I’ve long suspected that there is no love loss between Todd and Bruce. They used to date some of the same women back in the day - rock photographer Lynn Goldsmith and Karen Darvin (mother of two of Todd’s sons). I’m not sure if Patti Smith and Todd were ever an item, but they were good friends.
The opportunity to (indirectly) lampoon Springsteen’s “Jersey Epics” must have been irresistible.
Also, Todd’s fans know his sense of humor. The video clip I posted earlier he’s goofing on the “crackerjack box” line.
I remember in college a friend of friend was making a Mix CD to give to a girl he liked (I’m old) and was putting the song “Bat out of Hell” on it. I was like, “Did you even listen to the song?” All he heard was the chorus.
One thing to consider about the sales figures for the “Bat Out of Hell’” album is that they gradually accumulated over a long period of time. “Bat” was released in October 1977 but didn’t begin having any impact until the following year when it made the Billboard Top 20 album chart and went platinum and one of its singles, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”, went gold and ranked among the Top 30 singles of the year. This made “Bat Out of Hell” a solid success even if in terms of sales it fell far below the soundtracks for Saturday Night Fever, Grease, and other big albums of 1978. However, unlike the SNF and Grease soundtracks and the other albums of that year, “Bat Out of Hell” didn’t drop off the album chart but instead remained in its lower echelons over the next several decades and steadily built up sales until it ranked among the top sellers of all-time.
All true. But I still think it’s one of the least appropriate songs to play at a wedding reception, and I’ve never understood why it’s always demanded at wedding receptions. We specifically instructed the band at ours not to play it, but they gave in to popular demand anyway.
Note, too, that this was a time when rock fans weren’t sneering at long songs. Nowadays, anything over five minutes is deemed “self-indulgent,” but back in the 70s artists were allowed to write a song that ran as long as necessary.
How much did that ever really happen? I mean, I’m 25 and I consider it primarily a cultural trope. It’s one that’s definitely still around on TV even now. I’d say pretty much everyone of the right age is aware of teenagers parking in the middle of nowhere and boning in the car, but I’m not entirely sure how much this has ever actually happened. (I’m certain it has, but I think its prominence is played up. If you believe TV everyone must have lost their virginity in a goddamn station wagon). Making out in the car is common, and I can even see giving head, but the general logistics of “going all the way” in a car are a bit wonky unless you have a van or something. Even if you’re a horny teenager.
I agree about “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”, which I don’t think has too much outside the raw emotion and punchline. However, I think you’re underselling Paradise a bit. When I think “quirky novelty song” I think “Disco Duck”, “Monster Mash”, or maybe “Barbie Girl”. While the song is funny and a bit of a parody of overwrought love ballads, and is a 8 minute setup to a punchline, it’s an extremely well written song with a ton of interesting musical changes. It tells a complete story, and has heart and a point, as well as a message on top of its comedy.
I agree it is, at its heart, a light-hearted parody song. It’s not even a particularly complex social message so comparisons to well-known satire like, say, Candide aren’t too apt. However, I do feel like calling it merely a “quirky novelty song” only works in a world where music is much better in general and our “quirky novelty songs” aren’t fucking “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” and “Grandma Got Run Over By A Raindeer”.
You’ve never been in an early 70s Impala, I’m guessing. ;). In answer to your question: lots. It wasn’t a cultural trope by any means. Dude, that’s why the song resonated so much with us.
It did happen a lot. I lost my virginity in the back of big old (early '70s?) sedan parked in a state park. There was plenty of room - cars were much bigger back then, especially the four door ones.
Huh, I had plenty of teenage car sex (as in, intercourse) around the time you were born. First, in a little Toyota (reclined the passenger seat and had my girlfriend get on top). Next, in my second car: an enormous '60s Oldsmobile, in which we could actually both lie down comfortably in the back seat.
Ah, okay, interesting. I’m still surprised though that this album has lapped ones from Zeppelin, Queen, and the Beatles. I would think those would do big “catalog sales” on top of their big numbers when first released.
Yeah, I went to “Rocky Horror” as a teenager, twenty times at least (probably more like thirty). And Meatloaf was great in it. But as you say, that’s a cult thing. Did that movie soundtrack sell tens of millions of copies, even over time?
I love this–your prose is resonant as well. Reminds me of one of my favorite lyrics, from an artist getting namechecked in this thread: “Barefoot girl sittin’ on the hood of a Dodge, drinkin’ warm beer in the soft summer rain…”
Really interesting. So this is actually more of a piece, on that list, with the Whitney Houston than the Pink Floyd.
Well, except for selling 43 million albums…
That seems outrageous to me, for a band to flout your explicit instructions.
That was Bad For Good and was intended to be Meat Loaf’s second album. However, Meat Loaf had problems with his voice and was unable to sing. The music and background vocals had all been recorded and the producers were facing a deadline, so Steinman took over the lead vocals on most of the songs, although Rory Dodd also sang on a few. Meat Loaf eventually recorded a great number of the songs on his later albums.
I think the reason is because artists like Led Zeppelin, Queen, and the Beatles each have numerous stand-out albums so the comparative catalog sales among their albums are relatively even. If you wanted to hear the best and most popular songs from these groups, there are many albums to choose from. Meatloaf has, at best, only two (“Bat Out of Hell” and 1993’s “Back Into Hell”). Only devoted Meatloaf completists would be interested in owning nearly all of his other releases.
I started listening to Meatloaf when Bat II came out. I somehow missed the Bat I phenomenon.
What everyone has said is right.
I remember when Bat II was big a rock critic for the LA Times said the original BOH was one of the guilty pleasures of rock and roll and described Meatloaf as the Baby Huey of rock.
I think the songs hold up and as far as paradise goes yes you can make love in cars and they don’t necessarily have to be 1960s sedans.
I remember before hearing I’d Do Anything For Love on the radio for the first time, the Top 40 DJ said, “Coming up after the break, we have a new song from, get this, Meat Loaf!” My thoughts were, “Interesting, but this’ll be the only time I ever hear the song before he fades back into obscurity.” Oh boy. That freakin’ song dominated MTV and radio airplay for like a year.
One thing I don’t think anyone has discussed is how cool the duets are. Patti Russo is amazing on Bat 2.
There is a used condom in the gutter across the street, where there is a park parking strip. It’s not mine.
As always for me, there was this girl… Before the one I married.
I rarely agree with you ;), but this.
Coupes are terrible for sex, but people manage.
It was totally suburban. And semi-rural. For some reason I couldn’t see it appealing to urban kids, even white ones. You needed a car. It was aimed at a car culture.
Ellen Foley is lovely, with a great voice, but too waif-like. Meat would break her. De Vito, well, is Italian, with the right touch of too much Betty Boop makeup, and her body. Plus her sidelong glances? That’s the only thing in this whole world that’s pure and good and right.
That was the era of the monster Record Industry, when the business model was so successful it had to collapse very soon after. Saturday night fever and Billy joel etc. It was also during a time when there was a Springsteen drought. For legal reasons he didn’t make an LP 1976-1978.
So everyone was going into record stores which still existed, and it was a mainstream purchase, to go with Satnite fever, for guys who wanted to get laid, chicks, kids, who knows.
I couldn’t stand it. I love Todd Rundgren though.
All the songs apparently are titled with cliches except for paradise.
