Holding Out For A Hero: The Very Best Of

This is a double disc German compilation from Columbia in 2001, consisting of material from Bonnie Tyler's CBS days (post the earliest hits 'Lost In France' and 'It's A Heartache'), a period which spanned from 1983-1988.The record company missed a trick with this release, as it could have very easily been a definitive collection of this important period in Bonnie's history, had they decided to include the full-length version of 'Faster Than the Speed of Night', all of her single's B sides and the ten album tracks omitted from this collection. They could definitely have fitted all of that material across the two CDs on 'Holding Out For A Hero'.However, this isn't, by any means a bad set, and it does include tracks from all three of Bonnie's CBS studio albums. The glorious, full-length 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart' is here, as well as the other big hit, 'Holding Out For A Hero', the top 5 duet with Shaken Stevens on 'A Rockin' Good Way', and all the minor hits like 'Faster Than The Speed Of Night', and her cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's 'Have You Ever Seen The Rain'. All of these tracks, as well as the other notable inclusions like 'Straight From the Heart', which Bryan Adams wrote especially for her, and the original version of 'The Best', which Tina Turner would turn into a worldwide hit a few years after Bonnie recorded it, appear on countless other CDs, so this is not a reason to buy this particular compilation.The reason to do so is that it is the only anthology that I know of that includes four brilliant B sides that Bonnie co-wrote herself. These tracks are real, overlooked gems, there's the wonderful, hard rocking tracks: 'The Fire Below', 'I Do It For You', 'I'm Not Foolin', and 'It's Not Enough', the latter of which is a lovely ballad.If you are a big Bonnie Tyler fan (of which I count myself as one) then you need this compilation for these four rare songs alone. If you're looking for a respective of Bonnie's eighties period, where she was produced by the great Jim Steinman for the most part, then you could do a whole lot worse than 'Holding Out for A Hero'. The packaging is basic, with no liner notes, but the music makes up for this.

I bought this solely for "Total Eclipse of the Heart" This fantastic, dramatic power ballad is always worth a listen, and another listen..... I am however puzzled by a previous reviewer who claimed that the version on this collection is the short one. I don't think so! Most compilations do have the shorter one, which runs at 4.30 (so longer than many records, but still...) whereas this includes the 6.57 version, surely the "long one." If there is an even longer track I have yet to come across it. I haven't played most of the other tracks so I can't really comment, but it is hard to think that any of her work would surpass "Eclipse".Anyone agree that Florence Welch should have a crack at it? Now there would be a record worth buying!

I bought this at 2am on the sofa drinking vodka, while listening to Whitney Houston. I do not regret it, its a great purchase.

good songs on this cdhappy with it for the price & easy listening very soothing to listen tothankyoub m wood

Enjoyed it immensely

very good

Only two hits on it

good