Reviews (page 5 of 14)
Really enjoyed it
I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. I think it's a bit silly and doesn't take itself too seriously, and the lyrics are pretty hilarious. Stuck between 3 and 4 but I'll default to 4
Reminded me of Queen someone
3.8
I'm not the biggest fan of this style of music, but it's undeniably very stylish and Meat Loaf is a terrific performer. Plenty of classics on here and, despite a few lengthy tracks, it's overall a pretty tight 45 minutes and a lot of fun if you're in the mood.
Energetic and fun
Very much enjoyed the whole way through
Over-the-top, but thar’s exactly what they were after. There’s nothing else quite like this. Hard rock for theatre kids.
4/5. I was not familiar with Meat Loaf's work outside of "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" before this listen. It's a fantastic album, and anyone who enjoys lofty rock unafraid of bringing in influences from other genres will treasure it. Meat Loaf is an incredible singer throughout, the instrumentation is excellent, and the lyrics, although never unique or complex, are well done and delivered masterfully.
Great album, and artist. Died way too young. Hours listening to this album.
Oh this is such fun!! Gloriously OTT and somehow timeless. Cannot believe some reviewers on here are taking this seriously. Great songwriting, fantastic musicians and songs you want to bawl along to. What’s not to love about that?
favorite: You took the words right out of my mouth (hot summer night) "On a hot summer night would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?" "Will he offer me his mouth?" "Yes" "Will he offer me his teeth?" "Yes" "Will he offer me his jaws?" "Yes" "Will he offer me his hunger?" "Yes" "Again, will he offer me his hunger?" "Yes" "and will he starve without me?" "Yes" "and does he love me?" "Yes" "Yes" "On a hot summer night would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?" "Yes"
i mean this is a masterpiece. it doesnt do a ton for me but it's amazing.
What a voice! This one stands the test of time.
Paradise by the dashboard light is so fire
glee cover, songs too long
His name was Robert Paulson.
Really fun, enjoyed the dramatic, almost operatic vibe.
It's been a very long time since I've heard this album, and it did bring back good memories. I kind of forgot how good it actually is. However, some songs are more memorable than others
Much more broadway musical-esque than I expected. Found myself dancing.
Fun, theatrical, and over the top
Great album
I can't tell if it's because my brain is a mush right now but this sounds so hilarious to me. unironically a good time
Oops there’s meatloaf in my ballads. 7/10
I think this is a really good album, the songs are over the top and theatrical and I think this album does a very good job toeing the line of being silly and being a serious piece of art. I do think some of the songs can drag in some areas but overall a very fun listen experience
This was a fun listen! Very theatrical in a good way.
Absolute banger, very recognizable from my childhood. Wasn't aware of Jim Steinman's legacy at all, can hear his songwriting imprint in here loud and clear now. https://jimsteinman.com/gothic-rock-cottage.html
This is (somehow) one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. Holy crap. It's not terrible; it's a true rock opera. Very theatrical. Very straight coke addict Elton John. This was my first actual listen, and it's everything you would expect if you've heard Paradise by the Dashboard Light. Influence 3. Quality 3. Intangibles 4. Hits 5. I like Paradise, and I respect this for what it is 4.
4.5. Great album! Didn't see that coming!
Great surprise, liked the songs a whole lot more than I expected
3.5
What a bunch of great ballads.
Just on the strength of track 1-2 alone this needs to be a four
If there’s a better theatrical rock album, I’d love to hear it.
actually loved it
Classic
I listened to this album for the first time in 6th grade. Loved it then, love it now!
The musicality was done very well and the lyrics were telling a story which I like. Bombastic and dramatic and quiet and reflective. Good album.
Fun, long songs
Fun, well-executed rock opera with a palpable energy to it.
