Sparks on the Edge

     One of my most favorite songs from the 80s is Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart".  The music is quite moving, and featured soloist Rory Dodd's "turn around, bright eyes" conveys a sense of longing.  It's no wonder the song was a big hit.  The video was weird, however--not a fan.

    Of course, there are some lyric questions I have--I always do.

    First, I was not sure if I had misunderheard the lyrics.  I was certain the line was "Together we can take it to the edge of the night. . ."  Makes perfect sense.  It's a song about longing and darkness.  Eclipses make day seem like night for a moment--they are on the edge.  There was also a soap opera called The Edge of Night, so there's that.

    Turns out, I was wrong (no surprise).  The actual line is "Together we can take it to the end of the line."  Well.  Obviously, line rhymes with time better than night and time, but I still like the whole "edge of the night" idea.

    The second lyrics question I had was more of a "how's that again?"  The questionable line comes two lines after the previous lyric--so let be back up to there.

    "Together we can take it to the end of the line/ Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time/I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark/ Livin' ina sima gonna givne a spark."

    Huh? Whatever Tyler sings must be important based on the passionate manner in which she sings it, but what is it?

    Apparently, the actual wording is "We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks."  Okay.  That makes a little more sense.  Sparks and powder kegs, of course, are dangerous together; obviously the point is that this romance is the same.  Of course sparks and explosions seem rather opposite of the darkness pervading the song, but then again, I have never personally written a hit song, so who am I to correct the lyricist?

    All in all, this song has stood the test of time; it is still a highly popular 80s song.  So now we are at the end of the line--or the edge of night.  Whatever.