"Lost in France" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released as a single in September 1976 by RCA Records, written by her producers and songwriters Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe. "Lost in France" was Tyler's second single and first chart hit in her career, which featured on her debut album The World Starts Tonight. The lyrics depict Tyler in a daze due to love. The song was praised by critics, though some preferred her follow-up single "More Than a Lover" for its controversial nature. "Lost in France" was a commercial success, certified Silver by the BPI for selling over 250,000 units. It peaked highest at number two in South Africa, and was also a Top 20 hit in a further six countries.
Background
Bonnie Tyler was spotted by talent scoutRoger Bell in The Townsman Club, Swansea, singing the Ike & Tina Turner song "Nutbush City Limits" with her band Imagination in 1975. She was invited to London to record some demo tracks. After months had passed, Tyler received a phone call from RCA Records, offering her a recording contract. "My! My! Honeycomb" was to become her first single, released in April 1976. The song failed to chart, only receiving local airplay in Wales. In response to this, RCA increased their promotional efforts for the release of "Lost in France", arranging for Tyler to fly to a château in France to meet with a large number of journalists. Soon after the song's release, Tyler underwent an operation to remove nodules from her vocal cords. She failed to follow the six-week rest period instructed by her doctor and was left with a permanent, distinct raspy quality.
Recording
Tyler recorded four demos in London in 1975. "My! My! Honeycomb" was released as her first single with "Got So Used to Loving You" as its B-side, and "Lost in France" was released with "Baby I Remember You" as its B-side. David Mackay, Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe produced the songs. "Got So Used to Loving You" and "Lost in France" were later chosen to appear on her debut album The World Starts Tonight, which was released in February 1977.
On the week ending 30 October 1976, "Lost in France" entered the UK Singles Chart weeks after its initial release. Two weeks later, the song reached the Top 40, reaching number twenty-two. "Lost in France" continued to rise until it reached number nine on 27 November, maintaining the position for two weeks. The single gradually dropped following its peak, spending a total of ten weeks on the UK Singles Chart. The single was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for shipments exceeding 250,000 copies.
Critical reception
The Sydney Morning Herald described the song as the "stand-out track" from The World Starts Tonight, naming it the "most commercial." Record Mirror favoured the follow-up single "More Than a Lover", though agreed "Lost in France" was the more commercial of the two.
Live performances
Tyler's first television promotion for "Lost in France" took place on Top of the Pops on 4 November 1976. Tyler performed "Lost in France" live in Zaragosa, Spain, in 2005. The performance was recorded and released on Tyler's album Bonnie Tyler Live and the accompanying DVD Bonnie on Tour.
