Born in Skewen, South Wales, Tyler rose to prominence with her first hit single "Lost in France" in 1976. She signed a management deal with British songwriters Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe, who wrote and co-produced Tyler's first four studio albums between 1977 and 1981. "It's a Heartache" became Tyler's first US hit, with worldwide sales in excess of 6 million.
In 1982, Tyler signed with CBS/Columbia and began working with producer-songwriter Jim Steinman. He wrote her biggest career hit, "Total Eclipse of the Heart", and produced its parent album, "Faster Than the Speed of Night" (1983), and the follow-up, "Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire" (1986). Both albums were noted for their bombastic pop-rock production and melodramatic lyrics. Tyler's next album, "Hide Your Heart" (1988), was produced by Desmond Child and included several tracks that later became hits for other artists, including "The Best" for Tina Turner and "Save Up All Your Tears" for Cher.
Tyler leaned further into a commercial pop sound in the 1990s. She signed with Hansa Records and recorded her next album, "Bitterblue" (1991), with an assortment of producers including Giorgio Moroder, Roy Bittan and Dieter Bohlen. Her subsequent albums "Angel Heart" (1992)" and "Silhouette in Red" (1993) were recorded almost exclusively with Bohlen.
Towards the end of the 90s, Tyler moved to East West Records and recorded the albums "Free Spirit" (1995) and "All in One Voice" (1998). She continued to experiment with cross-genre sounds in the 2000s, recording the covers album "Heart Strings" (2003) with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2004, Tyler began recording in Paris with producer Jean Lahcène, beginning with a re-recording of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" which topped the charts in France and Belgium. Tyler promoted her subsequent albums "Simply Believe" (2004) and "Wings" (2005) with a world tour and the release of her first concert film Bonnie on Tour.
Tyler spent the following eight years concentrating on her live work before returning to the studio for "Rocks and Honey" (2013). The album includes her UK Eurovision entry "Believe in Me". In 2018, Tyler reunited with David Mackay, who produced Tyler's first two albums in the 1970s, for her latest releases "Between the Earth and the Stars" (2019) and "The Best Is Yet to Come" (2021).
Tyler has contributed to several film soundtracks. Her most notable recording is "Holding Out for a Hero" which featured in Footloose, and has since become synonymous with action sequences, having later appeared in Shrek 2, Loki, and in numerous movie trailers. In 1984, Tyler sang the track "Here She Comes" for Giorgio Moroder's restoration of Fritz Lange's Metropolis, a recording which led to Tyler's third Grammy nomination.
Angel Of The Morning *
Bonnie Tyler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not if my love can't bind your heart
And there's no need to take a stand
For it was I who chose to start
I see no need to take me home
I'm old enough to face the dawn
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Then slowly turn away
Maybe the sun's light will be dim
And it won't matter anyhow
If morning's echo says we've sinned
Well, it was what I wanted now
And if we're victims of the night
I won't be blinded by the light
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Then slowly turn away
I won't beg you to stay with me
Through the tears of the day, of the years
Baby, baby, baby
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
The song "Angel of the Morning" by Bonnie Tyler is a melancholic ballad about a one-night stand. The lyrics tell the story of a woman who chooses to ignore the potential consequences of her actions and decides to indulge in a moment of passion with someone. She acknowledges that there will be "no strings to bind your hands" and that there is "no need to take a stand," implying that she wants this encounter to be strictly physical and without any commitments. Despite knowing that she won't ask her lover to stay with her through the "tears of the day, of the years," she still wants to be remembered as an angel of the morning. She desires a final good-bye by having her partner "just touch my cheek before you leave me" and that he'll "slowly turn away."
The lyrics are a powerful representation of the fleeting nature of a one-night stand. The woman knows that what she's doing could potentially end in heartbreak, but she willingly takes the risk anyway. She's not looking for love, but merely seeking physical pleasure. The lyrics convey a sense of autonomy, independence, and confidence in one's choices. At the same time, they express vulnerability, uncertainty, and even a hint of regret.
Line by Line Meaning
There'll be no strings to bind your hands
I won't try to control you or restrict your freedom.
Not if my love can't bind your heart
My love won't be able to force you to feel a certain way.
And there's no need to take a stand
You don't have to make any big decisions right now.
For it was I who chose to start
I took the first step here, so it's up to you to decide where this goes.
I see no need to take me home
We don't have to go anywhere together.
I'm old enough to face the dawn
I'm strong enough to face whatever the future holds.
Maybe the sun's light will be dim
Perhaps things won't be perfect or ideal.
And it won't matter anyhow
But that won't stop us from being together.
If morning's echo says we've sinned
Even if people judge us for our choices.
Well, it was what I wanted now
I have no regrets about what we've done.
And if we're victims of the night
If this is seen as something negative or taboo.
I won't be blinded by the light
I won't be influenced by public opinion or shame.
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Think of me as your comforting angel who is there for you in the morning when you wake up.
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby
Give me one last tender moment before you go.
Then slowly turn away
Leave me gently and without any drama.
I won't beg you to stay with me
I won't plead with you to change your mind or stay longer.
Through the tears of the day, of the years
Even if we face difficult times ahead, I won't give up hope.
Baby, baby, baby
My dear one, my love, my sweetie.
Just call me angel of the morning, (angel)
Please remember me as your guardian angel in the morning light.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHIP TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Straight From The Heart
Yet another excellent Bonnie Tyler song.
Philip Kassabian
on Holding Out for a Hero
A great and fantastic song by Bonnie Tyler.