Bat Out Of Hell

The title refers to his very successful album and song by the same title. He was larger than life and full of dynamic energy. American singer and actor Meat Loaf could belt out a song in a rough, tough, voice and then switch to a slower ballad and wring out the emotions in you. Sadly on January 20, 2022, Meat Loaf passed away and joined the rock and roll band in the sky at the age of 74. As much as he will be missed his music and the movies in which he played make him immortal and we can still enjoy his dynamic presence on videos.

Meat Loaf came into this world as Marvin Lee Aday on September 27, 1947, and became one of the most popular chart leaders in the 1970s. He was born in Dallas, Texas in a family of gospel singers moving to Los Angeles, California in 1967. He formed a group called Meat Loaf Soul and Popcorn Blizzard and played opening gigs for The Who, The Stooges, and Ted Nugent. Then Meat Loaf landed a role in a West Coast production of the musical "Hair." Traveling with the musical during a stop in Detroit, Michigan he and a castmate named Stoney recorded the LP Stoney & Meat Loaf in 1971.

He landed another role in the Off-Broadway production of "Rainbow" in New York City and joined the musical "More Than You Deserve" that was written by pianist Jim Steinman. A role in the cult film "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" followed and in 1976 Meat Loaf was assigned vocal duties on one side of the LP Free-For-All by Ted Nugent.

Meat Loaf got together with Jim Steinman for the National Lampoon road show. Steinman began composing a musical update on the story of Peter Pan titled "Never Land." A good deal of what he composed for the musical wound up in the successful album by Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell in 1977 with three Top 40 singles "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad," "Paradise by the Dashboard Light," and "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth." The album went on to become one of the best-selling albums of the decade.

What followed was the album Dead Ringer released in 1981 and was the second of four albums that were written by Jim Steinman. Bernie Wrightson a comic book artist and horror illustrator designed the cover. The album had four singles "Dead Ringer for Love" with a fantastic video featuring Cher, "I'm Gonna Love Her for the Both of Us," "Read 'Em and Weep" and "Peel Out." The album went to number one in the UK.

His third album came out in 1983 Midnight At the Lost and Found. The album was the last release under Epic records until The Very Best of Meat Loaf in 1998. Unfortunately, this album was overshadowed by a dispute between the singer and his former songwriter Jim Steinman. Meat Loaf had to find songwriters or try his own hand at songwriting. Among the songs on the album were the title track and "If You Really Want To." The album was a disappointment to both fans and critics.

His fourth studio album was recorded in England and showed Meat Loaf on the hard rock side. There were two songs written by Steiman and a duet with Roger Daltry. The album did very poorly with the best mentionable song "Modern Girl."

His fifth attempt was Blind Before I Stop in 1985 embracing the sound of the 1980s. The album had three songs with Meat Loaf as co-written one of them being the title track which he performed live on "Saturday Night Live" playing the guitar. The album also included him in a duet with rock singer John Parr "Rock 'n' Roll Mercenaries." It was after this try that Meat Loaf started both physical and psychological rehabilitation and declared bankruptcy.

Then Meat Loaf came back into the limelight in 1993 when he reunited with Steinman and came out with Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. The album followed the original storyline and became a great success. One of the top singles from this album was "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)." Another song "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" was on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Once again without Steinman Meat Loaf followed up this album with his seventh offering Welcome to the Neighborhood. The singles released from this album were "I'd Lie for You (And That's The Truth)" (a duet with Patti Russo), "Not a Dry Eye in the House" and "Runnin' for the Red Light (I Gotta Life)".

Then three years later came Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose which was the third and final album in the Bat Out of Hell trilogy released in 2006. The album received mixed reviews and was taken on The Seize the Night Tour. Songs on this album included "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" a duet with Marion Raven and "Cry For Me."

In 2010 Meat Loaf released his tenth studio album Hang Cool Teddy Bear featuring guest spots from Jack Black, Hugh Laurie, and Queen's Brian May. Among the songs were "If I Can't Have You" (feat. Kara DioGuardi and Hugh Laurie) and "Love Is Not Real/Next Time You Stab Me in the Back" (feat. Brian May and Steve Vai).

In 2011 the album Hell In a Handbasket was released in Australia and New Zealand. Among the songs included "Our Love and Our Souls" (Duet with Patti Russo).

Meat Loaf's final offering was Braver Than We Are released in Europe and where most of the songs were written by Steinman. Among the songs was "Loving You Is a Dirty Job (But Somebody's Gotta Do It)" (featuring Stacy Michelle).

Thank you Meat Loaf for leaving us your music to enjoy and at the next rumble of great thunder from up above I'll know you've joined that rock and roll band in the sky.