Meat Loaf...

I found two sources, Meat Loaf at www.biography.com and The Internet Movie Database - Meat Loaf to be very helpful. Please click on these hyperlinks to see two very well written articles about Meat Loaf. I used portions of their articles, and added to them, to create this tribute…

Singer, songwriter, and actor, Michael Lee Aday, better known as Meat Loaf, was born on September 27th (some sources say 1947, others 1951) in Dallas, Texas. One of the top selling solo artists in the history of rock music, Meat Loaf achieved his greatest success to date with the 1977 album, Bat Out of Hell, the third highest selling album of all time, with an estimated 30,000,000 copies sold worldwide. It spent over 470 weeks in the UK charts - an all-time record. According to "The Guinness Book Of World Records 2000" Meat Loaf's "Bat Out Of Hell" is the biggest selling album in the UK ever.

At first, Meat Loaf tried to make it in rock music, forming a band called Meat Loaf Soul and later Popcorn Blizzard. His first obscure single with local Michigan band Popcorn Blizzard, "Hello/Once Upon A Time" sold 5,000 copies! But his first big break came as an actor.

He moved to Los Angeles in 1967 to play in local bands and appear in musicals such as "Hair" and "As You Like It". He eventually ended up in New York City where he appeared on and off-Broadway. Meat Loaf met future collaborator Jim Steinman from working on More Than You Deserve, which Steinman had written.

Was starring Off-Off Broadway in Paul Foster and John Braden's "Silver Queen" at La Mama E.T.C. when he was offered the role of "Eddie" in the American stage premiere of "The Rocky Horror Show". He had to leave "Silver Queen" a week before closing. His role was taken over by "Silver Queen's" director Robert Patrick, who had to wrap Meat Loaf's costume's trousers around him twice.

He made his film debut with a memorable role, as Eddie and Dr. Scott, in cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). Moving from small parts to the pop charts, In 1977, he and lyricist Jim Steinman released an operatic rock album called "Bat Out Of Hell", the record was huge and has sold 35,000,000 copies worldwide. Meat Loaf struck gold—and later platinum—with his album. Famed rocker Todd Rundgren produced it, and Jim Steinman wrote all the songs, which formed a rock opera of sorts with each song forming a different narrative. While “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” tackled heartbreak, “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” was a humorous ode to teenage sexuality. Both these songs and “You Took the Words Right Out of Mouth” became very popular. Meat Loaf toured heavily with a large band and singer Karla De Vito to promote the album and seemed to gain fans at nearly every stop.

However, the tour promoting the album took a toll on Meat's voice and left him unable to sing on the follow-up record, an album of music written by Steinman, "Bad For Good" (1980). Meat Loaf was able to make his next album, 1981’s Dead Ringer, but failed to match Bat’s success. In 1983, Midnight at the Lost and Found (1983) was released without making much of a splash. The same was true for Bad Attitude (1985) and Blind Before I Stop (1986).

Only single to chart in the United States for Meat Loaf in the 1980s was "I'm Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us" which peaked at #84 (He charted in the UK 4 times: in 1981 with Cher for "Dead Ringer for Love" (reaching #5), in 1983 for "Midnight at the Lost and Found" (#17), in 1984 for "Modern Girl" (#17) and in 1986 with John Parr for "Rock 'N' Roll Mercenaries" (#31).

Meat Loaf appeared in films Out of Bounds (1986) as a Pilot, and The Squeeze (1987) with Michael Keaton. He, again, collaborated with Steinman, for a powerful sequel "Bat Out Of Hell II" which went to #1 in the US and UK. Bat II has now sold an excess of 20,000,000 copies. His TV credits include the Soldier being held prisoner in Vietnam in "Lightning Force" (1991), a mad Doctor who invents a serum to keep zombies from deteriorating in "Monsters" (1988) and a slick Landlord of a restaurant who ends up on the menu in HBO series "Tales from the Crypt" (1989).

Steinman and Meat Loaf began work together again. They proved that lightning does sometimes strike twice. They scored another huge hit with 1993’s Bat Out of Hell II: Back in Hell, with over 20,000,000 copies sold worldwide. The theatrical ballad “I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” reached the top of the pop charts, won a Grammy, and “Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through” also made a strong showing. The album sold millions of copies and returned Meat Loaf to celebrity status after years in near obscurity. It is considered one of the biggest musical comebacks in music history.

Outside of his music career, Meat Loaf has maintained a career as a character actor. He has appeared in such films as the hit comedy Wayne’s World (1992) with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, Fight Club (1999) with Ed Norton and Brad Pitt, Crazy in Alabama (1999), and Focus (2001) with William H. Macy. Although he is sometimes credited as Meat Loaf or Meat Loaf Aday, he has legally changed his name to Michael Lee Aday. Meat Loaf's next record "Testify" was released in March of 2002.

Most recently, Meat Loaf has added a third installment to the Bat Out of Hell series in 2006. Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose featured a number of songs written by Steinman. While there was no breakout single, the album did make it up to number eight on the Billboard album charts. Meat Loaf continues to tour, although he had to cancel some concerts in the fall of 2007 when he was diagnosed with a vocal cord cyst.

