I say it’s the Bangles. Broccoli! disagrees with me. I know he can’t read or dress himself…but is he right on this one, or is he wrong?
It’s a Jim Steinman song, sung by Bonnie Tyler.
Then there was that house version that made the rounds a few years ago by Nikki French.
And, if you believe what you get back from Napster, it’s also done by Juice Newton. (?!)
ahem Just because a person, doesn’t matter who this person is - not that I know anyone like this… but just because a person can’t read or dress themselves doesn’t mean that they can’t remember what songs the Bang-girls sang.
Bonnie Tyler.
Sorry. Bonnie Tyler, released 1983 on Sony/Columbia.
It was done by that chick who did “Holding Out for a Hero.”
Both songs are on her “Bonnie Tyler Greatest Hits” album, lol.
Are they saying “turn around bright eyes?”
Yeah, she had a funky music video that went with it, all angels and choirboys with eyes that glowed in a big old mansion.
Very cool.
I knew it was Bonnie Tyler, too, but for some reason I have a copy of it done by “Blondie”.
It’s pretty good, too.
Huh. Well, I guess I stand…er…surf, corrected. 
Thanks, all. Broccoli!, you illiterate, nude green vegetable- you know I still love you.
I thought it was by the Bangles because on “Gilmore Girls” last season, Rory and co go to a concert and one of the songs they were playing was “Total Eclipse…” so I assumed it was by them. Maybe I’m just remembering wrong. SIGH.
Zoggie, the song you heard the Bangles sing on Gilmore Girls was “Eternal Flame,” not “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” “Eternal Flame” was one of the Bangles’ last hits.
So you’re wrong all around.
Damnit! Now I remember that song. Being wrong is just so painful on one’s pride…Anyone want to pass the Bengay?
My dad’s best man was the drummer, if that helps you any.
Your dad’s best man was the drummer for Bonnie Tyler or the Bangles? Because if it was the Bangles, then he has really changed.
TMI about the song:
Jim Steinman, know for writing songs for Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler, tried writing a musical about Vampires. Nobody would produce it because Steinman had never done a musical, and they didn’t think a musical about vampires would go anywhere. Steinman recycled one of the tunes into “Total Eclipse” for Bonnie Tyler, who recorded it first.
Andrew Lloyd Webber hooked with with Steinman to do his show “Whistle Down the Wind.” They had apparently been trying to do a show together for quite a while. “Whistle” was not a success, but someone in Germany heard it and asked Steinman if he had done anything else. Something without the Lloyd Webber name on it. Steinman showed them the vampire musical, they called in Michael Kunze to do German lyrics, and Tanz der Vampyr was born. The song became “Total Finsternis”, the show starred the amazing Steve Barton, and it was huge hit in Germany, still running to this day.
Barton recorded some of the songs in English, but died before they could stage it on Broadway. Micahel Crawford, the original Phantom (Barton was the original Raoul) is scheduled to open on Broadway with it next season.
Okay, I’ll crawl back into my musical shell now.
Ho ho, Big Girl. Although the joke would be on you if he really HAD… er… changed.
In fact my dad lost touch with him not long after getting married, as it happens. So for all I know the joke’s on both of us.
pan
The video to this song with all the people and their glowing eyes totally freaked me out when I was a kid. It’s not like their eyes were softly glowing… there were friggin’ halogen lights in their sockets!
Yeah, that video gave me nightmares…
More trivia about this song: it was in the top 10 on the Billboard charts in the same week as 'Read ‘em and weep’ by Barry Manilow, and ‘Out of Nothing at All’ by Air Supply. All three were written by Jim Steinman. I think he’s the only writer to have three songs performed by different people in the top 40, let alone the top 10.
This information brought to you by a vague memory of Casey Kasem’s radio program at the time. If anyone can confirm it, let us know.