Jim Steinman's Top 10 Songs
Steinman, who was much more than just Meat Loaf's lyricist, passed away this week. He leaves behind an incredible musical legacy. Here are his top tracks.
Hello! Sorry there wasn’t a new issue for you last week. It was a bit crazy with some of my other writing commitments and I honestly spent much of my too-little free time last week trying to set up interviews, which should bear some tremendous fruit later in the year for outstanding stories to tell here at MRC (fingers crossed). For this week’s issue, an unexpected and sad event inspired me to write what you’re about to read below. I hope that you enjoy this issue, share it with others, and let me know your thoughts on this week’s subject.
On Monday of this week, the world lost Jim Steinman. While he doesn’t have the most recognizable name in rock and pop music, everyone knows his songs. His work helped launch Meat Loaf into a successful career that saw the Texan sell well over 50 million albums. The most notable of those records was the essential rock classic, Bat Out of Hell (1977).
Steinman composed some of the most memorable songs in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, and he was a talented musician, lyricist, producer, and arranger. In addition to Meat Loaf, Steinman wrote hit songs for Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Barry Manilow, and Celine Dion. He also produced hit records for Tyler, Meat Loaf, and Billy Squier. Steinman’s fingerprints are visible throughout the late 1970s and 1980s music scene, even if his name isn’t that well known. Wrestling fans no doubt are familiar with his work as well, as Steinman composed “Hulk Hogan’s Theme” by the WWF All-Stars, which can be heard on The Wrestling Album. Movie goers would know his work from Streets of Fire, in which he contributed two songs performed by Fire, Inc. — “Nowhere Fast” and “Tonight is What It Means to Be Young.”
His own solo album, Bad for Good (1981) is a lost classic. While the vocals by Steinman and Rory Dodd are the weakest parts of that album, they’re by no means terrible and most of the songs are quite strong. The album could have been a smash hit if Meat Loaf or perhaps another artist had sung on it — not that Meat Loaf himself has the best voice, but his power and drama (especially in those days) overcame any weaknesses, and he had a history of singing the hell out of Steinman’s songs. In fact, a couple of the Bad for Good songs ended up on future Meat Loaf releases.
If you’re somehow unaware of Bat Out of Hell — one of the most successful rock records in history, which went platinum 14 times over — you should correct that blind spot in your listening experience. You might also be more familiar with these hits Steinman wrote:
“Read ‘Em and Weep” by Barry Manilow
“Making Love Out of Nothing at All” by Air Supply
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler
“Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler
“It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” by Celine Dion
“I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf
Steinman’s songs are known for their theatrical arrangements, heavy piano use, humorous (and often dark) lyrics, grandiose backing vocals, and, quite often, long titles. His Bad for Good album includes contributions from a collection of excellent musicians, such as Todd Rundgren, guitarist Davey Johnstone of Elton John’s band, pianist Roy Bittan and drummer Max Weinberg from the E Street Band, and synth player Larry Fast. Many of the musicians worked with him again and again throughout his career, regardless of who the recording artist was.
Steinman was eccentric and theatrical and his work wasn’t for everyone. There were missteps, like his ill-fated attempt at collaborating with Def Leppard on the British band’s follow-up to Pyromania. Despite what Def Leppard members say in that linked story, I’d absolutely love to hear what a Steinman-led version of Hysteria would sound like!
While some might find his compositions a bit cheesy or his style over the top, I found him to be a brilliant songwriter and arranger, and there’s little doubt that Meat Loaf’s success is largely built on Steinman’s songs. Without his Bat Out of Hell trilogy of albums, Meat Loaf’s career would have been largely forgettable.
Steinman’s death at age 73 of kidney failure earlier this week was a difficult one for fans of his work. He had been having health issues since suffering a stroke in 2004 and having to re-learn how to speak, which must have been frustrating and difficult. As our rock heroes age and pass on, there’s a tendency to feel sad, but these men and women at least leave behind a tangible legacy that will keep them forever anchored to this mortal coil.
With the incredible body of work that Steinman left behind for us to enjoy, I thought I’d select my top 10 songs that he wrote. I will place the caveat here that I haven’t heard all of the stuff he’s written. Some of his songs were recorded by artists I don’t care much for and others I just never had a chance to get around to hearing. But I’ve heard most of the songs he is credited with writing.
