"Total Eclipse of the Heart" is about Vampires

Boingboing recalled that there was this conversation with the songwriter Jim Steinman published in Playbill. Steinman was rushing his repertoire for Dance of the Vampires, (a production Vulture magazine labelled as "one of the biggest-ever Broadway flops". But that's another story all-together).

"I actually wrote that to be a vampire love song", Steinman told Playbill. "Its original title was 'Vampires in Love'... If anyone listens to the lyrics, they're really like vampire lines. It's all about the darkness, the power of darkness and love's place in the dark."

And the whole world heard a love song – and adored it.  "It became Tyler's biggest career hit, topping the UK Singles Chart, and becoming the fifth-best-selling single in 1983 in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the single spent four weeks at the top of the charts...  it was Billboard's number-six song of the year for 1983. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance." Wikipedia

So we might as well revisit the lyrics and the song. Enjoy.

Total Eclipse of the Heart

Bonnie Tyler

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 apartAnd 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 tonightOnce 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 heartevery now and then I fall apart
(Turn around, bright eyes) every now and then I fall apartAnd I need you now tonight (and I need you now)
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight (if you only)
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right (and we'll never)
'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
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 tonightOnce upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
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

Source: LyricFind
Songwriter: James Richard Steinman
Total Eclipse of the Heart lyrics
© Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management, Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs, Carlin America Inc