“Tidbits” about Meat Loaf…

His trade mark is that he carries a red hanky on stage.

He owns a production company called Yellow Rose, Inc. with actor Brett Cullen.

Occasionally hosts VH1 show "The List" (1999).

Played 300 soldout concerts between 1987-91.

Along with Derek St. Holmes, Meat Loaf handled lead vocals on Ted Nugent's 1976 'Free For All' record.

His movies Blacktop (2000) (TV) & Trapped (2001) (TV) and his special appearances in TV series "Lightning Force" (1991), "The Outer Limits" (1995), "John Doe" (2002) & "Masters of Horror" (2005) were all filmed in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

Has an extensive line of theatre credits including "Hair" and its sequel "Rainbow," "More Than You Deserve" which collaborated him with his future lyricist Jim Steinman, William Shakespeare's "As You Like It" and the theatre production of "The Rocky Horror Show", later to reprise his role in the film version The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).

Was offered the title role in "Phantom Of The Opera" but turned it down.

Made a very special appearance in Ann Magnuson's Cinemax comedy movie special Vandemonium Plus (1987) (TV) - he played Steve The Piglet.




He was offered lead vocalist position in the rock band Foreigner, but wanted to stay with Jim Steinman.

Has played in two movies with Richard O'Brien, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), and Spice World (1997).

Daughter Pearl Aday (has two daughters: Pearl Aday and Amanda Aday) is a back-up singer with his band.

Was the producers' second choice to play "Bluto" in Animal House (1978) if "John Belushi" was unavailable.

In addition to songs from his own albums, his concerts usually include the song "Hot Patootie", which he sang as Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).

(March 2008) Is the host of an original game show in DirecTV called Rock and a Hard Place. The show pits teams composed of musicians/groups playing various games to raise monies for charities.

Why I Love Meat Loaf…

Bat Out Of Hell (1977) is a masterpiece. This is my all-time favorite album. Every song is good, and some are fantastic. Starting off with the title cut, “Bat Out Of Hell,” followed by the distinctive beginning voices during “You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night). Next, is one of Meat Loaf’s many quality ballads, “Heaven Can Wait.” He returns to his more frequent powerful rock songs, “All Revved Up With No Place To Go.” Then, my all-time favorite Meat Loaf song, his best ballad, “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad.” Jim Steinman writes great, tongue-in-cheek, sarcastic, funny lyrics for Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, and others.

The lyrics in “Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad,” one of my all-time favorite songs, are brilliant…

Baby we can talk all night
But that ain’t getting us nowhere
I told you everything I possibly can
There’s nothing left inside of here

And maybe you can cry all night
But that’ll never change the way that I feel
The snow is really piling up outside
I wish you wouldn’t make me leave here

(by this point, Steinman’s already telling an interesting story…)

I poured it on and I poured it out
I tried to show you just how much I care
I’m tired of words and I’m too hoarse to shout
But you’ve been cold to me so long
I’m crying icicles instead of tears

(“But you’ve been cold to me so long, I’m crying icicles instead of tears” – brilliant visualization)

And all I can do is keep on telling you
I want you
I need you
But -- there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you


Now don’t be sad
cause two out of three ain’t bad
Now don’t be sad
cause two out of three ain’t bad

(“I want you, I need you, But -- there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you, Now don’t be sad, cause two out of three ain’t bad” – A perfect example of Steinman’s use of humor in song. Try telling your better half this line, and see what the result is…)

You’ll never find your gold on a sandy beach
You’ll never drill for oil on a city street
I know you’re looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks
But there ain’t no Coupe de Ville hiding at the bottom of a cracker jack box

(These 4 lines are some of the best lyrics ever, describing how one is not going to find improbable riches. I also love how Meat Loaf sings “Coupe de Ville” stretching out the words, and the change in the music after “cracker jack box.” The song gets powerful during the next stanza.)

I can’t lie
I can’t tell you that I’m something I’m not
No matter how I try


Ill never be able
To give you something
Something that I just haven’t got

(I love the power of Meat Loaf’s voice during this part, and how the song, and his voice, goes melancholy afterwards, beginning with “There’s only one girl…”)

There’s only one girl that I will ever love
And that was so many years ago


And though I know I’ll never get her out of my heart
She never loved me back
Ooh I know I remember how she left me on a stormy night
She kissed me and got out of our bed


And though I pleaded and I begged her not to walk out that door
She packed her bags and turned right away

(Phenomenal description of sorrow, heartbreak, and unrequited love)

And she kept on telling me
She kept on telling me
She kept on telling me


I want you
I need you
But there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you


Now don’t be sad
cause two out of three ain’t bad


I want you
I need you
But there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you


Now don’t be sad
cause two out of three ain’t bad


Don’t be sad
cause two out of three ain’t bad

(Love the irony of how earlier in the song, Steinman, through Meat Loaf’s voice is telling his “Baby,” “I want you, I need you, But there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you.” By the end of the song, the tables have turned, and Meat Loaf is talking about only one girl he’ll ever love, so many years ago, and she was the one telling him “I want you, I need you, But there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you.” Absolutely terrific storytelling by Steinman, and masterfully performed by Meat Loaf.)

