Classic Rock Album of the Day- Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell- (1977) **
There are certain albums/songs that kind of operate as theme songs or anthems of certain periods in social history. I think a lot of people would say that Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell is a great example of what was blaring out of our 8-Track's in that 1977/78 timeframe. I for one, wasn't really a big fan of Meatloaf. At that particular time, it seemed more focused on gimmickry than substance.
It's operatic without really being a Rock Opera. Of course, the album is heavily centered around "the song", Even as a semi-Rock Opera, it def, had a very pointed theme, which is around relationship matters. A good percentage nicely hit the mark, but the operatic campiness just didn't gel with me who was blasting Zep, Boston, and Aerosmith at the same time. Another one of those different strokes deals.
But I do have to give this album props in a "broadway" kind of way. The songwriting is very sound, and in many ways really has done a nice job of straffing the fine line between pop and rock. Yes, there are strong moments, but also some that linger somewhere between sappy and cringeworthy. After listening to this thing to completion for the first time in over 45 years, I have come to the same conclusion as I did then. Is this an album you will listen to frequently? Nope. But you can't discount the cultural impact of what some of this LP conveyed.
1977 was a much different time, in how the media, music, and society dealt with sexuality. There were plenty of bands that double entendre-d sex in many ways. Some respectful, and some downright nasty and unacceptable under today's moraiity standards. I can't think of an album in the 1970's that better or more eloquently analyzed and dissected the social part of what teenage sex/love was. And the fact that Big Meat was able to land that curly haired cute bra-less brunette seemed cool no matter how implausible it seemed at the time. So you really have to juggle/manage the ridiculous with heartfelt.
There was a great amount of big names included in this effort too. These included Todd Rundgren, Roy Bittan, Max Weinberg (both-Springsteen, E-street band), and Edgar Winter. And that proficieny shows. This is a well performed LP. But in sum, I imagine there are a lot of folks who rate this much higher than I would It's all about taste. I mean some people even like Rap. In some ways, I like to file this under historical value, rather than musical. A few of these songs diid justice to defining the late 1970's. Being barely 17 and barely dressed seems like an eternity ago.
Fun fact (1): 14X Platinum. One of the larger selling LP's of the year. 14M besides Catfish bought this album
Fun fact (2): Meatloaf, the singer, acted in 47 movies, and appeared in 40 different televison shows.
Side 1-
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Bat Out of a Hell- Belts out a good opening, in very broadway like fashion. Meat's lofty tenor works well with some fine jam from the all star cast. Of course, it might seem like a diss, but he seemed to really overuse the same kind of phrasing in so much of this LP. Even opens take a page from a bit of variability. Still, from a musical contribution, this is a really good opening salvo.
2You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)- Puzzling opening sans poetic like Shakespearen narrative start that works into a little more of the same themeing and phrasing as Bat. Twinged with a slight '50's feel that stays the course
4Heaven Can Wait- Ballad swadled in strings. Pleasant, and heartfelt. You can kind of juggle ranking this with "Two Out of Three" which got overplay
5All Revved Up and No Place to Go. - Could almost swear that Clarence Clemons does the sax in this one. This is more standard rocking than most of the rest of the LP. Well done. And just another example of where the playing outpaced the songwriting.
3
Side 2-
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Two Out of Three A'int Bad- Got sick of this one in the day Waaaaaay overplayed on the radio- Yes it was huge, but....
6Paradise on the Dashboard Light- "The Song" Amazing song that could chronicle any Saturday night in 1978. Great feeling and understanding of young sexual interaction of the day. Love the baseball analogies. Excellent backing vocals by stage performer Ellen Foley, who provides a great balance and response in this very powerful duet. Perfect culmination of vocals, emotion, well mixed jam that understandbly is an iconic song of that year. I am sure most have seen the video, but I am adding it..... just in case.
1For Crying Out Loud- Torchlit, over blown, over-produced, over-performed. All the strings and orchestras in the world can't stop boring.
7http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsQHVWBeTUUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C11MzbEcHlw
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