Bonnie’s Top 10 Longest Songs
Bonnie Tyler’s name is synonymous with extended, bombastic power ballads. Here’s a list of her ten longest songs – not including remixes or re-recordings.
Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad
8:44 / 1995 / Free Spirit
Jim Steinman was known for breaking conventions. It seems Jim was always focused on the narrative of his songs, with little concern about whether they adhered to the constraints of commercial radio. By the mid-90s, Jim was excited to explore modern trends. After Nicki French found unprecedented success with her Euro-dance version of ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’, Jim encouraged Bonnie to record an extended upbeat version of the beloved Bat Out of Hell ballad, ‘Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad’, for her multi-producer album Free Spirit.
Rebel Without a Clue
8:37 / 1986 / Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire
‘Rebel Without a Clue’ is a Jim Steinman song of titanic proportions. When Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire was unleashed to record buyers, critics were divided – some adored its unfiltered bombast, while others found it excessive in every sense. It’s a more demanding listen than its predecessor, with all but one track exceeding the 5-minute mark. Previous singles ‘If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)’ and ‘Band of Gold’ found success through various radio edits and remixes. Unfortunately, ‘Rebel’ was heavily truncated for radio airplay, cut down from 8:37 to just 3:57. With more than half of the track missing, the track lurches from verse to chorus without all the lyrical nuance and build-up. There’s only one way to experience this song – in its unedited entirety.
Making Love (Out of Nothing at All)
7:51 / 1995 / Free Spirit
As the centerpiece of her much-loved 1995 album Free Spirit, Bonnie once described ‘Making Love’ as her belated sequel to ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’. Originally released by Air Supply in 1983, it only missed the no. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 because ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ stood in its way. It cemented Steinman as a pop and rock juggernaut in the 80s. Bonnie’s version features a sample of her mother, Elsie Hopkins, singing an aria by Puccini. Complete with thunderclaps, church bells and a lavish production, including many of the musicians who appeared on Faster Than the Speed of Night, ‘Making Love’ is a cinematic masterpiece.
Loving You’s a Dirty Job (But Somebody’s Gotta Do It)
7:48 / 1986 / Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire
Recorded as a duet with Todd Rundgren, ‘Loving You’s a Dirty Job’ is Bonnie’s only duet to make this top 10 list. It was released as the lead single from Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire in November 1985, and despite a low chart placing in the UK, it proved a big success on the Iberian peninsula, where it still receives generous radio airplay. The music video was directed by Tim Pope, with Welsh actor Hywel Bennett miming Rundgren’s lines. In 2006, Bonnie performed it live with The Dream Engine in New York. Despite constant demands to add the track to her regular setlist, Bonnie has said it’s difficult to find a male singer who can match Rundgren’s incredible studio performance.
Total Eclipse of the Heart
6:58 / 1983 / Faster Than the Speed of Night
Now in its 40th year, ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ continues to have a cultural impact on younger generations. We anticipate yet another streaming spike in mid-October when an annular solar eclipse passes across central America. There will be an even bigger event next April when a total solar eclipse passes across the United States. The radio edit receives the most streams and downloads, but for the full experience it’s best to enjoy the unedited album version, which features Bonnie’s favourite lyric: “Every now and then I know there’s no one in the universe as magical and wondrous as you”.
Faster Than the Speed of Night
6:44 / 1983 / Faster Than the Speed of Night
All the greatest aspects of Steinman’s songcraft come together in this no-holds-barred musical epic. It’s about a young couple indulging in their desires under the moonlight, fulfilling each other’s wildest fantasies. More so than even ‘Total Eclipse’, this track shows off the best of all the musicians – with a frenzied riff that passes between the piano and the guitars, and drums that start loud and only get louder.
Is Anybody There?
6:35 / 1999 / Return to the Centre of the Earth
In 1974, Rick Wakeman released his landmark album Journey to the Centre of the Earth. It was a 40-minute recording of a stage production inspired by Jules Verne’s novel of the same name. In the late 90s, Wakeman began planning a studio-recorded sequel album, featuring stars from music and theatre. Narrated by Patrick Stewart, it features performances by Ozzy Osbourne, Katrina Leskanich and Justin Hayward, among others. Bonnie’s track, “Is Anybody There?”, is a desolate tune about loneliness and seizing one’s own destiny. Her passionate vocals are beautifully complemented by the London Symphony Orchestra.
Ravishing
6:25 / 1986 / Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire
Surprisingly, ‘Ravishing’ is the only track from (the regular edition of) Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire that wasn’t released as a single. Despite its relative obscurity, ‘Ravishing’ has become a strong fan favourite. Its tension-building introduction made it the perfect opener for Bonnie’s concerts in the 80s, with impressive guitar riffs and layer upon layer of backing vocals. Steinman originally planned to use ‘Ravishing’ as the title of Bonnie’s sixth studio album, but as she explains in her new book Straight from the Heart, she worried a raunchy title might give off the wrong impression. The song was built from an instrumental track that Steinman wrote as a musical theme for wrestler Hulk Hogan in 1985.
Everybody Hurts
5:53 / 2002 / Heart & Soul: 13 Rock Classics
Bonnie had already started planning Heart Strings, her classical-pop inspired covers album, when the original producer left the project early in its development. Her guitarist, Matt Prior, stepped in to lead the project, co-producing with Bonnie’s manager, David Aspden. The album features Bonnie’s touring band – who at the time featured Matt Prior, Alan Darby, John Young, Ed Poole and John Tonks – and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. ‘Everybody Hurts’, originally released by R.E.M., was orchestrated by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, and features an extended intro of strings and keyboards.
Band of Gold
5:52 / 1986 / Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire
Bonnie’s R&B and soul influences are abundant throughout her discography. The 60s is her favourite decade for music, and her early influences include Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner and PP Arnold. She used to sing ‘Band of Gold’ in the clubs with her band, Imagination, before she got discovered in the early 70s. Produced by Jim Steinman, Bonnie’s version introduced the song to a brand new audience, and it received two excellent remixes by Arthur Baker, both of which exceed seven minutes in length.