In 1982 prolific hit songwriter Jim Steinman produced Bonnie Tyler’s Faster Than the Speed of Night album and wrote the single, “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which hit #1 and remained there for 4 weeks.

At virtually the same time, Steinman had given another of his songs to the Australian duo, Air Supply. In October 1983, for 4 weeks in a row, Steinman held two of the top three spots on the U.S. Billboard chart: Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse” at #1, and Air Supply’s “Making Love (Out of Nothing At All)” at #2.

Prior to these successes, Steinman had already written and produced Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell album in 1974 which “sold over 34 million copies, becoming more profitable than Michael Jackson’s blockbuster Thriller. After almost 30 years, it still sells an estimated 200,000 copies annually, and stayed on the charts for over 9 years. Each of the seven tracks on the album eventually charted as a single hit.” —Wikipedia

Total Eclipse of the Heart Lyrics
(Words and Music by Jim Steinman)

Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and
you’re never coming round
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit tired of
listening to the sound of my tears
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that
the best of all the years have gone by
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit terrified and
then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart

Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit restless and I
dream of something wild
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit helpless and
I’m lying like a child in your arms
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit angry and I
know I’ve got to get out and cry
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit terrified but
then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart

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
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

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

INSTRUMENTAL

Turnaround bright eyes
Turnaround bright eyes
Turnaround, Every now and then I know you’ll never be the boy you
always wanted to be
Turnaround, Every now then I know you’ll always be the only boy
who wanted me the way that I am
Turnaround, Every now and then I know there’s no one in the
universe as magical and wonderous as you
Turnaround, Every now and then I know there’s nothing any better
and there’s nothing that I just wouldn’t do
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you’ll 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
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

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

SIDEBAR: In 2014, food conglomerate General Mills adapted “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (changed the words) in a television ad campaign for their Fiber One products.