Paradise by the Dashboard Light is unironically one of the greatest songs ever written. I love the operatic feel of those whole album and really am unphased by some of these long songs too. Crazy to think this is the first Meatloaf album but it never quite reached these highs again. Great slice of the 70s
Epic
Obviously a talented musician but I've never been a fan. Trouble is you can't help singing along to it
I know it's cheesy but I have fond memories of this album from my schooldays, we loved it when it first came out so I've still got a soft spot for it to be honest.
love
classic album
I was worried about the length of some of the tracks but it all came together nicely. A solid rock album.
very musical coded. but not bad. listened to it twice actually
(5/7) I always thought these were fun!
Pretty enjoyable.
Obviously, the hits are huge, but it's been a while since I heard them and I forgot how good they were. And the rest of the album is strong too!
You know what, this nostalgia at its best takes me back to late teens early 20’s. Played it to death with an old girlfriend. It’s not something I’d go and put on now to be honest but good to look back on it. Mix of tracks in my opinion some a bit cheesy and others anthemic some thought provoking. Best track; paradise by the dashboard light. Tell me a teenage boy who can’t relate to that
This is about as fun as a rock and roll album gets. Amazing vocal performances.
Bonkers good, and just fun. Bat Out of Hell and Paradise by the Dashboard Light? Heck yeah.
Killer af, would listen again.
Mer prank-rock! Vad är det här ens för genre, musikal? Rockopera? Vilken pipa han har där Meat-Loaf va? Och fina arrangemang av Steinman. Det är svulstigt som fan. Jag är långt ifrån uttråkad när man lyssnar. Bonus för ännu mer Todd Rundgren. Läppade åt det här; citing the narrative of "Paradise", Rundgren jokes that he can't imagine Steinman being at a lakeside with the most beautiful girl in school, but he can imagine Steinman "imagining" it
I mean. It's kind of magnificent in jts own way, being so ludicrously OTT and relentless. The big hits - the title track, You Took The Words Right Out, Paradise - are all present and correct (in fact, five out of seven tracks on this album are singles, which is presumably some kind of record), and they're great fun. Equally, it's remorselessly silly and, while the production and vocals are top notch, not always that interesting. Overall, I love it, for what it represents and how much fun it is, but I also acknowledge its flaws.
This album was the most fun album I’ve listen to in a really long time. It’s a bundle of energy, excitement, it pretty much felt like a rock opera. Meatloaf’s voice is powerful and amazing. Bat out of hell was fun and I want to look into if they made it into a musical.
Banger after banger
That album cover art is so awesome. The songs sound nothing like the album cover art... Until you hear Paradise By The Dashboard Light and realize this album is meant to be played in a proper 70's boogie can as a means for romance. It's sexy in a HAHAHA kind of way.
Immernoch nicht mein Genre, aber das war schon leicht episch.
Hard Rock und Rockoper ist ja meist gar nichts für mich, aber Meat Loaf ist tatsächlich so dermaßen drüber, dass ich ihn schon wieder feiere.
Liked Songs: - Bat Out of Hell - Heaven Can Wait - Paradise By the Dashboard Light - For Crying Out Loud
Is this, in the strictest definition, a rock opera? No, not in the least is it amazing, yes, yes it is. I think this is the only Meat Loaf album I know of and honestly don't need to know of more. Also Meat Loaf is a graduate of the same college where I got my Masters.
I just got broken up w/ type shit. I love it
As a naive 14 year old with a new stereo looking for some records to play on it, I bought 'Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell.' Well, if number 1 was good number 2 must be even better, right? Plus I'd heard some of the songs. Obviously I made the wrong choice. This is the record I was looking for.
Really entertaining and heartfelt
RIP Jim Steinman, you brought the drama
Behemoth of a rock opera. I sure do love this album, even with its juvenile escapades in tragedy and death. And the cliche question of if young love is everlasting. Its awfully dated. But still sounds great, boisterous and timeless. The only sin here is Steinmann and Meatloaf blew their wad on the debut. For damn near 40 years these guys tried to make another Bat out of Hell instead of writing new good music. Flash in a pan, lightning in a bottle. Move on fellas. 4 stars.
So wildly operatic and dramatic and overdone and entertaining and stupid and catchy and dumb and awesome. I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I have been, but it fucks. 4.22 stars
Yes it’s a classic album but I never bought it and wouldn’t choose to listen to the whole album. The hit songs everyone knows though and you can’t argue about the quality of songwriting and (over the top) performance!
