Bonnie Tyler is the raspy-throated songstress from Wales who rose to fame in the late 70s and early 80s. She first scored on the US charts in 1978 when "It's A Heartache" soared to #3. She didn't see chart success again until she started to team up with epic songwriter Jim Steinman, known for his over-the-top songs that last 3-4 minutes longer than they should. But she struck gold with his "Total Eclipse Of The Heart," which spent four weeks at #1. Tyler couldn't ride this wave to sustain her chart career in the US, with her final foray into the Top 40 being "Holding Out For A Hero" (another Steinman tune) from the Footloose soundtrack. That song made it to #34 in 1984. While Steinman helped with her follow-up LP in 1986, "Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fire," the lead single, "If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man)," stalled at #77 and became her final chart appearance in the US. If you can look past the kiddy choir introduction, "Going Through The Motions" is a fun pop song typical of the times. It comes from her smash 1983 record, "Faster Than The Speed Of Night."
Robert John "Mutt" Lange was behind some of the biggest releases of the 80s and 90s, including legendary albums from Def Leppard, Shania Twain, and Bryan Adams. He was also at the helm of Romeo's Daughter, a rock trio from England fronted by the vocal powerhouse of Leigh Matty. But somehow, even the magic of Lange's production with help from AOR hitmaker John Parr couldn't make this deserving band a household name. Romeo's Daughter did manage to score one minor chart hit in the US with "Don't Break My Heart," which reached #73 in 1988. While future hits eluded them, several of their songs were made into hits or popular album cuts by others, including Heart, Bonnie Tyler, and Eddie Money. After a 1993 sophomore effort, the band appeared to be done. After a near 20 year absence, Romeo's Daughter returned to release a pair of excellent studio albums: 2012's "Rapture" and 2015's "Spin," from which "Already Gone" can be found (not an Eagles cover). Let's hope they're not done yet.
Juice Newton (Judith Kay Cohen) started singing country and folk music as a teenager, and by 1974 had a backing band known as the Silver Spur. She went solo in 1978 and scored her first chart hit with "It's A Heartache." Juice's version only reached #86, overshadowed by Bonnie Tyler, who took it to #3 that same year. No worries, as superstardom was just around the corner for Juice. In 1981, she scored four consecutive top 10 hits (almost five - "Break It To Me Gently" just missed, coming in at #11). Among her best remembered hits are "Angel Of The Morning" and "Queen Of Hearts," which peaked at #4 and #2, respectively. By 1984, people were losing their taste for Juice, and a great song like "A Little Love" couldn't muster enough interest to get past #44 on the chart.
Cher has had a remarkable career, scoring top 10 hits across four decades from the 1960-1990s. Her first goes all the way back to 1966, when "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" hit #2. Her first chart-topper arrived in 1971 with "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves". She would top the charts twice more in the 70s with "Half-Breed" and "Dark Lady", and one more time in the 90s with the huge comeback hit "Believe". Cher was mostly on hiatus in the 80s, flexing her acting muscles in the movies. But she came back (Cher could be considered the comeback queen) in a big way in the late 80s. While she didn't top the chart in that decade, she racked up several more top 10 hits with "I Found Someone" and "After All" (a duet with former Chicago singer, Peter Cetera) in 1987 and 1989, respectively. Her newfound brand of melodic rock fit in well until grunge arrived. She produced a trio of albums of this variety, which all did very well. The final one, "Love Hurts", suggested the formula was wearing thin, however, only getting to #48 on the album chart and failing to generate a monster hit. The first single, "Love and Understanding", was tepid but managed to get to #17. The more upbeat and energetic song everyone was probably expecting to come first was released second. "Save Up All Your Tears" just barely cracked the top 40, settling at #37 in 1991. Written by Desmond Child and Diane Warren, this tune is a terrific slab of pop rock and deserved much better. Bonnie Tyler and Robin Beck also took a swing at this tune but did no better. The "Love Hurts" album contains other covers as well, including the title track and a most intriguing choice: "A World Without Heroes" by Kiss. Cher went on to duet with Beavis and Butt-head for a rendition of "I Got You Babe", after which she understandably went into hiding until 1998's "Believe" reminded the world who's boss.
