The original Bonnie Tyler version of the song was featured on the album called Notes From America in the United States, Canada and Brazil and entitled Hide Your Heart throughout the rest of the world. The song was produced by its co-writer, Desmond Child, who was enjoying chart success in the US with singles by Bon Jovi including "Livin' on a Prayer". The single, released in 1988, did not approach the success of previous releases like "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Holding Out for a Hero", and charted only on airplay charts in Europe. A version called The London Mix was mixed by Desmond Child.
In 1989, American singer Robin Beck included her version on her second album, Trouble Or Nothin' (1989). As with Bonnie Tyler's original recording, the Beck version was produced by the song's co-writer, Desmond Child. Beck's version featured KISS' Paul Stanley on background vocals. Beck's single was the follow-up single to her European #1 breakout hit "First Time". While not the smash of that song, "Save Up All Your Tears" was a significant hit for Beck in West Germany and Switzerland, where it went to #10 and #5 respectively, and was also a success in Sweden and Austria. A video was made for the single (which features UFO guitarist Laurence Archer) although it received some video airplay on MTV and radio airplay in the US (whilst also making it on a top 40 station in St. Louis)[1] and UK, it failed to garner any national success in the United States to chart on any Billboard charts and was only a minor hit in the United Kingdom.
In 1991, American singer and actress Cher released a cover of the song as the second US and third European single from her 20th album, Love Hurts (1991). While Beck was the only artist to take the song top ten, Cher's version of the song did the best in the US and the UK, cracking the top 40 to peak at #37 in both markets.
A 30 second sample of "Save Up All Your Tears", a pop rock song with influences of rock subgenres that lyrically, revolves around a theme of empowerment.
Joseph McCombs from AllMusic highlighted the song and called it "pleasantly melodic."[8]Larry Flick from Billboard commented, "Rousing, guitar-driven pop/rocker should have ushered in media icon's current Love Hurts opus. Song's unshakable hook and Cher's aggressive vocal are a perfect top 40 radio marriage. Sounds like a well-deserved smash."[9] A reviewer from Cashbox wrote, "The ever-cosmetically changing Cher, belts out this single of her confidence in an ex-lover's fate of crying over dumping her. It wouldn't be surprising if he just didn't recognize her. With her hair now red, and freshly inflated lips, if it hadn't been for the tattoos and her name on the single, I wouldn't have recognized her either. The voice though, is easily recognizable, vintage Cher all the way."[10]
Promotion and performances
Cher performed the song live in Dame Edna's TV Show and in David Letterman's Late Night Show. During Cher's ABC Coca-Cola Concert Special, as a part of the promotional campaign for her album, she also performed the song live—even though she actually lip-synched. This special was taped in a studio; Cher lip-synched to four songs of her latest album and had her band play along.
Music video
Cher's music video for "Save Up All Your Tears" was rather racy, but not as racy as its predecessor "If I Could Turn Back Time". In the video Cher sports three different wigs as well as three different outfits. She first wears a light pink lingerie nighty and a large red curly wig and next another skimpy black lingerie outfit with a dark brown curly wig. The final outfit she wears was one of her most extravagant to date, a dominatrix-themed black leather and chain top, with fishnet stockings and leather nets for sleeves, accompanied by Cher's signature long straight black hair. Twice during the video she turns around to display that she is wearing a thong which reveals a rather large tattoo across her backside. A photograph of this outfit taken by Herb Ritts would be used for the poster for her Love Hurts Tour. Under the banner of "Cher's Back!" with this buttock-revealing poster Cher performed several dates in Europe during her Love Hurts Tour. Later she also performs the song during the rehearsal for her Farewell Tour, this performance is available only as a Bonus Material in the DVD of the show.
