Sam had an excellent report at Parents' Evening. He's doing really well in school. He's also really good at sport and regularly scores goals in his football games.
Yet I've rarely been more proud of him than when he heard Air Supply singing Making Love Out Of Nothing At All on the car stereo and said to me, "this sounds like a Meat Loaf song, daddy".
Making Love... was written by Jim Steinman for inclusion on Meat Loaf's third album, Midnight At The Lost And Found. However, the record company refused to pay Jim's going rate, so the songs ended up going to other people. Meat would later record a lot of the tunes Steinman gave to other artists, but sadly never did a version of this one. It remains the best Meat Loaf song that Meat Loaf never sang. Bonnie Tyler did a pretty epic version though, which gives us some clue as to how it might have sounded on a Meat album. The original Steinman demo, with vocals by Rory Dodds, is also worth a listen, for completists.
As for Air Supply... well, their version sounds a bit beefier than their usual melodic soft rock fare. Probably because it's got two E Streeters, Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Max Weinberg (drums) on backing... not to mention a guitar solo from Rick Derringer, formerly of The McCoys, and a frequent collaborator with both Edgar and Johnny Winter. In 1983, Air Supply were held off the Number One position on the Billboard chart for 3 weeks by another Steinman composition some say was originally written for Meat Loaf (though Jim later denied this), Total Eclipse Of The Heart.
Sam might not know any of this just yet, but he was able to spot Jim Steinman's signature sound after only a couple of listens.
Daddy's lessons are paying off.
Sam, the all-rounder. Academically brilliant, a keen sportsman and can identify a Jim Steinman song after two listens. You must be proud indeed.
ReplyDeleteWas just looking back and it was a year ago last week that Meat Loaf died. Many since then (and of course some much closer to home) but his death was one of last year's big ones.
Completely get this post. - Brian
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Sam for his achievement and to you for being a great Dad, not least in the field of music education. Lady K will occasionally laugh when a song shuffles on because it's been used in a meme but has otherwise remained non-committal about my "taste" in music.
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