Bonnie Tyler shares sad truth about her biggest song in last interview before coma
Bonnie Tyler shared the sad truth behind one of her biggest songs, Total Eclipse of the Heart, during her last TV appearance before her surgery.
The singer, 74, has been put in an induced coma after having emergency surgery for a perforated intestine at a hospital near her home in Faro, Portugal.
Just months before her health scare, Tyler appeared on Lorraine and set Lorraine Kelly straight over whether she gets royalties from the iconic 1983 pop-rock ballad she is most known for.
Kelly said during the chat in February: “Total Eclipse of the Heart - massive song. It's used all the time. You see it in adverts all the time, you hear it all the time.
“It's had over a billion streams on Spotify... you think, ‘Oh well that's great, Bonnie can sit back, put her feet up.’”
Tyler explained that she earns little to nothing from streaming royalties.
“But I didn't write the song!” she said. “I'm just a singer you know, so I didn't write that song.”
She explained that composerJim Steinman, who wrote and produced the hit track, received royalties. She added that since his death, she believes his family are its recipients.
Tyler also talked about why the song has “resonated” so much with fans, 43 years on from its release.
“The first time I heard it, shivers up my spine,” she said. “I couldn’t believe [Steinman] was giving me this song to sing. I wanted desperately to work with him.”
Kelly pointed out that the song reached number one in the US, reassuring Tyler: “They can never take that away from you.”
“Bonnie has been put into an induced coma by her doctors to aid her recovery,” her spokesman said.
“We know that you all wish her well and ask for privacy at this difficult time please. We will issue a further statement when we are able to.”
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The news of her surgery was first revealed in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
The post said: “We are very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery.
“The surgery went well and she is now recuperating. We know that all of her family, friends and fans will be concerned about this news and will be wishing her well for a full and swift recovery.”
Tyler, whose real name is Gaynor Hopkins, grew up in a council house in Neath, before achieving international fame in the 1980s following the release of Total Eclipse of the Heart.
Known for her husky vocals, she has received three Grammy nominations, and has released many other hit songs including Holding Out For A Hero and If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man).
Tyler also represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013.
She previously revealed she’ll never get tired of singing Total Eclipse of the Heart.
“Lots of people ask me aren’t you fed up of singing it, but there is no way, I love it and everybody does, it is a karaoke classic,” the singer said in 2023.
Tyler made the comments while receiving an MBE for her services to music. She said the honour from the Prince of Wales was the “highlight” of her career.
“I never ever thought I would have something like this, my mother and father would be so proud,” she said.