"More Than a Lover" is a song recorded by Welsh singer

Bonnie Tyler Gaynor Sullivan (née Hopkins; born 8 June 1951), known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, is a Welsh singer who is known for her distinctive husky voice. Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album '' The World Starts Tonight'' a ...

from her debut studio album ''

The World Starts Tonight ''The World Starts Tonight'' is the debut studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, released in February 1977 by RCA Records. Most of the songs were written by Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe, who worked as her managers while she was signed to RCA. ...

'' (1977). It was released by

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

in January 1977, shortly before the release of the album, and was written by her at-the-time producers

Ronnie Scott Ronnie may refer to: *Ronnie (name), a unisex pet name and given name * "Ronnie" (Four Seasons song), a song by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe *"Ronnie," a song from the Metallica album '' Load'' *Ronnie Brunswijkstadion, an association football stadium ...

and Steve Wolfe. The song was Tyler's third single in her career and second charting single, following "

Lost in France "Lost in France" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released as a single in September 1976 by RCA Records, written by her producers and songwriters Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe. "Lost in France" was Tyler's second single and ...

" (1976). Its highest chart placing was number 7 in South Africa, and it also made the UK Top 30. Music critics praised Tyler for recording a song that could be seen as controversial.

Background and release

Tyler's previous hit single "Lost in France" became a European hit single, and was due to be released in the United States when "More Than a Lover" was due for a European release. In December 1976, Tyler informed ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the ''NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in ''Re ...

'' that her follow-up single to "Lost in France" would be "much more gutsy".Hendriks, Phil (2009). "The World Starts Tonight". In ''The World Starts Tonight'' (pp. 2–4) D booklet London: Cherry Red Records. ''The World Starts Tonight'' was aimed at a February/March release in 1977, and "More Than a Lover" was released one month ahead of the album.

Critical reception

''Record Mirror'' described the song as "more meaty" than "Lost in France", but didn't think the song was as commercial as its predecessor. Similarly, ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' described the song as the "next most commercial song to "

"."

Live performances

Tyler performed "More Than a Lover" live on ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

'' on 31 March 1977.

Chart performance

The song progressed slowly in the charts; it was released in January 1977, but it took until March for the single to reach the UK Top 50. Further success was hampered when the BBC banned the song from being played on any associated music programs due to a BBC producer's view that the song contained

sexual innuendos An innuendo is a hint, insinuation or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusion ...

. Its highest UK chart placing was number 27, though it was a top 10 in South Africa.

Charts

Track listings

;7" single #"More Than a Lover" – 4:25 #"Love Tangle" – 3:15

References

{{authority control 1977 songs Bonnie Tyler songs Songs written by Ronnie Scott (songwriter) Songs written by Steve Wolfe