Bonnie Tyler, real name Gaynor Hopkins, is a Welsh singer who, aside from her unique and most recognizable hoarse voice, can boast of being one of the best singles sellers in the world.
It was in 1969 that she became aware of her artistic vocation when she finished 2nd in a local tele hook. Knowing now that she wants to make a real profession out of it, she begins by playing backing vocals for 'Bobby Wayne & The Dixies' before going out on her own and starting a first group called 'Imagination'. She changes her name for the first time and takes the nickname Sherene Davis.
But it was only in 1975 that she was spotted by talent seeker Roger Bell, who allowed her to make a first demo. First demo which will end a few months later with the signing of a contract with the RCA Records label. Label which will ask her to change her stage name again. From now on, her name will be...Bonnie Tyler.
Her first Single “My! My! Honeycom” was officially released a year later in 1976. Single that would go completely unnoticed. For the next one, “Lost in France”, the record company is putting the package in terms of promotions and the result is not long in coming, the Single becomes its first global hit. The album "The world starts tonight" from which it is extracted and which was released a year later in 1977 was only a meager success.
A year 1977 which started rather badly and which nevertheless will end in apotheosis thanks to the release of a Single called…"It’s a heartache". A Single that will shatter everything on a planetary level and become quite simply one of the biggest hits of all time. The singer's notoriety will literally explode and her extraordinary voice will become a real phenomenon, just like the singer herself.
New album in 1978 with the release of "Natural force" which will do much better than its predecessor in terms of sales. But who will struggle to produce a second hit of the caliber of "It’s a heartache".
A bellows that falls as quickly as it is mounted because the album "Diamond cut" which came out a year later in 1979 will do even less well, both on the sales side of albums and on the production side of notorious hits. One of the main criticisms will be that the album is too country oriented. Only the title "(The world is full of) Married men" released the same year and soundtrack of the film of the same name will allow her to save the furniture.
A sluggish end of the 1970s and early 1980s with an almost empty 1980s and a year 1981 with the release of the album "Goodbye to the Island" which did not allow the singer to catch up with the pack. Critics even announce an imminent end of career ...
A career that not only is not going to end but which, on the contrary, will start again in a dazzling way when she decides to change and of producer, and of manager. Beneficial changes that allow her to release the album "Faster than the speed of night" in 1983 from which a certain..."Total eclipse of the heart" will be extracted. The Single will become an intergalactic hit and the album will achieve mind-blowing sales scores. Not only did the singer not sink body and soul, but she signed a new hit which will also remain as one of the most emblematic of the end of the twentieth century.
1984 continues in the same vein with a first major success when she sings in duet with Shakin' Stevens on the track "A rockin' good way (To messa round and fall in love)". Two new top hits follow, including "Holding out for a hero", a title that is part of the soundtrack of the film Footloose. And "Here she comes" which is part of the soundtrack of the restored version of the movie Metropolis.
Small year 1985 with only one title on the clock, which ended in a small success. Once again in duet mode, this time with Todd Rundgren. On the other hand, 1986 saw her sign a new title of very high caliber with "If you were a woman (And I was a man)". A flagship Single from the album "Secret dreams and forbidden fire" which was released the same year. The Single, like the album, will be these last top global hits.
Definitely angry with the changes of the decade, the sequel will prove to be more complicated to manage than expected. The 1988 album "Hide your heart" did not produce any major hits for the singer. On the other hand, and as paradoxical as it may seem, some tracks on the album will become mega hits when they are taken over by other artists : "Hide your heart" for the group Kiss, "Save up all your tears" for Robin Beck and Cher and the enormous "The best" for Tina Turner.
The albums "Bitterblue", "Angel heart" and ‘Silhouette in red" released in 1991, 1992 and 1993 respectively produced only minor hits despite significant sales scores for the albums. Albums to prestigious producers such as Dieter Bohlen and other Giorgio Moroder. Big hitters who unfortunately will not reverse the course of the singer's destiny.
