Bonnie Tyler Album: “Secret Dreams & Forbidden Fire”

This album was the follow-up to "Faster than the Speed of Night," the album that featured 'Total Eclipse of the Heart.' It contains no hits except for 'Holding out for a Hero' which is also available on the "Footloose" soundtrack, and it peaked at 106 on Billboard's Top 200, but it contains Jim Steinman's best writing and Bonnie Tyler's best recordings. Absolutely anyone who enjoyed "Bat Out of Hell" or "Bat Out of Hell II" should purchase this album. 'Ravishing' has all the great kick-off, epic rock power of the title track to "Bat Out of Hell." "Loving You's A Dirty Job, But Somebody's Gotta Do It" with Todd Rundgren is the earlier, female dominated version of "I'd Do Anything For Love, But I Won't Do That." "Holding Out For a Hero" is of course the song about pining away for the knight on a white charger, but "Rebel Without a Clue" is positively the best song here. Clocking in at 8:35, it is the titanic power-ballad about a prostitute turned vampire and her eternal lover. The two Desmond Child tracks are also fantastically perfomed and produced. "No Way to Treat a Lady," written by Bryan Adams, is a rather up beat point amid all this gloom and despair while "Band of Gold" remains sad but actually rocks. "Before This Night is Through" does not appear to be on this disc anymore. Columbia Records had put this album out of print for a few years, and now this track seems to have been deleted. A pity, but luckily the Steinman is still here. For four years, I've owned this album, and it is still my favorite. For every lover of epic rock or the power ballad, it is a must own.

when i heard Loving you is a dirty job.. and no way to treat a lady on a cheapo compilation i would wanted to find the original album these songs were on and after a while a found "secret dreams" and it was and is is a powerfull great album with excellent songs on it this second "Steinman" Produced album is just as good as the first one maybe even better "ravishing is a strange but fascinating opener "No way to treat a lady" a fine Bryan adams tune as with "straight from the heart" From That other album the song never bores "Rebel without a clue an epic Rocksong from 8 minutes and of course the powerfull and tearfull duet with todd rundgrenn "loving you is a dirty Job" together with "total eclipse" and "making love out" it's the best bonnie song of all time it's about a relationship that doesn't work Bonnie here sounds Desperate, Angry and sad she is one of those few singers that really give emotion to a song this is a perfect rock album you be listen to for a very long time.And as for Bonnie Herself: it's a pity and totall shame Radiostations Recordcompanies and CD stores are just ignoring one of the most remarkble and Passionate female singer off all time

I first had the cassette when it was released in the early eighties. It almost never left the deck. I was more than ecstatic to discover that Amazon actually had the CD in stock.

This is Bonnie Tyler's best compilation of songs to date. I cannot imagine this record without one single song of the eight songs included here. The music, the lyrics and that husky singing voice are what make this such a perfect CD. One would have liked to have Total Eclipse Of The Heart included as well though.

I totally agree that it's a 'Secret' because not many people know about it.

I love this cd,its by far better than Faster Than the Speed of Night.But i think Bonnie's best cd is Notes From America.Most of these song seem to go on forever.Thats a bad thing, songs like Lovers again are better short.What was the point of putting extra music on the end of lovers again,and Rebel without a Clue.It becomes annoying after awhile.If they would have cut some of the filler they would have been able to stick Under Suspicion on the album.It only appears on the cassette.

Bonnie tyler at her BEST & the writer Jim Steinman Words that hit the Heart