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It's a Heartache
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Wikipedia article
"'It's a Heartache'" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. Written by Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe, and co-produced with David Mackay, the single was released in November 1977 through RCA Records. The song topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and numerous European countries, and reached no. 3 in the US and no. 4 in the UK. Worldwide, "It's a Heartache" sold around six million copies.
In the United States, Tyler's version was released in 1978 around the same time as recordings by Juice Newton and Ronnie Spector.
Background
"It's a Heartache" was recorded at The Factory Sound in Surrey, England in 1977. Producer David Mackay finished the construction of his recording studio in the summer of 1977, and "It's a Heartache" was cut during the very first session.
"It's a Heartache" was one of the first recordings Tyler made following a surgical procedure to remove nodules from her vocal folds. The procedure left Tyler with an "unusually husky voice", which 'AllMusic' journalist Marcy Donelson described as "an effective instrument".
Release
Producer David Mackay recalled that RCA was reluctant to release the single. The label was preoccupied with reissuing Elvis Presley's back catalogue following his recent death. Mackay, Scott and Wolfe threatened to terminate their contract with RCA if they did not release the track immediately. "It's a Heartache" was released on 4 November 1977 in parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom, and March 1978 in the United States and Canada.
Critical reception
The release of "It's a Heartache" had music critics comparing Tyler's voice to Rod Stewart's who would eventually cover the song. Carol Wetzel from 'Spokane Daily Chronicle' complimented Tyler's voice on "It's a Heartache", stating that her previous big hit, "Lost in France", is "no big deal, probably because it was made before her voice changed."
Other versions
In 1978, Juice Newton released a cover of the song through Capitol Records, produced by John Palladino. Newton's version reached No. 86 on the US 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart and No. 91 on the Canadian 'RPM' 50 Singles Chart. In the same year, Ronnie Spector released the track as a single through Alston Records. Tyler, Newton and Spector's versions were all released in the same week in the United States, with 'Billboard' listing each version as "recommended" tracks.
Lorrie Morgan recorded a version of the song which appears on her 1992 album 'Watch Me'.
Dave & Sugar's 1981 cover of "It's a Heartache" reached No. 32 on the 'Billboard' Country Singles Chart. Trick Pony released a cover of the song in 2005, peaking at No. 22 on the same chart.
In 2004, Tyler released a bilingual version of the song with French singer Kareen Antonn. Renamed "Si tout s'arrte", the single reached No. 7 on the Belgian Flanders chart, No. 12 in France and No. 25 in Switzerland. In the following year, Tyler released a solo version of the song, sung entirely in English, on her album 'Wings'.
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Sales and certifications
References
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