Worldwide, the single has sales in excess of six million copies[6] and was certifiedgold by theRecording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies after its release, updated to platinum in 2001 when the certification threshold changed.[7] In 2015, the song was voted by the British public as the nation's third favourite1980s number one in a poll forITV.[8]
After her contract withRCA Records ended in 1981, Tyler found a new manager in David Aspden. After seeingMeat Loaf perform "Bat Out of Hell" live onThe Old Grey Whistle Test, she approached Meat Loaf's writer,Jim Steinman, and asked him to be her producer.[9] Tyler aimed to create an album utilizing theWall of Sound production techniques ofPhil Spector, and she believed that Steinman was the only person who could still create the same sound as Spector had mostly retired from the music business.[10] Tyler visited Steinman in his apartment in New York in April 1982 with her manager, where she was presented with two tracks: "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" and "Goin' Through the Motions". She stated that had she not liked the songs Steinman played for her, he would have rejected Tyler's invitation to collaborate.[9] She returned to his studio apartment weeks later, where Steinman andRory Dodd performed "Total Eclipse of the Heart" for her. Steinman also hand-picked the recording band for the song, which included Dodd as a featured vocalist (the "Turn around..." refrain).[11]
The lyric "Turn around, bright eyes" had originally appeared in Steinman's 1969 college musicalThe Dream Engine.[12] Steinman had originally written the song's verse melody for his score to the 1980 filmA Small Circle of Friends.[13]
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" had to be shortened for radio play. Tyler did not believe that the song was radio-friendly at its full length; the song was reduced from seven minutes and two seconds to four minutes and thirty seconds.[14]
Thepower ballad[15] became Tyler's highest-charting song in several countries, peaking at No. 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.[6] It won theVariety Club award in the UK for best recording artist of 1983.[16] The song also made number 82 of VH1's top 100 love songs.
Tyler toldRecord Mirror that she thought the song was about "someone who wants to love so badly she's lying there in complete darkness."[17]
Steinman said in an interview withPlaybill about the inclusion of the song in his 1997 musicalDance of the Vampires:
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 ofNosferatu, 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...[18]
He also toldPeople that he thought Tyler sounded likeJohn Fogerty and wrote the song "to be a showpiece for her voice."[19] Tyler described the song as "a challenge [to sing]," stating that she "[doesn't] like songs that anybody can sing. I like songs that need a lot of energy." After Steinman presented her with the song, she toldThe Times, "I just had shivers right up my spine...I couldn't wait to actually get in and record it."[20]
According toMeat Loaf, Steinman had written the song, along with "Making Love Out of Nothing at All", for Meat Loaf's albumMidnight at the Lost and Found; however, Meat Loaf's record company refused to pay Steinman, and he wrote separate songs himself. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" was given to Bonnie Tyler and "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" toAir Supply.[21] Tyler has denied this claim.[22] "Meat Loaf was apparently very annoyed that Jim gave that to me," Tyler stated. "But Jim said he didn't write it for Meat Loaf, that he only finished it after meeting me."[23] Steinman said toPeople that he considered it "an aria to me, awagnerian-like onslaught of sound and emotion. I wrote it to be a showpiece for her voice."[9]
In an interview with journalistMick Wall shortly after the release of Meat Loaf's 2006 albumBat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose, Steinman stated: "I didn't write [Total Eclipse of the Heart] for anyone but Bonnie." Steinman believed that CBS were expecting him to write something similar to "It's a Heartache", but he had different ideas.[24]
The music video for "Total Eclipse of the Heart" was directed by Australian directorRussell Mulcahy[25] and was filmed at theHolloway Sanatorium, a largeVictorian Gothic hospital nearVirginia Water,Surrey, England.[26] Thesurrealist video features Tyler clad in white, dreaming or fantasizing about students in a boys'boarding school. Young men are seen dancing and participating in various school activities and singing in a choir.
The video received two nominations at theBillboard Video Music Awards in 1983 for Best Performance by a Female and Most Effective Use of Symbolism.[27]
A long-runningurban legend is that the boy who appears throughout the video and who shakes Tyler's hand at the end is former Italian footballerGianfranco Zola. In a 2012 interview, Zola confirmed that he did not appear in the video.[28]
In September 2023, the video exceeded one billion views on YouTube.[29]
Since the song's release, Tyler has performed "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in all of her concerts.[30] "I sing it much better now than I used to," she toldThe Huffington Post. "I think my voice is probably not as husky as it was, I think it's mellowed a bit."[31] The song was performed at the26th Annual Grammy Awards, held at theShrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, on 28 February 1984.[32]
Live recordings of Tyler performing the song have been released on her albumsBonnie Tyler Live (2006) andLive in Germany 1993 (2011). Video performances have also been released on Tyler's DVDs,Bonnie on Tour (2006) and the DVD edition ofLive in Germany 1993.