I saw the name of the album, the album cover, and the font used to write the artist. I was expecting something very different than what I got. Overall, this is definitely a good album and a great discovery. It doesn't deserve anything below a 4. But, the songs are a little too much like a musical to my taste, which isn't always a big problem, but in this specific case, it is, preventing it from getting a perfect 5. This would still be 4.5 in my opinion.
DID SOMEONE SAY MEATLOAF!? felt like i was listening to a movie commentary track about a musical, i fw this heavy
Dit album is sex. Ik bedoel sax. Ik bedoel sexy. Or all of the above. Rock zanger Meat Loaf en pianist Jim Steinman leveren een teenage romance rock opera van epische proporties. De klanken zijn zo iconisch, dat ik halverwege dacht "dit lijkt echt zo erg op zo'n nummer dat altijd in de top van de top 2000 staat. Ik weet het deuntje, maar kom niet op de tekst of titel." En ja hoor, toen begon Paradise by the Dashboard Light te spelen hahaha. (ik had van te voren niet naar de tracklist gekeken). Wederom heb ik het album in de auto geluisterd, en de opera was opera-ing. Rock & Roll met piano just. makes. sense. Ik dacht ook een orchel te horen, wat het album net nog een extra laagje grandeur gaf. De passie druipt van de vocals en het pianospel af. Niet alleen passie en liefde, maar ook heartbreak komt ter sprake. Al met al is het album een incredible rollercoaster. Ik zou dit album bijna een 5/5 geven, maar ik heb helaas wel wat punten die mijn enjoyment een beetje gedemt hebben. Allereerst het nummer You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth. Het lied zelf vind ik echt prachtig en ontzettend romantisch, echter opent het met een eufemistische dialoog waarin de man wordt beschreven als een hongerige wolf wanneer die seks heeft met de vrouw (en zou verhongeren als die geen seks krijgt). Deze framing krijg ik kriebels van, en ik snap al helemaal niet waarom ze die dialoog voor dat speciefieke nummer hebben geplaatst. Ten tweede - Paradise by the Dashboard Light. Muzikaal? Iconisch, geweldig, fun for the whole family. Lyrically? Gaf me een zure nasmaak. On the surface is het een hot steamy night tussen een jong stel dat leidde tot een unhappy marriage door misguided beloftes van commitment. Sowieso had ik een 'goed' einde veel leuker gevonden, maar dat is op zich niet waar ik tegen stuitte. Wat ik jammer vond, was de 'punchline' van de homerun, die onderbroken wordt door de vrouw die ging 'zeuren' over liefde en commitment. Het leek voor mij dat het idee - dat vrouwen seks gebruikten als ruilmiddel voor huwelijk (waar hun bestaan afhankelijk van was) - simpelweg het vanzelfsprekende uitgangspunt was, en niet een tragische realiteit. De presentatie levert geen enkel commentaar, en de transitie van "I swore I would love you to the end of time" naar "So now I'm praying for the end of time" lijkt er gewoon een beetje lacherig en luchtig over te doen. Maar goed, blablabla, het waren de 70s, /end of woke rant. Het album is banging en ik heb elk lied geliked. 1 punt aftrek voor waar ik net over schreef.
A great album for sure- definitely one that seems like it's more than the sum of its parts. The lyrics, instrumentation, background singing- all cheesy and over the top. But combined together with Meatloaf's powerful voice, it all comes together to something thoroughly enjoyable. Overall- very fun listen.
queen???
I love Meat Loaf! Already had a couple of these songs in my library. Feels like theatrical rock.
🤘🙏
queen minus freddie, well executed opera rock. won’t go back to it but won’t negate the quality because it’s not my style per se. 3.5 would be more accurate.
Honestly? Fun.