The singer will continue her career for many years to come, but she will never again experience the same level of success - sometimes exceptional - that she has experienced in years past.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
My! My! Honeycomb 1976
Lost in France 1976
More than a lover 1977
Heaven 1977
It’s a heartache 1977
Here am I 1978
If I sing you a love song 1978
My guns are loaded 1979
(The world is full of) Married men 1979
80s Decade :
Total eclipse of the heart 1983
Take me back 1983
Faster than the speed of night 1983
Have you ever seen the rain ? 1983
A rockin’ good way (to mess around and fall in love) 1984
Holding out for a hero 1984
Here she comes 1984
Loving you's a dirty job but somebody gotta do it 1985
If you were a woman (And I was a man) 1986
Band of gold 1986
Islands 1987
The Best 1988
Save up all your tears 1988
Don't turn around 1988
Merry Christmas 1989
90s Decade :
Bitterblue 1991
Against the wind 1991
Fools lullaby 1992
The desert is in your heart 1992
God gave love to you 1993
From the bottom of my lonely heart 1993
Stay 1993
Making love out of nothing at all 1995
Make it right tonight 1995
You're the one 1995
He's the king 1997
2000s Decade :
Amazed 2003
Si demain...(Turn around) 2003
Si tout s'arrête (It's a heartache) 2004
Louise 2005
2010s Decade :
Something going on 2010
Believe in me 2013
This is gonna hurt 2013
Love is the knife 2013
Fortune 2014
Love's holding on 2017
Hold on 2019
2020s Decade :
Through thick and thin (I'll stand by you) 2020
When the lights go down 2020
The best is yet to come 2021
Dreams are not enough 2021
Louise 2022
Tracks :
1976 ... the first steps of a young unknown woman with a rather promising talent but who does not present any particular advantages compared to the competition. For the moment...
1976 ... from the 2nd title, everything accelerates. The world discovers a truly atypical singer, with an incredible voice and who bursts the screen, it is obvious. Result : the first global top hit. The start of a long, very long list !
1977 ... a year 1977 that started off smoothly, with a title of fairly average quality. Would we have overestimated the talent of the young Bonnie, the future will tell ...
1977 ... her unique voice gains momentum and gradually becomes her trademark. On the other hand, on the title side, we are far from Premium quality. It's nice but nothing more ...
1977 ... then comes THIS title. A title in the form of a ballad, a bet for this rather daring end of the decade. A particularly inspired title where the singer's voice will really make all the difference and allow her to sign here quite simply one of the biggest titles of the decade and of the end of the 20th century. Speeding her up to the height of fame and success. PHE-NO-ME-NAL !
1978 ... after an absolutely exceptional year for the singer, 1978 will seem somewhat weak in comparison. No title released this year will be able to reach the ankle of the previous title ...
1978 ... the ballads released that year are not without interest, that's clear. But it's still sympathetic, nothing more ...
1979 ... unfortunately, 1979 will not do much better. The singer is unable to reproduce the incredible feat of 1978. The decade will therefore end quietly but without glares, neither splendor, nor glitter
1979 ... the singer finally tries something else. No more folk ballads, here she is finally on the Dance scene. And as luck would have it, success returns. Certainly shy, but he's coming back !
1983 ... nothing more interesting until THIS title. And what a title ! She will have signed one of the most beautiful titles of the 70s and well she does it again in this new decade thanks to a title inspired once again out of the ordinary. A title which definitively and indisputably consecrates her as one of the greatest singers of the end of the 20th century. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1983 ... but as is often the case with her, the all-comer follows the exceptional. The proof once again with this title which is unable to compete with the previous one
1983 ... a crazy track, with a crazy tempo and which completely clashes with everything she had produced until then. Disconcerting ...
1983 ... fortunately, the singer quickly finds reason and especially inspiration. Here she signs a new top hit, certainly we are far from the top of the Charts but it bodes well for the future ...
1984 ... in shock and charm duo mode on a 100 % Rock'n'Roll track. When 2 sizes of the moment sing together, inevitably, the result is up to the task. The proof !
1984 ... the hits are now followed at an impressive speed. The singer is now on a very good dynamic and which allows her to sign here one of her most emblematic titles. HU-GE !
1984 ... 1977 was the singer's Grand Cru year for the 1970s. For the 1980s, it will be this year. Everything works for her in an incredible way. Hope it lasts !
1985 ... plethora of titles the previous year, only one title on the clock in this year 1985, strange paradox. Anyway, the singer plays it again in duet mode, a duet radically different from the previous one. And it works too !
1986 ... in 100 % Dance mode, an extremely rare thing for her. An area that she should have exploited in a much more in-depth way given the level of success that the title will know ...
1986 ... so there, it's not even 100 % Dance, it's downright the speed of light. A dance song with a crazy tempo, of superior quality and which however, will meet only a rather average success. Frankly shame !
1987 ... a mid-1980s which saw her explore musical paths that were not her usual business. A welcome daring that allows us to see her in a new light. Especially when she plays it again in duet mode with a big name named Mike Olfield !
1988 ... here she signs one of the most emblematic titles of the decade. But not for her, an incredible paradox. It was a certain Tina Turner who was going to make a mega hit worldwide. Like what, no one is a prophet in his country ...
1988 ... each title is highly inspired now and even if this one will not even be classified, it largely holds up. Some good, some very good Bonnie !