Mike DeGagne fromAllMusic retrospectively described "Total Eclipse of the Heart" as "one of the finestballads ever to hit radio." He noted the "lush instrumentation" and said that Tyler's voice "produced the perfect type of 'desperate lovelorn' effect to suit the romantic lyrics." He describedRoy Bittan's piano playing as "dreamy" and described Tyler's voice as "wonderfully gritty."[35] Donald A. Guarisco, also from AllMusic, retrospectively reviewedFaster Than the Speed of Night and noted the song as an "epic ballad", describing the whole album as "rock at its most melodramatic."[36] Jim Beviglia fromAmerican Songwriter said that Tyler's raspy vocals helped to legitimize the "melodrama inherent in the lyrics," and described the song as a "garment-rending, chest-beating [and] emotionally exhausting ballad" that suits the throes of a turbulent relationship.[19]
The song again reached No. 1 on the iTunes sales chart in the US during thesolar eclipse of 8 April 2024.[44] In the following week, Tyler re-entered theBillboard Artist 100 chart at No. 79,[45] and "Total Eclipse of the Heart" entered the LyricFind Global chart at No. 25,[46] the Canadian Digital Song Sales chart at No. 9,[47] and the US Digital Song Sales Chart at No. 5.[48]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Since the original release in 1983, Tyler has re-recorded the song numerous times. In 2004, she released a duet version of the song withPeter Brocklehurst on his albumFor You.[112] A solo version of the recording was released on her own studio album,Wings, the following year.
In January 2007, Tyler released another version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in collaboration with the British punk-electronic group BabyPinkStar.[113] It peaked at no. 40 on theUK Independent Singles chart.[114]
In 2009, Tyler released a version of the song with Welsh choral groupOnly Men Aloud!.[6] In 2011, Tyler re-recorded the song on anEP named after the song, released byCleopatra Records.[115] In 2013, another version of the song was released as a bonus track from her albumRocks and Honey, available exclusively on the UK iTunes Store.
In 2021, Tyler released aclassical-dance version of the song onClassical 80s Dance, an album by German producerAlex Christensen and the Berlin Orchestra.[116]
In 2003, Tyler re-recorded "Total Eclipse of the Heart" as a bilingual duet with French singerKareen Antonn. Produced byFaouze Barkati, Krem Barkati and Wallid Barkati, the track was named "Si demain... (Turn Around)". It was released on 19 December 2003 by Yanis Records and appears on Tyler's 14th studio album,Simply Believe (2004). The single topped the charts in France andWallonia.
The release date for "Si demain... (Turn Around)" was brought forward by three weeks due to unprecendented demand after the track received pre-release radio airplay.[117] Tyler and Antonn filmed the music video inQuébec, Canada. Behind-the-scenes footage was released on Tyler's concert film,Bonnie on Tour (2006).[118]
Following the success of "Si demain... (Turn Around)", Tyler and Antonn released a second duet, "Si tout s'arrête (It's a Heartache)", on 7 June 2004.
Bonnie Tyler and Kareen Antonn performing "Si demain... (Turn Around)" atLa Cigale (Paris) on 8 June 2005.