Whoa I didn’t expect the first two tracks to be THAT good. I though Meat Loaf was gonna be some depressing shit. Okay so maybe the whole album is not 100% my cup of matcha but there are three tracks that I saved so it must mean something. - bat out of hell - you took the words (…) - paradise by the dashboard light
This album tells stories about love in many different ways. The music is very rock-heavy and powerful, and I really enjoyed it. Even though the songs are long, they didn’t feel boring to me at all. I liked the storytelling a lot, and I could clearly imagine scenes in my head while listening. The album starts strong and keeps its energy throughout. I appreciate the theatrical and musical feel of it, and it made the whole listening experience fun.
great vibes,
Horny teenager music (or rather, music for middle-aged people to remember when they were horny teenagers) . Over-the-top and entertaining.
Super fun album, extremely weird but loud and exciting and definitely screams musical. I enjoyed it
Operatic rock and roll at its best. Really good album. Highlights: "Bat Out of Hell" and "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth"
Enjoyed so much more than I was expecting to so fun
Great. It’s campy and theatrical, yes. But it’s beautifully written and feels just massive. The ballads are tender and touching, and Meat’s vocals are outstanding. Top to bottom, this album absolutely rips.
Ridiculous and slightly ashamed that I actually like it this much.
I love musicals so god damn much. Kinda long but. RIP Mr Loaf
Musical theatre madness . Good fun
Surpassed my expectations and he’s apparently one of those artists that put all their good songs on one album. It does also have a good theatrical thing going on which makes the album feel more like one product vs a collection of songs.
A classic "I hate that I liked this" album for me. Expected it to be goofier and campier, but it was kind of the right amount of goofy and campy. Some of the tracks are almost Springsteen-ish? Particularly "You Took the Words Right Out of my Mouth"....its got that Phil Spector/Ronettes beat, and when I checked wikipedia, I learned Max Weinberg and Roy Bittan played on this album, so it was an apt observation. This is maximalist music, grandiose and operatic, and while I probably won't revisit it too too much, its enjoyable and deserves inclusion on this list. My ear probably gravitates towards the Todd Rundgren production, as I am a big fan of his (shoutout Upper Darby). Glad I listened, I'll go 3.5 with a round up for Todd
This is a hard one for me to rank because I 100% want to own this album because I love the cover and the title track so much. I don’t however love the entire album. It’s 4 stars but I might still buy it! 1/5 didn’t finish the album 2/5 didn’t keep the album 3/5 kept it and will listen when songs randomly show up on shuffle 4/5 kept it and will listen to it again front to back on my phone 5/5 buying the vinyl
Totally surprised by this album. I only knew Meat Loaf by his mega hits. This was a lot of fun. Has a concept album feel to it without being overly indulgent about it.
Meatloaf is a strong contender for the worst stage name in classic rock. The album he made is best described as cock rock for theater kids. I can't fathom how this is compared to Bruce Springsteen; it's far too different musically and thematically for that to make sense. In the end, despite solid arrangements, it lacks the tight songs that make a truly great album, instead featuring a 10-minute pomp fest of a title track and multiple other unnecessarily long songs.
Listened Before: Y Just a plain-old well made rock album. I'm no stranger to this one, and I always enjoy a listen. A blast from the past. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth
Brillefin
Theatrical rock that is actually good. Brilliant composition with great vocals backed up by a band that is so good, I had to look up who played in it.
Funny album to get on Christmas Eve
I was all set to hate this but have to admit it's pretty good. A small number of tracks, many of which are longer than the singles version. It's a strong and distinctive sound including ballads as well as heavy rock.
Pretty nice
Ah, Meat Loaf...a name I've heard plenty, but I've never put the voice and music to it. He reminds me of a lot of adjacent American artists, guys like Springsteen, Elton John, and Steely Dan. But this is, without a doubt, more operatic. It makes quite the first impression as well, with the opening title track that feels like it was never going to end, but in the best way possible. Just constantly building while never being too much, it's easily the best song here. The whole album was pretty damn good, though; it really commits to the over-the-top theatrical feel setup on that opener, with subtle transitions, dramatic switch-ups, and so many vocal and instrumental layers. 'All Revved Up With No Place to Go' was a pretty great little outsider ballad, and I really loved the guest vocals on 'Paradise By the Dashboard Light', in the first part, but mainly in that funkier and quite abrupt switch-up - she absolutely kills it. The boy-girl back-and-forth on this song, while cliché, is pulled off flawlessly, given how talented and expressive both the leads are. I love the rapid-fire piano line on this song, particularly. The closer, 'For Crying Out Loud' was the sentimental outro this album needed. A spotlight on Meat Loaf's talents under these shimmering strings. This style of music isn't really my thing, so the fact that this clicked as much as it did should say a lot.