10. “Read ‘Em and Weep” by Meat Loaf/Barry Manilow
This one starts off a bit slow but builds into typical Steinman crescendos and I listed both artists’ versions here because both are a bit problematic even though the song itself is great. Meat Loaf recorded it on his 1981 release, Dead Ringer, which was his follow-up to Bat Out of Hell. This should have been a chance for Meat Loaf to ride Bat’s success, but his voice sounds terrible due to his drug use and extensive touring schedule. Had Meat Loaf been at the top of his game, this would be the clear-cut winner between the two versions. I find the Barry Manilow version — one of a few new tracks added to his 1983 Greatest Hits, Vol. II release — to suffer from muddy production. Barry’s version, which has a different second verse and slightly different arrangement, reached No. 18 in the United States but his smooth voice seems a poor fit for this type of dramatic song.
9. “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler
The bones of this song, which was recorded for the 1984 Kevin Bacon film Footloose, came from Steinman’s “Stark Raving Love” on his Bad for Good album. Following the soundtrack’s success, Tyler later put the song on her 1986 album Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire. But, it was already a worldwide hit, reaching the top 40 in several countries, including No. 1 in Ireland, No. 2 in the U.K. singles chart, but only No. 34 in the United States, where it was perhaps overshadowed by other songs on the same soundtrack album. The weakness of the song is the dated electronic drum sound. However, the horn section punches it up and, when combined with the electronic drums and the synthesizer, it gives it a bit of a different feel than your typical Steinman song.
8. “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf
One of the longest hit songs you’ll find, clocking in at 12 minutes long, this was a big comeback hit for Meat Loaf on 1993’s Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell. Lorraine Crosby (credited on the album as “Mrs. Loud”) provides some lead vocals, although her part in the music video (directed by Michael Bay, no less!) was mimed by Dana Patrick. It wasn’t the first time a female vocalist in a Meat Loaf video was different than the one whose voice was recorded on the album (more on that below). This song (well, the seven-minute “single” version, anyway) reached number one in countries all over the world and was, surprisingly, Meat Loaf’s only song to top the charts.
7. “Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through” by Jim Steinman
Although Meat Loaf recorded this song for Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993), I slightly prefer Steinman’s version from Bad for Good. The vocals (by an uncredited Rory Dodd) aren’t quite as strong, but the fantastic backing vocals and excellent piano work really pop on this version, whereas on Meat Loaf’s version the bass seems a bit heavier. There’s an almost ELO quality when the backing vocals come in with “The beat is yours forever.”
6. “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” by Celine Dion
Steinman’s writing on this 1996 hit alternates between ethereal fragility and intense power and Celine’s incredible voice is uniquely capable of excelling at both. Meat Loaf wanted to sing this one, but Steinman kept him from doing so in court, claiming this work was meant to be sung by a woman. Hearing Dion’s version, it’s hard to argue with him about it. The song was originally performed by Pandora’s Box on a Steinman-produced 1989 album called Original Sin. Legend has it that vocalist Elaine Caswell collapsed while recording it. Celine’s version includes Bittan on grand piano, ace drummer Kenny Aronoff, and backing vocal contributions from Rundgren and former Styx singer Glen Burtnick.
5. “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)” by Meat Loaf
Steinman’s theatrics take center stage right off the bat on this track from Bat Out of Hell, with the man himself and actress Marcia McClain acting out a spoken word play. It starts with Steinman asking, “On a hot summer night, would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?” McClain asks a series of questions and finally answers affirmatively, to which Steinman replies, “I’ll bet you say that to all the boys.” Then a fantastic pop song kicks off with standout piano from Bittan, guitar from Rundgren, backing vocals by Dodd, Ellen Foley, and Rundgren, drums by Weinberg, and even saxophone by Edgar Winter. It sounds like a big Phil Spector production. The song only reached No. 39 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, but for me it’s one of the true highlights of Bat Out of Hell — an album without a single clunker.
4. “Making Love Out of Nothing at All” by Air Supply
Released as a new track on Anglo-Australian duo Air Supply’s 1983 Greatest Hits album, “Making Love” is a tour de force. Borrowing from his score for the 1980 film A Small Circle of Friends, Steinman reworked the music and the eventual song reached No. 2 on the Billboard chart. The song that kept it out of the top spot is the next one on this list. Air Supply’s Russell Hitchcock reportedly nailed his incredibly powerful lead vocal in one take. Weinberg’s drumming and Bittan’s majestic piano playing give the song a huge feel and a guitar solo by Rick Derringer provides a bit of a bite that’s absent in most Air Supply songs.
3. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler
The song that kept Steinman’s “Making Love Out of Nothing at All” off the top of the chart in October of 1983, Bonnie Tyler’s smash hit was one of the iconic ballads of the decade. Bittan, Weinberg, and Derringer played on this one as well. This was Tyler’s biggest career hit at the same time that my No. 4 Steinman song was Air Supply’s last top 10 hit. The album version includes an extra verse and stretches two-and-a-half minutes beyond the single. All the Steinman characteristics are here — gorgeous piano throughout (from Bittan again), dramatic rises and falls, excellent backing vocals, and a complex arrangement. Larry Fast adds gothic-sounding synthesizer parts like something out of a vampire movie or Phantom of the Opera. It’s an exquisite song and no 80s playlist is complete without it.
2. “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” by Meat Loaf
This three-part epic begins like a classic southern boogie with Rundgren on guitar. Meat Loaf jumps right in with his vocal and, when it breaks into the chorus, Ellen Foley’s voice explodes on the scene for, “Oh it’s cold and lonely in the deep, dark night.” (Foley’s part was mimed in the video by Karla DeVito, who sang it live with Meat Loaf.) This first section of the song is the protagonist reminiscing about he and his girl out together in the car some time in the past. It’s bouncy and fun until the protagonist suggests they go all the way. The music then changes out of a boogie and into more funk-driven riffs. New York Yankees baseball broadcaster Phil Rizzuto then narrates a baseball metaphor for the action in the car and you hear some not-too-overt chatter, and sounds of pleasure, with an audible “Did I hurt you?” at one point.
Part 2 begins when the girl refuses to go all the way unless she gets promises of love and marriage. The boy in the story (Meat Loaf) tries to be evasive and asks to sleep on it and answer in the morning. The girl remains insistent, and the boy gets more and more persistent, with an evidently exasperated Meat Loaf finally screaming out “I’ll give you an answer in the morning, the morning, I’ll tell you in the morning!” to no avail. He finally breaks down and swears to love her “to the end of time.” The final section of the song is a great singalong rock song with the protagonist “praying for the end of time” so that he can escape his promise.
Each part of the song offers something different and all of them are just a blast to listen to and to sing along with. “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” reached only No. 39 in the United States but did get a lot of airplay in the 1980s on Mtv and later became a featured song on FM classic rock stations, where you can still hear it in any given hour.
1. “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” by Meat Loaf
This was the first Meat Loaf song I ever heard. I distinctly remember hearing it on Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 radio program. It was a shortened single version of the song I’d grow to love over the years. I loved it for its ironic, cycle-perpetuating lyrical twist at the end and the dark humor of the chorus, in which the singer tells his unnamed lover that he wants and needs her and that she shouldn’t be sad, “’Cause two out of three ain’t bad.” Steinman’s lyrics throughout the Bat Out of Hell album are top notch, but for me nothing tops “there ain’t no Coup de Ville hiding at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box” — a section missing from the single version. This bridge is a vital part of the song to me now and I much prefer the longer version.
The soft reprise of the opening line at the end is fantastic, too.
Baby we can talk all night,
But that ain’t getting us nowhere.
There are few songs — rock ballads or otherwise — with the craftsmanship of “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” and Meat Loaf sings it so well. It’s a worthy champion on a mountain of great musical contributions from Steinman. Unlike many of Steinman’s songs, this one is much simpler, but that doesn’t mean it’s ‘simple.’ The song has lavish arrangement and instrumentation, with a string section, synthesizer by Utopia’s Roger Powell, backing vocals by Rundgren and Dodd, and that outstanding Bittan piano.
I loved this song so much I bought it both as a mini-CD single and on the Bat Out of Hell album, which are both still in my collection.
What are your Steinman favorites? Do you find his songs too tongue-in-cheek, too cheesy, or too over-the-top? Whether you do or not, it’s undeniable that he’s written some of the biggest hits in music over his long and storied career. His passing is sad, but at least we’ve still got his musical legacy. RIP, Jim.