In the history of music, there are many artists with just one hit, but most fade from memory over the years. Bonnie Tyler’s case was different. She became a legend in the late 1970s and remained so until her death, with just three (or four) major hits.
These songs are characterized by her rough, hoarse voice, which was the result of surgery for vocal cord nodules in 1976, as she herself recalled many times. “I used to have a much sweeter voice, but who would have thought that that condition would become my trademark?” the artist acknowledged in an interview with EFE in 2005.
An unmistakable voice in her few but memorable hits from a long career that began with “Lost in France” (1976) (on which the singer’s original voice can be heard), followed by “It’s a Heartache” (1977), “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (1983), and “Holding Out for a Hero” (1984). She had a few other hits, such as “Believe in Me,” with which she represented the United Kingdom—with little success—at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, but there are really only five songs that will be remembered from Tyler’s career.
‘Lost in France,’ Tyler’s First Steps
With a voice and appearance much sweeter than we remember, the Welsh singer showcases her vocal control in this track, which would be released in 1976 as the lead single from her debut album, *The World Starts Tonight*. The video, featuring the singer strolling past a quintessentially French castle, is a perfect example of the aesthetic of that era.
“It’s a Heartache”: A Star Is Born
Following the success of his first album, Tyler recorded *Natural Force* (1978), which included a smash hit that propelled him beyond British borders. “It’s a Heartache” was the album’s second single and one of the first songs he recorded with his hoarse voice, already affected by surgery for vocal nodules. He still maintained a more down-to-earth image, but his future as a rock star was already evident. It reached number one in Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil, and Canada, but peaked at number four in the United Kingdom.
“Total Eclipse of the Heart,” a global hit
Five years later came the definitive breakthrough with a song that has been performed not only by the Welsh singer but also by artists such as Lea Michele, Westlife, David Guetta (in an electronic version on “Together,” alongside Tyler), and even One Direction, during their first television appearance on the show *The X Factor*. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” is undoubtedly one of the most heart-wrenching love songs (or rather, songs of heartbreak), especially in the Welsh singer’s original version.
It reached number one across half the world and was the biggest hit of his career, with more than six million copies sold at the time. It has now surpassed one billion streams on Spotify, proving its enduring popularity. And to think that Tyler told the BBC a few months ago that when he recorded it, he didn’t think anyone would listen to the whole thing because it was eight minutes long. But it was cut down to four minutes, and the rest is history.
“Holding Out for a Hero,” the best of “Footloose”
A year later, “Holding Out for a Hero” was released, a song that was part of the soundtrack for “Footloose,” a movie better remembered for its music than for its cinematic merits. In the film, the song was heard playing on an ’80s cassette radio, with the protagonist (Kevin Bacon) sitting on a tractor trying to impress the girl (Lori Singer). Tyler’s voice dominated the scene, and the song became a long-term hit, especially after its re-release a few years later.
And… “The Best”—does anyone remember this song by Tina Turner?
Before Tina Turner turned “The Best” into an anthem in 1989, the Welsh singer had recorded this song, written by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight. She released it in 1988, and it peaked at a modest No. 25 on the UK charts that year. Tyler’s husky voice was outshone this time by the greater depth of Turner at the height of her career.