In reviews, critics praised "Si demain... (Turn Around)" for its inventive approach at re-recording a pre-established hit song.Platine, a French magazine, attributed the track's success to an emerging trend of "transborder duets" in 2004.[119] Music charts analyst Elia Habib noted that "Si demain... (Turn Around)" is the first bilingual chart-topping single since "7 Seconds" byYoussou N'Dour andNeneh Cherry in 1994.[120]Music Actu stated the song was "among the most popular singles of French public" upon release, and noted its performance on the French singles chart.[121]
On the FrenchSNEP Singles Chart, the single debuted at number 25 on 21 December 2003.[122] It reached the top ten two weeks later and became number one in its fifth week. The single regained the number one spot on three occasions during the ten weeks at number one. It remained on the chart for 25 weeks,[123] achieved Platinum status for over 500,000 copies sold,[124] and was the fourth best-selling single of 2004 in France.[125] "Si demain... (Turn Around)" is the only female duet number one single since the creation of French Top 50.[126] It is also the single which made the biggest drop from number one, dropping directly to number ten.[127][128] It also gave Bonnie Tyler the record of the longest time gap between top ten singles in France. Eighteen years passed between her hit "If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)" which reached number six in 1986[129] and of "Si demain... (Turn Around)", hitting number one. The previous record, byMarc Lavoine, was 17 years old.[130]
In Belgium (Wallonia), the song went to number one two weeks after its debut at number 21, and remained number one from 21 February to 10 April 2004, i.e. eight weeks. It stayed in the top 40 for 24 weeks.[131] It was certified Platinum after eleven weeks on the chart. It was the second best-selling single of 2004 and totaled 31 weeks on the chart.[132] In Switzerland, the single peaked at number seven for four weeks and remained on the chart for 34 weeks.[133] "Si demain... (Turn Around)" was also broadcast on radio in Russia and Poland where it reached number one on local radios as well as on the main chart.[134][135] The song was number six on the 2004 International List ofFrench-speaking Music, compiled in collaboration with 122 radio stations throughout the world.[136]
As of August 2014, the song was the 26th-best-selling single of the 21st century in France, with 508,000 units sold.[137] However, when she participated in the French showLa Méthode Cauet, Kareen Antonn affirmed that the single, then still ranked on the French Singles Chart, had exceeded the 700,000 sold copies. Worldwide, the song has sold more than 2 million copies (physical sales and digital downloads).[138][139]
In 2004, Lucie and Sandy, two contestants of the French television showStar Academy 4, covered this song on one of the Friday weekly shows.[150]
On 30 March 2004, on the Worldbest competition which brings together winners of various broadcasts ofStar Academy, the two finalists,Wilfred Le Bouthillier andMarie-Élaine Thibert, performed "Si demain... (Turn Around)",[151] gaining the second place.[152] In 2005, they released the single in Canada under the title "Et si demain";[153] their version differs from "Si demain... (Turn Around)" as a verse was removed and there are more refrains toward the end of the song. They also performed "Et si demain" on 18 September 2004, on the showLa Fureur on SRC, and on 19 April 2004 onTVA.[154] Le Bouthillier and Thibert's version was in turn covered by K4T and Luc St-Pierre on the Canadian TV showHeure de Gloire.[155]
On 4 July 2025,David Guetta and Hypaton released "Together", featuring new vocals by Bonnie Tyler. The song interpolates the chorus of "Total Eclipse of the Heart".[158]
English singerNicki French released ahi-NRG remake of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in October 1994 that was also a worldwide hit. It was included on her debut album,Secrets (1995). The song originally peaked at No. 54 on theUK Singles Chart in 1994 but reached No. 5 after being re-issued in January 1995.[196] In the United States, French's version peaked at No. 2 on theBillboard Hot 100, and it garnered frequent airplay onAC radio. It enjoyed greater success in Australia, spending four nonconsecutive weeks at No. 2. Elsewhere, the cover reached number 13 in New Zealand, number 16 in Canada, and peaked within the top 10 of several European countries.
French had made her first dance version recording of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in 1994: she had purchased the Bonnie Tyler original as a teenager in 1983 and reacted negatively to the original suggestion that she (French) remake the song as a dance track — "I thought, no, it's too strong a song to go down the dance route. You know, it demeans it almost. But then I thought well, I'll give it a go. And as soon as I heard the track, I thought it actually does work."[197] The singer had been performing in London bands since the age of 12 and was given the chance to record a version when she received a phone call from a fellow British musician.[198][conflicted source] French's first recording of "Total Eclipse of the Heart", made withJohn Springate ofthe Glitter Band producing, came to the attention ofMike Stock andMatt Aitken, who produced their own recording of the song by French, and it was this version which appeared on the UK chart dated 15 October 1994 at No. 54. French would recall: "I just thought oh well that was great...I've [worked with] Mike Stock and Matt Aitken and it was a dream come true...we tried and I had a great time...And then about two months later I had a call out of the blue from Mike saying the buzz will not die down on this track so we're going to re-record the beginning...and we're going to re-release it at the beginning of 1995."[199]