1988 ... ditto for this one. A BIG year 1988 which will not however be its best in terms of success in the Charts but which will nevertheless be one of the best in terms of overall quality. Funny paradox ...
1989 ... extremely rare, here she is in soundtrack mode. She delivers here a title all in finesse while the film, him, does not really do in the softness and the lightness since its story is based on the story of a young boy who finds himself face to face with a psychopath disguised as Santa Claus. Mighty paradox ...
1991 ... 1989 and 1990 will not bring much more and it is therefore necessary to wait for the year 1991 to see her finally find a level worthy of the name. It is clear that the best years are behind but she is hanging on, she is hanging on ...
1991 ... she delivers here an Ultimate Slow worthy of the name and of very good quality. A year 1991 which saw her almost regain its best level. Not sure that it lasts ...
1992 ... admittedly, she does not really stick to the musical standards of the moment but Bonnie continues to make Bonnie, on musical bases almost identical to those of the 80s, without counting a voice which becomes more and more hoarse. 100 % pure Bonnie !
1992 ... a very surprisingly charming and shocking duo, which works very well, but which will go completely unnoticed. The Greek charm combined with the power of the Welsh will not have been enough to make the difference ...
1993 ... another nice Intimist track, all powerful as usual with Bonnie, and which literally floats in the air. But once again in this decade of 90, a title that will not find its audience ...
1993 ... back to Dance. Even if the last mega successes of the singer begin to date, the fact remains that she is still there and that she continues to produce titles of more than certain quality. A longevity worthy of the greatest !
1993 ... a highly inspired track that literally transports us. A Bonnie in great shape despite her 18-year career, and yes, already !
1995 ... she finally finds, but temporarily, the path to success. In a decade where everything is going at supersonic speed, she continues to do the Intimist without asking too many questions. And it works, and at that point, the public has finally followed ...
1995 ... a vocal power without common measure put once again at the service of gentleness and tenderness, strange paradox. One of the very few to excel in this field !
1995 ... we could say each time that the title released will be the last. Oh no, she resists and keeps afloat no matter what. When the talent is still there, anything is possible !
1997 ... a decade that comes to an end in full force, and gently, as very often with her. A decade that has seen her slowly, but surely, decline. Will she return the following decade ? With such talent, anything is possible. Case to follow ....
2003 ... we suspected that the adventure was not going to end there. Here she covers the flagship title of Lonestar dating from 1999. A revisited version that borders on the perfect copy, Bonnie version of course ...
2003 ... when Bonnie revisits...Bonnie ! Here, she covers her flagship title from 1983 and revisits it in a 100 % feminine duo sauce. A daring bet but a winning bet !
2004 ... when Bonnie revisits...Bonnie ! Here, she covers her flagship title from 1977 and revisits it in a 100 % feminine duo sauce. A daring bet but a winning bet ! Here, I have the impression of repeating myself ...
2005 ... the adventure continues for some reason but success in the Charts will become increasingly rare during this new decade unfortunately ...
2010 ... here she is now in duo mode of shock and charm story to vary the pleasures a little. The duo's obvious energy will not make it possible to reach the stars anyway. Pity...
2013 ... who would have believed it, Bonnie at Eurovision Song Contest ? Yes, yes, it is possible, the proof ! A title that would have frankly deserved a better place than this 19th place in the end ...
2013 ... Bonnie tries to get back into the race by all means but nothing helps. Will the decade of 2010 be one too many ? Case to be continued as they say ...
2013 ... nothing helps and whatever the tempo. The will to believe in it over and over again commands respect but this is not always enough to reverse the course of things unfortunately ...
2014 ... a title which literally floats in the air but which will also go unnoticed to say the least. It is increasingly difficult to exist at the highest level in the face of competition that is on average 30 years younger ...
2017 ... a title full of strength/finesse not devoid of interest, that's for sure. But it is clear that this decade of 2010 will not be that of a comeback for Bonnie ...
2019 ... few major successes during this decade of 2010, the observation is severe to say the least. But the singer still believes in it and just for that, respect !
2020 ... she puts the cover on the 100 % female duo fashion. It had rather worked for her the last time. Not really on this one ...
2020 ... and here she is entering her 6th decade of career. A longevity that is exceptional to say the least, but that is only found with the Greatest, of course ...
2021 ... will this decade of 2020 be the decade of the long-awaited renaissance ? With Bonnie, nothing is impossible so go find out ...
2021 ... in any case, we feel a will to believe in it which augurs well for beautiful things to come. So let's be patient a little longer ...
2022...
Top Bonus: 2021...a particularly successful orchestral version which de facto shows that this emblematic title of the 80s can be declined in many forms...
Wiki :
Official Website :
https://bonnietyler.com/ Greatest Hits :
Discography :
Comentarios