Baby we can talk all night
But that ain’t getting us nowhere

(And the song ends with the same two lines that started it. What a way to wrap up a story, and tell a cyclical tale of Meat Loaf telling his “Baby” “don’t be sad, cause two out of three ain’t bad,” when the words have haunted him, because the one girl, the only one that he will ever love, had uttered those words to him, “so many years ago.” The song ends brilliantly with the piano accompaniment coming to a close.)

Bat Out Of Hell continues with the classic, “Paradise By The Dashboard Light,” a staple at parties, and a guaranteed sing-along. What I love about this song, is that it is still played, decades later, and will continue to be, decades from now, because of its originality.


It’s like “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, “Nights In White Satin” by The Moody Blues, “The End” by The Doors, “In A Gadda Da Vida” by Iron Butterfly, et. al. in that the song, start to finish, is so unique, and so perfectly performed by the original artist, that you will never hear a better performance of these songs.


“Paradise By The Dashboard Light” also includes a mid-song interlude, which included late, great, Hall-of-Fame Yankees’ shortstop, Phil Rizzuto, whose lines become an integral part of the song. In interviews, Meat Loaf admits to being an enormous sports fan, and brilliantly ties his love of sports into his music, which I appreciate and respect.

The album closes with another great ballad, “For Crying Out Loud.” Bat Out Of Hell is as good as it gets. Many CD's have numerous hits, but few, are the type where you can start the CD at song one, play it start to finish, and every song is quality, an absolute joy to listen to.

Bat Out of Hell II: Back in Hell (1993) was Meat Loaf’s other fantastic CD. “I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” and “Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through” were terrific. The hidden gem is “Life Is A Lemon (And I Want My Money Back).” I am an enormous fan of Jim Steinman’s lyrics, and again, he uses humor, and sarcasm, to tell an entertaining story…

I want my money back
I want my money back


It's all or nothing
And nothing’s all I ever get


Every time I turn it on
I burn it up and burn it out

It's always something
There’s always something going wrong
That’s the only guarantee
That’s what this is all about

(Ever buy a warranty, or guarantee ? The only guarantee is that something will go wrong.)

It’s a never ending attack
Everything’s a lie, and that’s a fact
Life is a lemon and I want my money back!

(I love how Steinman pokes fun at how nothing is all he ever gets, something always goes wrong, everything’s a lie, life is a lemon, and comparing it to the lemon law for car purchases, he wants his money back. Hysterical !)

And all the morons
And all the stooges with their coins
They’re the ones who make the rules
It's not a game – it’s just a rout

(Great description of how those with all the money, are morons, stooges, make all the rules, and control everything.)

There’s desperation
There’s desperation in the air
It leaves a stain on all your clothes
And no detergent gets it out

(Wonderful visualization of desperation being a permanent stain, which no laundry detergent can remove.)

And we're always slipping through the cracks
Then the movies over - fade to black
Life is a lemon and I want my money back!

(When the movie’s over, the screen fades to black, and, it’s all over. Again, great visualization.)

I want my money back
I want my money back


What about love?
It’s defective!
It’s always breaking in half


What about sex? !
It’s defective!
It’s never built to really last


What about your family?
It’s defective!
All the batteries are shot


What about your friends?
They’re defective!
All the parts are out of stock


What about hope?
It’s defective!
It’s corroded and decayed


What about faith?
It’s defective!
It’s tattered and it’s frayed


What about your gods?
They’re defective!
They forgot the warranty


What about your town?
It’s defective!
It’s a dead end street to me


What about your school?
It’s defective!
It’s a pack of useless lies


What about your work?
It’s defective!
It’s a crock and then you die


What about your childhood?
It’s defective!
It’s dead and buried in the past

What about your future?
It’s defective!
And you can shove it up your ass!!


I want my money back
I want my money back

(I love how he describes the most important things in your life as defective, and how, if it was something you purchased, that broke, you would want your money back.)

It's all or nothing
And nothing’s all I ever get


Every time I turn it on
I burn it up and burn it out


It's a never ending attack
Everything’s a lie, and that’s a fact
Life is a lemon and I want my money back!

It's a never ending attack
Everything’s a lie, and that’s a fact
Life is a lemon and I want my money back!



And we're always slipping through the cracks
Then the movies over-fade to black
Life is a lemon and I want my money back!

Jim Steinman’s lyrics, combined with Meat Loaf’s storytelling ability, through his voice, are an unbeatable combination. Meat Loaf, when I have seen him interviewed, seems like a down-to-earth guy, the type you would like to hang out with. Between his acting, and his music, I am thankful his talents are recorded, so they can be appreciated by others.

Thanks, Meat Loaf, for brilliant work, including my all-time favorite album, Bat Out Of Hell.