Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Meat LoafBrand: MEAT LOAF
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Original recording remastered
Published: 1977
CD Release Date: 2001-01-30
Music Label: Sony
Product features:
- TESTED
- Bat out of Hell
- You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)
- Heaven Can Wait
- All Revved Up With No Place to Go
- Two Out of Three Ain't Bad
- Paradise by the Dashboard Light
- For Crying out Loud
- Great Boleros of Fire [Live][#]
- Bat out of Hell [Live][#]
Free Music Notes for Bat Out of Hell
Free Music Review: The Story of Jim, Todd, and Meat
Hit: 5 Stars
In 1977, I remember seeing an album called "Bat Out of Hell" by an artist named Meat Loaf. My first reaction would be Meat Loaf??? I As I got older, I soon realized that this would soon become one of the legendary albums of all-time.
The reason why "Bat Out of Hell" is such a great album is because it really is a triple-headed monster - Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf, and Todd Rundgren. Many people know that the songs on "Bat Out of Hell" were written by Jim Steinman. For all practical purposes, "Bat Out of Hell" marked the breakthrough album for Steinman. It was Steinman's innovative songwriting that many people think give "Bat Out of Hell" its edge. For the most part, Steinman assembles a product that is for all practical purposes a Rock Opera (this is now called Wagnerian Rock). The concept seems to revolve around the thoughts of an a teenage/young adult male. "Bat Out of Hell"'s signature song "Paradise By the Dashboard Light" really epitomizes the Rock Opera theme - especially during the part when "Boy" and "Girl" trade vocals in a musical dialogue which is considered to be true songwriting genius.
Steinman recognized he couldn't do it alone. While Steinman would provide the innovative songwriting, he needed a vocalist to pull this off. And he would need a special vocalist to do this. Steinman would find that special vocalist in Marvin Lee Aday - most commonly know as Meat Loaf. When I look at pure vocalists today, I have to put Meat Loaf at the top of that list. Not only does he have powerful vocals, but he delivers a passion that really makes his singing special. This might come from some of Meat's theatrical experience (i.e. "Rocky Horror Picture Show"). It is this passion that really makes carrying out the music that Steinman wrote work so perfectly. By his own admission, Meat is not a songwriter. Steinman and Meat would realize early on that they had a special combination when they started working together. Meat isn't just a hired hand in this case. While Steinman may be the author of the songs, Meat had significant input into the concepts of this album - and no doubt Steinman was able to translate this input into lyrics.
The third part of the Triple Headed Monster is Todd Rundgren. Rumor is that when Meat and Steinman were in the process of trying to get record company to take the concept of their album, they had much difficulty. Word is that guitarist Todd Rundgren heard it and decided to take the role as producer. Todd Rundgren is truly one of the most underrated names in the music industry. It was his leadership that really helped put Steinman and Meat's concept into reality. One way that Rundgren succeeded in doing this was by bringing him some top musicians to work along side the team. While Steinman would work keyboards and Rundgren would provide guitar work, Rundgren clearly recognized that a lot more was needed. Two big names that were brought to work in to work as studio musicians came from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band - pianist Roy Bittan and Drummer Max Weinberg. Bittan contributes his work to all seven of the tracks on this collection. Weinberg plays Drums on three tracks. These top-notch musicians help to carry out some of the most terrific music on this Rock Opera. I'm sure it was Rundgren who would recognize what a special voice he had in Ellen Foley - who would become most famous for singing the part of "Girl" on "Paradise By the Dashboard Light".
With five of the seven tracks over 5 minutes long and three of these tracks over 8 minutes long, this wasn't an album that was going to be heard a lot on Top 40 radio. However, it would be the Album-Oriented Rock Circuit and in general "word of mouth" that would garner this album popularity and help turn it into one of the greatest selling albums of all-time.
A Brief Synopsis of the songs:
"Bat Out of Hell": Longest track of the album. Terrific mix of keyboards and guitar. The song reminds me of something The Who would do (who embraced the Rock Opera style). You can also hear the trademark Roy Bittan sound. Meat actually doesn't start singing until about 2 minutes into the song. Meat delivers the vocals in a theatrical style and giving the song an added dimension.
"You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Nights)": The spoken dialogue at the beginning gives this song a Rock Opera feel. The song breaks into a trademark Roy Bittan led Piano melody. Meat's vocals once again come through with passion. Terrific background vocals that feature Foley and Rundgren help out.
"Heaven Can Wait": This is a softer ballad that often gets overlooked. Meat proves he can do the softer stuff as well as the harder stuff.
"All Revved Up With No Place To Go": This song brings in the use of a saxophone. Steinman and Rundgren do a great job at letting the saxophone be the "driving instrument". Rundgren's guitar combined and Bittan's piano are on form. Ellen Foley also provides background vocals.
"Two Out of Three Ain't Bad": A short enough song that it got mainstream airplay. Meat's vocals are the story here - a simply legendary song.
"Paradise By the Dashboard Light": As mentioned the album's signature song - and probably Meat's signature song. This song is almost a Rock Opera in itself - especially Meat and Foley's musical dialog at the end.
"For Crying Out Loud": Another underrated track. This song has that bombastic "Rock Opera Finale" type of quality to it that make it the perfect wrap-up song.
Overall, this is truly one of the great albums of all-time. Meat Loaf and Steinman always prove they are at their best when they work together. This album proves it - a must have.
Bat Out of Hell Poster
CDOverwrought and undeniable, Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell remains both one of rock's biggest--and least likely--hit albums. The byproduct of a partnership between beefy singer Marvin Lee "Meat Loaf" Aday and fellow journeyman/National Lampoon Road Show cast member Jim Steinman, Bat out of Hell met 1977's vaunted Year of Punk with a blast of neo-operatic, Wagnerian-scaled bombast (based on Peter Pan, no less) that was as reactionary as anything the spiked set and their supporters could possibly imagine--13 million units worth, and counting. Bat seems to have thrived on the same formula that's made Andrew Lloyd Webber a multimillionaire knight: if you do kitsch, do it big. And what could be more kitschy and emblematic of the '70s than the ubiquitous "classic rock" (an overused adjective that applies all too well here) of "Two out of Three Ain't Bad" or the breathless nookie-quest, "Paradise by the Dashboard Light," replete with Phil Rizzuto calling the play-by-play? This digitally remastered edition also includes '78-vintage bonus live cuts of "Bolero" (the live show's equally over-the-top opener) and "Bat out of Hell" that showcase the production's energetic, perfectionist bent. The sonic upgrading here also underscores the oft-overlooked efforts of producer Todd Rundgren. --Jerry McCulley
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