footloose, which finds Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon) facing peril from a tractor collision as his shoelace catches on the accelerator. In the following year Bonnie receives a Grammy nomination for her recording of “Here She Comes,” which features on Giorgio Moroder’s remake of the 1927 film Metropolis. 1986 saw Bonnie recording “Matter of the Heart” for sci-fi horror film The Wraith, starring Charlie Sheen. The track was produced by Tony Visconti, who is best known for his work with other prominent artists including David Bowie.
Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire became Bonnie’s second and final album with Jim Steinman, which saw the return of Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg, as well as a number of other top American session musicians including Lenny Pickett, and jazz musicians Hiriam Bullock and Michael Brecker. Steinman recruited Desmond Child to write two songs, one of which became a huge success in France. “If YOu Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)” was born out of Steinman’s request for a song about androgyny. Child recalls Steinman asking: “I want a special song. The verses have to sound like Tina Turner, the B-section has the sound like U2, The Police, or Hall and Oates, and the chorus has to sound like Bruce Springsteen.” The music video was filmed with a huge budget, directed by Steinman and Stuart Orme.
Also in 1986, Bonnie recorded “Sem Limites Pra Sonhar (Reaching for the Infinite Heart)” with Brazilian singer Fábio Jr. which became a huge hit in various countries in South America. The song was also the first of many bilingual duets that Bonnie would record.
Jim Steinman is known for being a slow songwriter, with an acute attention to detail. By 1987, Bonnie had grown frustrated by Steinman’s slow pace, and the pair decided to amicably part ways. Bonnie would need a new producer to work with on her final album with CBS.
Desmond Child was given a very small budget to write and record three songs with Bonnie at the Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York. “Over those few days we cut an entire album,” he recalls, “and then we submitted it to the record company for the same amount of money.” Hide Your Heart was the result of a team of dedicated session musicians who worked overtime to complete the album. It contains a number of songs that would later become hits for other artists, most notably “The Best” for Tina Turner.
Late one night, the band begon jamming to the Janis Joplin song “Turtle Blues,” a track that became the centrepiece of Hide Your Heart. Bonnie recalls how the song was spawned from a late night jamming session: “It turned up out of the blue, we did it at 2 o’clock in the morning, and we left it on there. By 6 o’clock it was all mixed.” Bonnie recorded her vocals in the same booth as Joplin’s original. “Janis was the patron saint guiding this record,” she explains. “I felt her close by… sometimes I’d be singing and get goosebumps.”
The Hide Your Heart Tour brought Bonnie back to the UK for 19 shows in May 1988. Her recorded performance of “Save Up All Your Tears” at the Hammersmith Odeon resulted in the ‘London Mix,’ which was later released as a single. In the same year she also played the part of Polly Garter in George Martin’s album production of the Dylan Thomas radio drama Under Milk Wood, featuring music by Elton John.
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With a big UK and US comeback planned for 1995, Bonnie reunited with Jim Steinman to record “Making Love (Out of Nothing at All),” previously a hit for Air Supply in the early 80s. Bonnie sampled an early recording of her mother’s operatic vocals, which Steinman used in the intro. The song, which appears on her album Free Spirit, narrowly missed the Top 40 in the UK in the spring of 1996. The album was re-released in early 1996, including a cover of “Limelight” by The Alan Parsons Project. The song was selected as an Olympic theme by ZDF in support of the German team competing at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
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In the following year [1999], Bonnie recorded “Tyre Tracks and Broken Hearts” for the concept album to Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Jim Steinman’s musical Whistle Down the Wind. She also recorded vocals for Meat Loaf’s track “A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing to Waste.” In the same year Rick Wakeman released his concept album Return to the Centre of the Earth, for which Bonnie recorded “Is Anybody There?”.
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At the end of 2003, Bonnie recorded a new version of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” with French singer Kareen Antonn, who composed a bilingual arrangement with Emmanuel Pribys. The song proved so popular after initial radio airplay that the single was rush-released, toping the charts in France for ten weeks. The song featured on her next album Simply Believe, which was released in 2004. Bonnie remained in Paris to record Wings, which was the product of a close-knit French songwriting team in the form of Paul Fitzgerald and Karen Drotar. The album was released in Europe in May 2005, and it appeared on UK shelves in the following year under the title Celebrate.
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Liam Briggs, July 2017 Special thanks to Nicky Graham, Peter Oxendale, Sofia Arvaniti and Mihalis Rakintzis for their contributions. Quotes taken from various sources.