Posted by Total Eclipse of the Heart is a song by Bonnie Tyler in 1983. It’s the singer’s most famous song ever made, and it was among the best-selling singles in the United Kingdom that year. Jim Steinman initially wrote the track in 1969 as part of his musical The Dream Engine, and it became the basis for the version that Jim and Bonnie made together in the 80s. It’s a big classic, often quoted and rediscovered today, mainly when eclipses occur. Among the famous lines of the song is “turn around, bright eyes,” which is one of the identifying lines of the track. In this article, we will explore the song’s meaning, and you’ll also find the complete lyrics at the end.
You can find the official video of the song below.
Total Eclipse of the Heart: the lyrics & their meaning
Total Eclipse of the Heart is a love song that exposes the mixed feelings towards a lover that doesn’t always return what we feel. The lyrics are composed of several parts that simulate a theatrical piece, revealing the evolution of the protagonist’s feelings.
Somebody believes that the song is about love between a human and a vampire, which would explain why she cannot have that love forever. This theory is supported by the fact that Jim Steinman used the song in his 1997’s German musical Tanz der Vampire. However, Bonnie Tyler said that she never understood this interpretation and believes that Total Eclipse of the Heart is purely a love song. You can find her comment on the track directly on Genius.
The song progresses as an emotional crescendo: in the first verse, Bonnie Tyler explains how, from time to time, she feels lonely, nervous, and tired. Her lines are intertwined with the repeated words “turn around,” which later become the famous line “turn around, bright eyes,” a request to her lover in a moment of need.
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit lonely
And you’re never coming ’round
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit nervous
That the best of all the years have gone by
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit terrified
And then I see the look in your eyes
The second verse shows stronger emotions: Bonnie feels now restless, helpless, and angry. When this love is distant, the singer feels worse and worse. She needs this love, and its absence gets more challenging as time passes.
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit restless
And I dream of something wild
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit helpless
And I’m lying like a child in your arms
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit angry
And I know I’ve got to get out and cry
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit terrified
But then I see the look in your eyes
The chorus represents the song’s climax: she openly admits that she needs him, now and forever, because love convinces her that it’s the only right thing to do. There is also the beautiful metaphor of the shadow, as something that follows you constantly, like the awareness that you need this love. And “forever’s gonna start tonight” is the wish that the pain and troubles are over, and finally, the singer can relax and fully enjoy this love.
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
After the first chorus, the song takes a different turn. Bonnie Tyler starts using the past, referring to what she felt when she had that love. Here we understand that the singer is talking about an impossible love: he’s not there for her, and she now realizes that this love cannot be comforting as she wishes. That’s why she now feels a total eclipse of the heart: where there was light before, now it’s just dark.
Once upon a time I was falling in love
Now I’m only falling apart
There’s nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
That starts the second round of awareness, as the emotions inside the singer evolve: now she knows that he’s not the man that can answer her need for love. Nevertheless, she still needs him. While exposing her feelings, she naturally returns to the original request: I need you, and your presence is the only thing that would make me happy.
(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
That ends the emotional evolution of Bonnie Tyler inside the lyrics of Total Eclipse of the Heart, and now we understand the core meaning: I love you, and you are the only thing I need to be happy; deep inside myself, I know that you can’t be the right love of my life, and that generates the eclipse that I feel in my heart. But that doesn’t change anything because you are still the one I want.
Total Eclipse of the Heart is an evergreen love song with a tremendous poetical weight, as we can feel the real emotions of the singer while the music progresses over its 5 minutes length.
Read other popular song lyrics and their meaning on Auralcrave
The complete lyrics
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit lonely
And you’re never coming ’round
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit nervous
That the best of all the years have gone by
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit terrified
And then I see the look in your eyes
(Turn around, bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around, bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit restless
And I dream of something wild
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit helpless
And I’m lying like a child in your arms
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit angry
And I know I’ve got to get out and cry
(Turn around)
Every now and then I get a little bit terrified
But then I see the look in your eyes
(Turn around, bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around, 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 (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
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
(Turn around, bright eyes)
(Turn around, bright eyes)
(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
(Turn around, bright eyes)
Every now and then I fall apart
(Turn around, 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 (all of the time)
I don’t know what to do
I’m always in the dark
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
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
A total eclipse of the heart
A total eclipse of the heart
(Turn around, bright eyes)
(Turn around, bright eyes)
(Turn around)
