Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It

"Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler and American singer Todd Rundgren. Written and produced by Jim Steinman, the track was released as the lead single from Tyler's sixth studio album, Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire (1986), in November 1985.

"Loving You's A Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It"
Single by Bonnie Tyler and Todd Rundgren
from the album Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire
B-side	"Under Suspicion" "It's a Jungle Out There"
Released	11 November 1985 (1985-11-11)[1]
Length	7:48 5:40 (7-inch)
Label	CBS
Songwriter(s)	Jim Steinman
Producer(s)	Jim Steinman
Bonnie Tyler singles chronology
"Holding Out for a Hero" (1984) "Loving You's A Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" (1985) "If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)" (1986)
Todd Rundgren singles chronology
"Bang the Drum All Day" (1983) "Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" (1985)
Music video
"Loving You's a Dirty Job (But Somebody's Gotta Do It)" on YouTube

The single artwork featured paintings by the British artist Edward Burne-Jones. 12-inch editions feature the cover painting The Beguiling of Merlin, while 7-inch editions feature Phyllis and Demophoon. Some territories feature a photograph of Tyler.

Music video

The official music video of the song was directed by Tim Pope. Todd Rundgren was unable to appear in the video, and Tyler was frustrated that most directors wanted him to feature as a silhouette. Tyler stated that Pope was the only director who suggested using a stand-in actor. Rundren's lines were subsequently mimed by Welsh actor Hywel Bennett.^[2]

After the single was released, Tyler and Pope appeared on an episode of Saturday Superstore, where they hosted a giveaway for the original canvas painting of Tyler and Hywel Bennett, which features in the music video.^[3]

Credits and personnel

• Roy Bittan – piano, synthesizer
• Jimmy Bralower – drums, percussion
• Steve Buslowe – bass guitar
• Larry Fast – synthesizer
• Eddie Martinez – guitar
• Sid McGinnis – guitar
• Max Weinberg – drums
• Bonnie Tyler – vocal
• Rory Dodd – background vocal
• Todd Rundgren – featured artist, background vocal
• Eric Troyer – background vocal

Track listings

• 7-inch single

1. "Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" (Jim Steinman) — 5:40
2. "Under Suspicion" (B. Tyler, P. Hopkins, P. Oxendale) — 4:24

• 12-inch maxi

1. "Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" (long version) (Jim Steinman) — 7:48
2. "Under Suspicion" (B. Tyler, P. Hopkins, P. Oxendale) — 4:24
3. "It's a Jungle Out There" (Dennis Polen, Paul Pilger, William Moloney) — 3:57

Charts

Chart (1985–1986)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4]	35
European Hot 100 Singles (Music & Media)[5]	96
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[6]	28
France (SNEP)[7]	34
Portugal (AFP)[8]	3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9]	24
UK Singles (OCC)[10]	73
US Cash Box Top 100[11]	82
West Germany (GfK)[12]	41

Meat Loaf version

"Loving You Is a Dirty Job (But Somebody's Gotta Do It)"
Song by Meat Loaf
from the album Braver Than We Are
Released	9 September 2016
Length	6:09
Label	Caroline International S&D 429
Songwriter(s)	Jim Steinman
Producer(s)	Paul Crook

The song was re-recorded by Meat Loaf on his 2016 album Braver Than We Are, as a duet with Stacy Michelle, under the slightly modified title of "Loving You Is a Dirty Job (But Somebody's Gotta Do It)".^[13] This version has the male and female vocals reversed, with the male vocal being the lead. The song was not issued as a single.

References

1. "New Singles". Music Week. 9 November 1985. p. 20.
2. Tyler 2023, p. 129.
3. "Episode 10". Saturday Superstore. Season 4. Episode 10. 30 November 1985. BBC1.
4. "Bonnie Tyler & Todd Rundgren – Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
5. "Eurocharts Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 3, no. 13. 5 April 1986. p. 13. Retrieved 1 October 2019 – via World Radio History.
6. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Bonnie Tyler". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 267. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
7. "Bonnie Tyler & Todd Rundgren – Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
8. "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 16. 26 April 1986. p. 16. Retrieved 17 October 2017 – via World Radio History.
9. "Bonnie Tyler & Todd Rundgren – Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
11. "Cash Box Pop Singles". Retrieved 19 September 2017.
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Bonnie Tyler & Todd Rundgren – Loving You's a Dirty Job but Somebody's Gotta Do It" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
13. "Braver Than We Are". 12 October 2016.

Bibliography

• Tyler, Bonnie (2023). Straight from the Heart. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-1-39972-625-2.