Bonnie Tyler - Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire (1986)

Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire is the sixth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, released in April 1986 by CBS/Columbia Records as the follow-up to her fifth studio album, Faster Than the Speed of Night (1983). 

Three years in the making, Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire was executive-produced by Jim Steinman, who had produced Tyler's previous album. 

Seven singles were released from the album, with "Holding Out for a Hero" originally being released two years in advance on the movie soundtrack album Footloose. Tyler's album features collaborations with songwriters and guest artists including Desmond Child and Todd Rundgren. 

Not totally unique, Secret Dreams & Forbidden Fire nevertheless depicts a cool portrait of '80s pomposity. Producer/director Jim Steinman always kicks his records off in style, and the breathtaking, go-for-Baroque "Ravishing" is no exception. 

Building to "Livin' la Vida Loca," Desmond Child's songwriting ascent continues with "If You Were a Woman," which morphed into "You Give Love a Bad Name" for a certain Bon Jovi big shot. 

No having a cranium-blasting "Faster Than the Speed of Night" or chart-busting "Total Eclipse of the Heart" immediately makes Secret Dreams & Forbidden Fire substandard to the 1983 Steinman/Tyler collaboration. This power-keg feels a bit sleeker and more streamlined: a fighter plane instead of a luxury jumbo. 

The ubiquitous Footloose soundtrack showcased colossal closer "Holding Out for a Hero," so even that ditty doesn't prop this platter. 

Todd Rundgren (another member of this bizarre clique) joins his distinctively plain voice to Tyler's for a deranged duet on "Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" (not the Ratt killer). "No Way to Treat a Lady" follows "Straight From the Heart" as an attempted Bryan Adams interpretation. 

Too much ado piled on top of the glittering "Band of Gold" almost breaks the back of a very sturdy song. Naturally the unsubtle Steinman production boasts an excess of everything, but somehow this secret dream needs a bit more fire. Not a bad pickup from the delete bins though.

Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire - Vinyl edition

1.  Ravishing  (Jim Steinman) - 6:20

2.  If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)  (Desmond Child) - 4:46

3 . Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It (with Todd Rundgren)  (Steinman) - 7:28

4.  No Way to Treat a Lady  (Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) - 4:23

5.  Band of Gold  (Edyth Wayne, Ronald Dunbar) - 5:40

6.  Rebel Without a Clue  (Steinman) - 8:30

7.  Lovers Again  (Child) - 4:13

8.  Holding Out for a Hero  (Steinman, Dean Pitchford) - 4:50

Technical and production

Larry Alexander – mixing Nelson Ayres – assistant engineer Roy Bittan – arrangement, associate producer Greg Calbi – mastering Rory Dodd – arrangement, vocal arrangement Neil Dorfsman – mixing Greg Edward – mixing Larry Fast – associate producer, programming Ellen Foley – vocal arrangement John Jansen – associate producer, mastering consultant Don Ketteler – production coordination Tom "Bones" Malone – horn arrangement Sir Arthur Payson – mixing Steve Rinkoff – engineering John Rollo – associate producer, engineering Todd Rundgren – vocal arrangement John Philip Shenale – producer Joe Stefko – drum programming Jim Steinman – arrangement, direction, producer Eric Troyer – vocal arrangement

Instruments

• Roy Bittan – piano, synthesizer
• Jimmy Bralower – drums, percussion
• Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
• Hiram Bullock – guitar
• Steve Buslowe – bass guitar
• Larry Fast – synthesizer
• Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone
• Eddie Martinez – guitar
• Sid McGinnis – guitar
• Lenny Pickett – saxophone
• Jim Pugh – trombone
• Alan Rubin – trumpet
• John Philip Shenale – synthesizer
• Sterling Smith – drums, piano, synthesizer
• Lew Soloff – trumpet
• David Taylor – bass trombone
• Max Weinberg – drums
• Art Wood – drums

Vocals

• Bonnie Tyler – vocal
• Tawatha Agee – background vocal
• Rory Dodd – background vocal
• Curtis King – background vocal
• Cindy Mizelle – background vocal
• Todd Rundgren – featured artist, background vocal
• Holly Sherwood – background vocal
• Eric Troyer – background vocal

Visuals and imagery

• Bob Carlos Clarke – concept, photography
• Rick Haylor – hair stylist
• Roslav Szaybo – designing

Notes

Released:  7 April 1986 

Recorded: 1983–1986 

Genre:  Rock

Length:  46:10 (vinyl)

Producer(s):  Roy Bittan, Larry Fast, John Jansen, John Rollo, Jim Steinman (exec.)

Label - Columbia