“Total Eclipse Of The Heart” has a surprisingly elaborate musical anatomy

By Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya | March 4, 2015 | 9:29pm

Aux Features Music

“Total Eclipse Of The Heart” has a surprisingly elaborate musical anatomy

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If you go out for a night of karaoke, chances are pretty good you’ll hear someone belting out “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” at some point in the evening. Originally written by Jim Steinman for Meat Loaf and then later popularized by Bonnie Tyler’s chart-topping recording, “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” is one of the best-selling singles of all time. And now, singer-songwriter Aaron Wilde has taken to YouTube for an in-depth look at what makes this song so great.

In his 30-minute analysis of the hit song, Wilde talks through the musical structure of Steinman’s composition. “Everything in this song has a reason,” Wilde explains, giving context for the various components that make the song so identifiable, like its use of a sparse version of the B-flat minor chord. (Music theory nerds, this one is for you). No note or choice goes unexamined by Wilde, who hopes his video will help musicians with their own songwriting process. If nothing else, you’ll at least be able to impress your friends at the karaoke bar with a whole lot of specific knowledge after watching this.