Bat Out of Hell [Gold CD, Original recording remastered]

Meat Loaf | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 12, 1994)
• Original Release Date: 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Gold CD, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony Mastersound
• ASIN: B000002A6O
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MiniDisc  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (120 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,219 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Bat Out of Hell is probably remembered most for its rock operetta about every teenage boy's plight, "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." Certainly the most dramatic piece on the album, it engaged Meat Loaf's testosterone-crazed tenor in an incremental game of sexual bargaining with the resistant, but willing, Ellen Foley. By employing exaggerated power chords, screaming vocals, over-the-top arrangements, and a sense of rock & roll as Broadway theater, Bat made Meat Loaf a star. Jim Steinman's contribution to the record is invaluable. His classically tinged piano give a certain lush quality to his collaborations with Meat Loaf, making songs such as the hit "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" all the more emotional. Larger than life in every sense of the word, Bat Out of Hell sometimes sounds a bit dated, but has retained most of its appeal. This expanded, remastered version of the '78 smash includes an extended live version of the title track. --Steve Gdula --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Product Description

Described as epic, gothic, operatic and silly all in the same breath, Meat Loaf's testosterone-fueled, Springsteen-inspired masterpiece-the third best-selling album worldwide behind Michael Jackson's Thriller and AC/DC's Back in Black -was shopped around for years before Todd Rundgren began production in late 1975. Songwriting credit goes to Jim Steinman on You Took the Words Right out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night); Heaven Can Wait; All Revved Up with No Place to Go; Two out of Three Ain't Bad; Paradise by the Dashboard Light; For Crying out Loud; Great Boleros of Fire , and the title track. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indulgent, Overblown ... Just The Way I Like It!, May 19, 2000

By 

Bill R. Moore (New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bat Out of Hell (Audio CD)

This album falls somewhere between progressive rock, classical, and opera. Strange? Yes. Good? Definately. A classic? You bet. One reviewer said that Meat Loaf is a "pretty good singer". Man, is that a major understatement. Meat is one of the greatest singers of all-time. Although he is not my favorite singer, you'd be hardpressed to find another rock vocalist who could pull off these songs and not make them sound corny. Despite what some reviewers have said, that is exactly what he does here. Every single song is a masterpiece. The title track is a classic rock song, with the timeless "motorcycle guitar" from Todd Rundgren (who also does a masterly job producing this album). Paradise is the most well known song from here, and with good reason, it is great. Heaven Can Wait is a simple song (a rarity on this album) that features one of Meat's best ever vocal performances and some great piano work from Roy Bittan. Jim Steinman is a genius, plain and simple, anyone who could write such grandiose, sprawling music as this should be given credit, and no one else could've sung it except for Meat Loaf. For that reason alone, Bat Out of Hell is worth owning.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly one of a kind, March 6, 2000

By 

Karl John Krumrey IV (Detroit area, Mi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bat Out of Hell (Audio CD)

Bat out of Hell is probably the one album in the history of rock, more so than Sgt. Peppers, more so than Are you Experienced?, more so than Van Halen, that you can honestly say 'There's nothing else like it'. The stellar, powerful singing of Jim Steinman's music by Meat Loaf has been unmatched over time.

This album has truly stood time's tests. It's been recharting steadily over the years (breaking into Britan's top 100 again only a few months ago!) and has sold no less than 35 million, making it the third largest selling album of all time behind Dark Side of the Moon and Thriller. Now that's some fairly good company.

As far as the actual music goes, it's simply amazing in scope and vision. Jim Steinman writes musicals, not songs, each and every time out. Bat out of Hell remains one of the best album-opening songs ever. Paradise by the Dashboard Light has long been, and probably long will be THE Karaoke song, THE Duet, THE ultimate teen-sexuality song. Two out of Three Ain't Bad, aka 'the hit', is still an adult-contemp radio staple, and every other song on this album is just as good.

The musicians backing Mr. Loaf are some of the best of their day... Todd Rundgren, believe it or not, did the lead guitars for the title track in one take (and it's a 10 minute song, people). Max Weinberg and Kasim Sultan made one heck of a rhythm section, taking to Steinman's varied tempos with ease.

The flawless Todd Rundgren productions makes this album the masterpeice that it is. Everything is just loud enough, just long enough, and just *good* enough to touch a button with every human being on the planet. And you know what? Just about all of them bought this album. No sense being left out. Bat out of Hell is truly a highlight of music history.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who needs 'The Very Best of Meat Loaf' when this is it?, July 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bat Out of Hell (Audio CD)

7 songs, 45 minutes. That in itself sums up the nature of this untouched classic. Not a song under 4:20. (Coincidence?) Not a note taken for granted, not a guitar chord that won't blow you against the wall, not a band member that isn't one of the greats of their time. And this set a pattern Jim Steinman would always follow to this day -- Not a bad song written by him, anywhere, anytime. Jim Steinman, you ask? Yes, my friends, he did WRITE this music (and just about every other Meat tune worth hearing). This album is as much the singer's (that would be Meat Loaf) as the writer's, however. Meat Loaf squeezes every last bit of emotion out of the too-smart-to-be-teenage-yet-still-youthful lyrics, and it's unquestionable that any other singer who attempted this work would have failed quite completley. Five of the seven songs on this album made his 'Best of' collection, but the wrong one was left off. For Crying Out Loud, the only song on the album that wasn't a hit SOMEWHERE (the entire album was released as singles) is by far and away the best song on the album and quite possibly the best song Jim Steinman ever wrote. It features a beautifully simple solo piano by E-Street's Roy Bittan in the first verse/chorus, and then kicks into an unforgettable overdrive with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. It's amazing how Meat Loaf sounds like he's one with the solo piano part, and when the orchestra kicks in, so does he, managing to somehow overshadow the hundred-something musicians during the orgasm-inducing (forget Herbal Essences) second chorus. The 9-minute composition ends beautifully, as well. For Crying Out Loud aside, every other song on this album is beautiful. The title track (10 minutes, no less) teaches everyone that 'No no no, THIS is how you kick off an album'. Paradise by the Dashboard Light will live forever as long as Karaoke bars and college talent exhibitions still exist. (Do you love me? Will you love me forever?.... now, now.. Let me sleep on it... etc etc). Two out of Three Ain't Bad is always fun to try and break up with someone with. You just can't honestly say a bad thing about this album. Meat Loaf gives his best performance ever, Steinman is at the pinnacle of his songwriting form, the band shoves the rest of rock out of the limelight, and the listener will never forget a note.