Faster Than the Speed of Night

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Faster Than the Speed of Night
Bonnie Tyler - Faster than the Speed of Night.jpg
Studio album by Bonnie Tyler
Released 8 April 1983 (UK)[1]
September 1983 (US)
Recorded 1982–1983
Genre Soft rock, Wagnerian rock, hard rock
Length 43:14
Label Columbia
Producer Jim Steinman, John Jansen
Bonnie Tyler chronology
Goodbye to the Island
(1981)Goodbye to the Island1981		 Faster Than the Speed of Night
(1983)		 Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire
(1986)Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire1986
Singles from Faster Than the Speed of Night
  1. "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
    Released: 11 February 1983 (UK); 31 May 1983 (US)
  2. "Take Me Back"
    Released: 1983
  3. "Faster Than the Speed of Night"
    Released: 1983
  4. "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"
    Released: 1983
  5. "Straight from the Heart"
    Released: February, 1983 (US)
  6. "Tears"
    Released: 1983
  7. "Getting So Excited"
    Released: 1984
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4.5/5 stars[2]

Faster Than the Speed of Night is the fifth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released first in Europe on 8 April 1983 and later that fall in the United States through Columbia Records. Tyler had changed musical direction from country music in 1980, and began working with Jim Steinman soon after. Steinman produced the album and wrote its most successful single "Total Eclipse of the Heart".

It was certified Silver in the UK, Platinum in the United States, and Double Platinum in Canada.

Content

The album consists of dramatically re-worked cover songs, including the Creedence Clearwater Revival hit "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?".[3] "Goin' Through the Motions" is a Blue Öyster Cult cover from their 1977 album Spectres,[4] and the original version of "Straight from the Heart" was the breakout Top 10 hit—from the Platinum Cuts Like A Knife album—by Canadian rock singer/songwriter Bryan Adams.[3] It also included the song "Take Me Back" written by Billy Cross, a former Bob Dylan guitarist. Only two of the tracks were written by Jim Steinman himself: the title track and the international number one hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart".

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"   John Fogerty 4:03
2. "Faster Than the Speed of Night"   Jim Steinman 6:35
3. "Getting So Excited (The CDs from Europe mislabel this title as "Getting So Exciting")"   Alan Gruner 3:25
4. "Total Eclipse of the Heart"   Steinman 6:59
5. "It's a Jungle Out There"  
4:33
6. "Goin' Through the Motions"  
4:05
7. "Tears" (with Frankie Miller) Frankie Miller 3:47
8. "Take Me Back"   Billy Cross 5:25
9. "Straight from the Heart"  
3:38
Total length:
 43:14

Personnel

The band

  • Bonnie Tyler: vocals
  • Roy Bittan: piano, organ on track 8
  • Larry Fast: synthesizers
  • Rick Derringer: guitars
  • Steve Buslowe: bass
  • Max Weinberg: drums
  • Jimmy Maelen: percussion
  • Eric Troyer: backing vocals
  • Rory Dodd: backing vocals, vocal on track 4

"It's a Jungle Out There"

Additional musicians

  • Dave LeBolt: additional synthesizer on track 1
  • Steve Margoshes: all keyboards on track 2
  • Holly Sherwood: backing vocals & wailing on track 2
  • Martin Briley: additional guitars on track 2
  • Stephanie Black, Erika Katz, Brian Pew, Edward Skylar, Tristine Skylar, David Varga: children's chorus on track 6
  • Frankie Miller: male vocal on track 7

Production

  • Produced & Directed by Jim Steinman; Associate Producer: John Jansen
  • Arranged by Roy Bittan & Jim Steinman, except track 2 (arranged by Steve Margoshes & Jim Steinman)
  • Recording Engineers: Neil Dorfsman (basic track recording), Rod Hui; Chief Recording Engineer: John Jansen
  • Additional Recording by Frank Filipetti & Scott Litt
  • Mixed by Neil Dorfsman, John Jansen & Jim Steinman, except track 2 (mixed by John Jansen, Scott Litt & Jim Steinman)
    • Mixed at The Power Station
  • Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound

Charts

Chart (1983) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 3
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[6] 24
French Albums (SNEP)[7] 12
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[8] 20
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[9] 1
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[10] 1
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 3
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] 19
UK Albums (OCC)[13] 1
US Billboard 200[14] 4

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Canada (Music Canada)[15] 2× Platinum 200,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[16] Silver 60,000
United States (RIAA)[17] Platinum 1,000,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ http://www.bpi.co.uk/certified-awards.aspx
  2. ↑ Allmusic review
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Bonnie Tyler – Faster Than the Speed of Night" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  7. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Bonnie Tyler – Faster Than the Speed of Night". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Bonnie Tyler – Faster Than the Speed of Night". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Bonnie Tyler – Faster Than the Speed of Night". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Bonnie Tyler – Faster Than the Speed of Night". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  11. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Bonnie Tyler – Faster Than the Speed of Night". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Bonnie Tyler – Faster Than the Speed of Night". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "Bonnie Tyler | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  14. ↑ "Bonnie Tyler – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Bonnie Tyler. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter Faster Than the Speed of Night in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Preceded by UK Albums Chart number one album
16 April 1983 – 22 April 1983		 Succeeded by
Let's Dance by David Bowie
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