According to French, her remake of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" became popular in the UK and the US in distinctremixes: "the slower version was the one that actually took a hold in the UK, where originally they started with the fast one and then decided to go with the [remix which began] in the same vein as the Bonnie Tyler version [and then] sped up when the chorus came in...In the US it was the [remix] which was fast all the way through."[199] The single earned French two awards at the 1995 Hi-NRG Music Awards, in the categories for "Single of the Year" and "Best Female Vocal Performance".[200] In 1996, the song was named "Best Hi-NRG 12-inch of the Year" at theInternational Dance Music Awards in Miami.[201]
The song's accompanying music video features French performing on a stage, in front of a giant, circular "moon" that occasionally draws up to eclipse itself. Smoke appear as "clouds" and she is backed up by a band and two female backup singers. Sometimes a dancer also performs in front of the "moon".[202] An alternate video also exists, set to the slower version of the song.[203] "Total Eclipse of the Heart" was a Box Top on British music television channelThe Box in February 1995.[204]
AllMusic editorStephen Thomas Erlewine remarked that French "had a unexpected hit single with her dance-club,house-inflected cover" of "Total Eclipse of the Heart". He added that "although it was treated like anovelty at first, the version was as effective as the original and was a deserved success."[205]Larry Flick fromBillboard magazine stated that the singer "does a fair imitation ofBonnie Tyler on this bouncyhi-NRG/disco interpretation of the bombasticpower ballad. U.K. and European punters already have warmly embraced this twirler, and odds are an even 50-50 for similar success here."[206] American entertainment companyBuzzFeed ranked French's version number 26 in their "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s" list in 2017.[207]
Steve Baltin fromCash Box felt that in the new version, "only the radio edit retains the syrupy feel that made Tyler's song such a smash. 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' seems like it would be an odd choice for a dance cover, and this version confirms that suspicion... but it's still a hit."[208] Dave Sholin from theGavin Report named it Record To Watch, writing, "The song that never dies gets a '90s facelift and a tempo injection. Ten more believers."[209] Robbie Daw fromIdolator described it as a "simmering dance rendition", including it in their "The 50 Best Pop Singles of 1995" list in 2015.[210] In his weekly UK chart commentary,James Masterton said it "suffers from the inevitable dance beat tacked on and also the lack ofJim Steinman's bombastic production that made the track such an epic in the first place."[211] Pan-European magazineMusic & Media noted, "Away is the sandpaper vocal of Bonny Tyler [sic], the edge now comes from the dance context put into the ballad. Needless to say it's an upbeat song anno 1995. Top 10 in the UK."[212]
Cuban-American singerLissette covered the song in Spanish as "Eclipse Total del Amor" in 1984, from her albumCaricatura, being her best hit in the Latin American charts.[257] The secondary male voice was sung by Cuban-American singerJon Secada.[258]
Mexican singerYuridia covered the song in Spanish as "Eclipse Total del Amor" from her second studio albumHabla El Corazón in 2006. The single peaked at number 36 on theBillboardLatin Pop Songs chart.[260]
Irishboy bandWestlife recorded a cover of the song on their 2006 albumThe Love Album.[262] The song was to be released as the album's second single but was cancelled due to theirLove Tour conflicts. Three official remixes were produced for their version as well as a remix done byJim Steinman, which was ultimately rejected by the record label but has since surfaced on the Internet. The song was released as a promotional single in 2007. TheSunset Strippers Radio Mix version of the song charted at number 210 on the Official Russian Top Radio Hits Chart on 26 February 2007.[263] It was composed in the traditionalverse–chorus form inBb major, with Filan and Feehily's vocal ranging from the chords ofC4 toC6.[264]
Italian singerL'Aura covered the song in Italian as "Eclissi del cuore" from her third studio albumSei come me in 2010, which was not originally released as a single. One year later, a new version of the song, now a duet with fellow Italian singerNek was officially released as a single, this duet peaking at number 6 on the Italian charts.[266]
On October 27, 2023,Doro Pesch released a cover featuringRob Halford ofJudas Priest from her albumConqueress – Forever Strong And Proud.[274] It peaked at no. 96 on the UK Physical Singles chart.[275]
A parody of the song and music video were published in 2009, in what the fans and makers call a "literal video version", which is a type of video that replaces the original song lyrics with humorous lyrics describing the images in the video.Time magazine listed it as the 6th bestviral video of 2009.[276] This was also the 6th literal video produced by professional video editor David A. Scott Jr.; the singer who performed for thisre-dub was Scott's friend Felisha Noble using the pseudonym Persephone Maewyn.[277]
In 2010, Tyler appeared in an advertisement forMasterCard, performing a short parody of the song with its noted new lyric "Turn around, Neville."[278] She performed the original song in a similar advertisement forWestpac in 2012.[279]
In 2019, in theCanta Uma Para Mim segment on Brazilian television programAlerta Amazonas, the song was performed by contestant Priscila Munhoes, who did not know how to speak English, and instead substituted her own "gibberish" lyrics. Munhoes was eliminated from the program, but the video of her performance went viral on the internet.[283]
^Frame, Pete (1999).Pete Frame's rockin' around Britain : rock'n'roll landmarks of the UK and Ireland. London:Omnibus Press. p. 174.ISBN978-0-71196-973-5.
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