You may know the story. The album Bad For Good was written by Jim Steinman as the sequel to Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell. But Meat's voice was wrecked and he and Jim weren't on a great terms, so Jim went and recorded it himself. I truly believe that in years to come, Jim Steinman will be remembered as one of the greatest songwriters in the history of rock n' roll... and although many would mock that opinion, I'm not alone. Here's journalist John Aizlewood...
"...nobody writes songs like Jim Steinman: he is, perhaps, the lost genius of pop, stranded - lamentably unlauded - in a world of rock with opera's attitude, where life has stopped at the point of adolescence that childhood dreams are shattered. It's how "soul" music should have turned out: every chorus is like losing your virginity, every verse is like killing your parents. It's as if Phil Spector and Richard Wagner were making records together."As a performer though, Steinman doesn't really cut it... especially when compared to his most famous mouthpiece, the mighty Meat. I love the album Bad For Good, but I understand why it didn't make Steinman a household name. Most of the songs have subsequently been re-recorded and improved upon by Meat Loaf and others... such as Barbra Streisand, whose version of Left In The Dark is surely one of the highpoints of her entire career. Hey, if it's good enough for Kris Kristofferson, it's good enough for you...
Gentleman of a certain age - even ones who think they are immune to the charms of Ms. Streisand - may find they need a cold shower after that video. But I digress. This is a Talky Songs post, isn't it?
The one track on Bad For Good then that could not be improved upon? The one so great that even Meat Loaf used Steinman's version on the eventual Bat Out Of Hell II album? It's this: Love & Death & An American Guitar. A song that takes the infamous talky bit from Jim Morrison's The End and makes a hilarious piece of musical theatre out of it... with a punch-line that is... figuratively... to die for. And if you don't agree with me... well, you've got a hell of a lot to learn about Rock And Roll!
Not a fan of Babs, except for "Guilty" with Barry Gibb and one of the greatest comedy films ever, "What's Up Doc?", which I can watch time and again and still LOL.
ReplyDeleteI bought Jim Steinman's single "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" which is OK but not a patch on anything found on "Bat Out Of Hell".
When I saw your post's headline, I immediately thought of "Cherry Red" by The Groundhogs (arguably the first metal band). Do you think that means something?
Only that you're more in tune with the Groundhogs than Jim, I guess.
DeleteNot seen What's Up Doc? in years, but I do remember thinking it was a very funny film.
Love Babs but not heard this one before.
ReplyDeleteReally great descriptive piece about JS by John Aizlewood (were his parents cockney and dropped the H I wonder?) - Writers like him come out and say exactly what we are all probably thinking but just can't put it into words. Then again you are pretty good at doing that yourself.
Watched On A Clear Day recently starring Barbra. A bit wacky but she was on top form as ever. Her brother in that one was a very young Jack Nicolson. She of course sang the title track and I knew it well but had never taken the time to seek out the movie.
ReplyDelete