| Left in the Dark | |
| Artist: | Jim Steinman |
| Album: | Bad for Good |
| Released: | April 1981 |
| Recorded: | August 1980March 1981 |
| Genre: | Wagnerian rock |
| Length: | 7:58 |
| Label: | Epic |
| Producer: | John Jansen, Todd Rundgren, Jim Steinman, Jimmy Iovine |
| Left in the Dark | |
| Cover: | Barbra Left in the Dark single cover.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Barbra Streisand |
| Album: | Emotion |
| B-Side: | Here We Are at Last |
| Released: | September 1984 |
| Genre: | Pop[1] |
| Length: | 7:12 (album version) |
| Label: | Columbia |
| Producer: | Jim Steinman |
| Prev Title: | Papa, Can You Hear Me? |
| Prev Year: | 1984 |
| Next Title: | Make No Mistake, He's Mine |
| Next Year: | 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.
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.
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.[2]
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 (1984) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 27 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] | 27 | |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] | 87 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] | 20 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[9] | 85 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 50 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[11] | 37 |
In 1995, Swedish singer Cecilia Vennersten released a version of the song translated into Swedish by Nanne Grönvall on her self-titled debut solo album. Meatloaf also covered the song on his 1995 album "Welcome To The Neighborhood". [12]