Heart Strings (Bonnie Tyler album)

EMI proposed a one-off deal to record an album of cover songs with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Tyler's live band, which included John Young, Alan Darby, Matt Prior, Thomas Lang, John Tonks and Ed Poole. Tyler picked out thirteen tracks to record, most of which were originally performed by male artists. Tyler thought about recording songs by some of her favourite female artists, including Janis Joplin and Tina Turner, but felt that she would not be able to improve on their interpretations.[1]

The album booklet includes a credit to Arthur Fufkin, a reference to the fictional character Artie Fufkin from the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.

The album was recorded between June and September 2002. Tyler began by recording guide vocals accompanied by an acoustic guitar.[2] The orchestra was recorded over one week at the Barrandov Studios and Smecky Music Studios in Prague, Czech Republic. Tyler then returned to the UK to record additional vocals with her band at Ridge Farm, the Engine Room, Startrack Studios and Darby Studios.[3] Part-way through the recording process, the original producer left the project and Tyler's manager David Aspden and guitarist Matt Prior then stepped in.[4]

Heart Strings is an album of covers combining orchestral and rock instruments. The album also features gospel and blues influences on tracks like "Lean on Me" and "Need Your Love So Bad".[5]

A promotional photo and video shoot was taken at the Thingbæk Kalkminer, an old limestone mine turned museum near Skørping, Denmark.[6] Tyler embarked on a 9-date tour of Germany to promote the album between April and May 2003. In June 2003, Tyler performed a headline set at Donauinselfest in Vienna, Austria. Tyler promoted the album on various European TV networks including ARD, ZDF, Sat.1, RTL, TF1 and TV4.

"Amazed" was released as the album's only single in 2002.[7] "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" and "Learning to Fly" were released as promotional singles in 2002 and 2003 respectively.[8][9]

The album was first released in Scandinavia under the title Heart and Soul - 13 Rock Classics on 28 October 2002 by the Danish label CMC.[10] The album received a wider release under the title Heart Strings on 18 March 2003.

• Bonnie Tyler – vocals, violin
• David Aspden – keyboards
• Matt Prior – keyboards, guitars, acoustic guitar
• Alan Darby – guitars, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, dobro, arrangements (4)
• Ed Poole – electric bass, fretless bass
• Paul Turner – electric bass
• Thomas Lang – drums
• John Tonks – drums
• Thomas Dyani – percussion
• James McNally – bodhrán, low whistle
• City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra – orchestra
• Nick Ingman – arrangements (1, 3, 7, 8, 9)
• Karl Jenkins – arrangements (2, 5, 6, 12, 13), conductor, score (11)
• John Young – arrangements (4, 11)
• Gerald McBurney – arrangements (10)
• Sam Brown – backing vocals
• Margot Buchanan – backing vocals
• Rita Campbell – backing vocals
• Claudia Fontaine – backing vocals
• Aitch McRobbie – backing vocals