The amount of singles that were released from Bonnie Tyler’s Faster than the Speed of Night album is astonishing. There are nine tracks on the album, and seven of them were released as single. And the other two were used as b-sides.
Some of the album cuts that were used as b-side would later reappear as A-side, be it on the other side of the Atlantic. Take Me Back was the B-side to the European version of “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, and later a US-only single. The US B-side of “Total Eclipse” was a cover of Bryan Adams’ “Straight from the Heart”, which was the fourth European single. The B-side of both the Australian “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and American “Take Me Back” singles was “Getting So Excited”, which was the final European single.
From a musical point of view, there are only four interesting B-sides. Although, I use interesting in loosest possible sense of the word. You see, my interest in what Bonnie has done ends where Jim Steinman wasn’t involved. Sure, she might have done some decent stuff without him, but that just doesn’t connect with me.
In that light, you shouldn’t be surprised when I say that the three original B-sides written by Bonnie Tyler and Paul Hopkins do next to nothing for me. “Gonna Get Better” from the “Faster than the Speed of Night” single only lives up during the final chorus, I can’t even recall “Time” (from the European “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” single), even after I’ve heard it three times this morning, and “First Love” (both on the “Straight from the Heart” and “Tears” singles) isn’t all that either.
The only slightly more interesting b-side is the “Special Jim Steinman Remix” from “It’s a Jungle Out There”. It’s a bit shorter than the album version, and the line I’d do anything for love, but I won’t do that
from “Getting So Excited” is added to the intro. For the love of all that’s bright and shiny, I can’t hear what’s so special about it.
Since I don’t think there’s any point in sharing some cut up versions of “Faster” and “Total Eclipse”, you don’t get any A-sides this time. When I (eventually) cover the Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire singles, you’ll get a bunch of those. But how can a post about Faster than the Speed of Night not contain some totally eclipsed hearts? So as a bonus, a live version from the 2001 Night of the Proms, featuring John ‘Music was my first love’ Miles on piano and turn arounds. Some more info on the singles can of course be found in the Bonnie Tyler section of The Almost Complete etc.
(By the way, I’ve reactivated some files on the download page, because opening the flood gates on the last day of the month didn’t burn nearly enough bandwidth last time. Enjoy.)
UPDATE: links removed.