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.
Human Touch
Bonnie Tyler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We let it all slip away
In the end what you don't surrender
Well the world just strips away
Girl, ain't no kindness in the face of strangers
Ain't gonna find no miracles here
Well you can wait on your blessings my darling
I got a deal for you right here
I ain't coming 'round searching for a crutch
I just want someone to talk to
And a little of that human touch
Just a little of that human touch
Ain't no mercy on the streets of this town
Ain't no bread from heavenly skies
Ain't nobody drawing wine from this blood
It's just you and me tonight
Tell me, in a world without pity
Do you think what I'm askin's too much
I just want something to hold on to
And a little of that human touch
Just a little of that human touch
Oh girl that feeling of safety that you prize
Well it comes at a hard hard price
You can't shut off the risk and the pain
Without losing the love that remains
We're all riders on this train
So you've been broken and you've been hurt
Show me somebody who ain't
Yeah, I know I ain't nobody's bargain
But, hell, a little touch up and a little paint
You might need something to hold on to
When all the answers, they don't amount to much
Somebody that you could just to talk to
And a little of that human touch
Baby, in a world without pity
Do you think what I'm askin's too much
I just want to feel you in my arms
Share a little of that human touch
Feel a little of that human touch
Give me a little of that human touch
The song Human Touch by Bonnie Tyler is about the need for human connection and touch, especially during trying times. The first verse sets the scene, with the singer reflecting on a lost relationship and how the world can strip away what we hold dear. The second verse touches on the harsh reality of living in a world without kindness or miracles, where blessings may never come. The chorus emphasizes the singer's desire for human connection and touch, which they view as a necessity rather than a luxury.
The third verse acknowledges that love comes with risks and pain, but ultimately it's what makes life worthwhile. The singer encourages their partner to see that they've both been hurt, but that they can find comfort in each other's company. The bridge reflects on how everyone is struggling in their own way, but we're all in it together, riding the train of life. The final verse continues the theme of wanting human touch and connection, with the singer acknowledging that they may not be perfect but they just want someone to talk to and hold onto.
Overall, Human Touch is a song about the basic need for human connection, and how it can sustain us through difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
You and me we were the pretenders
We were not our true selves when we were together
We let it all slip away
We lost everything we had together
In the end what you don't surrender
You lose what you try to hold on to too tight
Well the world just strips away
The world takes away what we try to cling to
Girl, ain't no kindness in the face of strangers
People don't show kindness to those they don't know
Ain't gonna find no miracles here
There are no miracles to be found in this world
Well you can wait on your blessings my darling
Waiting for good things to happen is pointless
I got a deal for you right here
I have something to offer you
I ain't looking for praise or pity
I don't want sympathy or recognition
I ain't coming 'round searching for a crutch
I don't want to rely on someone else to support me
I just want someone to talk to
I need someone to confide in
And a little of that human touch
I need some emotional support and connection
Ain't no mercy on the streets of this town
People are not kind to each other in this place
Ain't no bread from heavenly skies
There is no abundance or help from divine sources
Ain't nobody drawing wine from this blood
No one is benefiting from the hardships of others
It's just you and me tonight
We are alone in this situation
Tell me, in a world without pity
In a world that lacks compassion
Do you think what I'm askin's too much
Do you think it's too demanding for me to ask for some emotional support?
I just want something to hold on to
I want something to give me hope and comfort
And a little of that human touch
I want to connect with someone on an emotional level
Oh girl that feeling of safety that you prize
The feeling of being secure that you value
Well it comes at a hard hard price
It is difficult and costly to achieve
You can't shut off the risk and the pain
You can't avoid the risks and pain that come with love
Without losing the love that remains
You can't keep the love you have if you try to avoid the pain
We're all riders on this train
We're all going through life together
So you've been broken and you've been hurt
You've experienced pain and heartache
Show me somebody who ain't
Show me someone who hasn't
Yeah, I know I ain't nobody's bargain
I know I'm not perfect
But, hell, a little touch up and a little paint
But with some improvement and effort
You might need something to hold on to
You might need support and comfort too
When all the answers, they don't amount to much
When you're looking for answers and they don't provide much help
Somebody that you could just to talk to
Someone to confide in
And a little of that human touch
Emotional connection and support
Baby, in a world without pity
In a world that lacks compassion
Do you think what I'm askin's too much
Do you think it's too much to ask for emotional support?
I just want to feel you in my arms
I want physical and emotional closeness
Share a little of that human touch
Connect with each other on an emotional level
Feel a little of that human touch
Experience some emotional support and connection
Give me a little of that human touch
Provide me with some emotional support and connection
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bruce Springsteen
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.