"Left in the Dark"
Song by Jim Steinman
from the album Bad for Good
ReleasedApril 1981
RecordedAugust 1980 – March 1981
GenreWagnerian rock
Length7:58
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Jim Steinman
Producer(s)John Jansen, Todd Rundgren, Jim Steinman, Jimmy Iovine
"Left in the Dark"
Single by Barbra Streisand
from the album Emotion
B-side"Here We Are at Last"
ReleasedSeptember 1984
GenrePop
Length7:12 (album version)
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Jim Steinman
Producer(s)Jim Steinman
Barbra Streisand singles chronology
"Papa, Can You Hear Me?"
(1984) 		"Left in the Dark"
(1984) 		"Make No Mistake, He's Mine"
(1984)

"Left in the Dark" is a song by Jim Steinman from his only solo album Bad for Good.

The song gained more notice performed by Barbra Streisand when it was released as the lead single from her album Emotion in autumn 1984. It was also recorded by Meat Loaf on the album Welcome to the Neighbourhood in 1995.

Barbra Streisand version

Streisand's rendition of the song is a power ballad which tells about experiences of a woman who finds out her partner has been cheating on her. "Left in the Dark" met with moderate commercial success internationally. The percussive synth sound in the intro is taken from Billy Squier's song "All Night Long", a track which was also produced by Steinman in 1984.

Music video

The music video for the song was Barbra's first video intended for MTV. Filmed within three days in Los Angeles in September 1984, it was directed by Jonathan Kaplan and included an appearance from Kris Kristofferson. The six-minute video portrays Barbra as a lounge singer entangled in a love triangle, with Kristofferson playing her partner.[1]

Track listings

A1. "Intro" – 0:44
A2. "Left in the Dark" – 6:12
B. "Here We Are at Last" – 3:18
A. "Left in the Dark" (without spoken intro) – 4:58
B. "Left in the Dark" (with spoken intro) – 5:42

Chart performance

Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 27
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 27
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 87
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7] 20
UK Singles (OCC)[8] 85
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 50
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[10] 37

References

  1. ^ "Left in the Dark 1984 Music Video". barbra-archives.com. Archived from the original on 2013-09-21. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  2. ^ "Barbra Streisand - Left In The Dark (Vinyl) at Discogs". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  3. ^ "Barbra Streisand - Left In The Dark (Vinyl) at Discogs". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  4. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. ^ "Discografie Barbra Streisand" (in Dutch). www.ultratop.be. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  6. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - November 3, 1984" (PDF).
  7. ^ "Discografie Barbra Streisand" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  8. ^ "Song artist 211 - Barbra Streisand". tsort.info. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  9. ^ "Barbra Streisand Awards". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  10. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles - Week Ending November 3, 1984". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
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