Total Eclipse of the Heart
by Bonnie Tyler
What is “Total Eclipse of the Heart” really about?
If you’ve ever wondered what “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler is really about, you’re not alone. Let’s break it down.
In 'Total Eclipse of the Heart,' Bonnie Tyler sings about a deep, overpowering love that has since darkened, describing her feelings of falling apart without her partner's love, paralleling the darkness to a solar eclipse.
So… what’s this song really about?
Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' delves into a poignant narrative of love and loss, highlighted by vivid metaphorical imagery and emotional turmoil. The lyrics suggest a romance that was once luminous and full of promise but has since transitioned into a phase of darkness and confusion, symbolized by a 'total eclipse of the heart.' This eclipse represents the overshadowing of all light and joy in her life due to the absence or change in her relationship. The repeated pleas for her lover to 'turn around' signify a desperate need for reconciliation and a return to better times. The song's emotional intensity is amplified by its vocal delivery, embodying the anguish and longing central to the song's theme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who wrote 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'?
Jim Steinman wrote the song 'Total Eclipse of the Heart.'
Q: What year was 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' released?
The song was released in 1983.
Lyrics to “Total Eclipse of the Heart”
90 ContributorsTranslations
[Refrain]
(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
Your 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
[Post-Chorus]
Once upon a time, I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's 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
[Interlude]
(Turn around, bright eyes)
(Turn around, bright eyes)
[Verse 3]
(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
[Refrain]
(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)
[Post-Chorus]
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)