if i celebrated christmas i WOULD be playing this whole album throughout december. i just think it's fitting, no idea why. also i love that five out of seven songs are longer than five minutes, which is great because all of them are bangers. favourite song: Bat Out of Hell least favourite song: All Revved Up with No Place to Go
4/5
Wow, what a ride... Crazy energy and mix of styles. Catchy love songs full of imagery. Rock-opera-esque album Loved it!
Overblown, outrageously theatrical, powerful, fun, classic, karaoke-able.
It reminds me too much of my Mum to listen to this. I know it's a good album as I've heard it before but I can't listen again yet.
Surprisingly kickass. I grew up thinking Meat Loaf was a metal guy, probably from his album covers. But he’s a ridiculous softboi. Especially coming on the heels of seeing Rocky Horror for the first in a long time, I’m reminded that he pairs a certain amount of vulnerability with a total lack of self-seriousness. It’s a good combo.
8.0/10 Loved listening to this in high school- super nostalgic for me.
this was cool and theatrical
Er det bare mig eller lød mange af numrene som noget Bruce Springsteen kunne have skrevet? Hvis det var produceret af Andrew Lloyd Webber? (kæmpe kompliment) Ud over at The Loaf bare er ALL IN, som sælger det rigtig meget, er det også bare et super velproduceret album. Der er 1 eller 2 numre der ikke når helt de samme højder som resten, men ellers farligt tæt på en 5'er herfra
An album with 10 minute songs is great when you're baking Christmas cookies. These molasses cookies need 8-10 minutes at 375, that's one Bat Out of Hell or two Heaven Can Waits
3.5
Nice album, very solid. Surprised me, amazing voice. One of my dad’s favorite albums. 4/5.
omg the dude with fat tits from fight club makes music?? i think the only reason why i like this is because of that
Ok this one I had more context for 1. His iconic appearance in rocky horror 2. I never saw it but the bat out of hell musical was playing on the west end when I was there in 2017. Anyway this goes hard
Loved it
I feel like I just walked into a theater kid costume party by accident
This was actually really great. I need to listen to this album more.
This album is... a lot. It's a melodramatic romance album where everything's been dialed up to 11. Sometimes the music gets so forceful the album barely seems able to contain it, multiple tracks run over the 8-minute mark, and even the packaging is outrageous - a motorcycle exploding from the grounds of a cemetery in an apocalyptic red landscape. I can understand why someone wouldn't enjoy this but it definitely works for me. This was a Friday album so I had a chance to "sleep on it" and I'm going with a 4-star rating, but it's a great inclusion in the list and I'm very happy to have been exposed to it. I'm an overnight Meat Loaf fan. The bombastic opener "Bat Out of Hell" sets the stage for the album pretty perfectly (then again, it has nearly 10 minutes to do the job). It's great - completely gonzo. Somehow it was written about Peter Pan? Then "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" begins with a dialog bit that, frankly, makes me very uncomfortable. It's my least favorite part of the album. "Again, will he offer me his hunger?" I almost forget that there's a whole song after that. The song's alright. One of the album's trademarks is its sense of humor: "And then you took the words right out of my mouth / Oh it must have been while you were kissing me / You took the words right out of my mouth / Oh, and I swear it's true, I was just about to say I love you." That humor comes up most notably, of course, in the chorus of the 5-star song "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad." Hilarious. I've been singing it all weekend.
I was so ready to have this been one of those fine but eye rolling experiences of over the top 70s rock opera. But I found myself more engaged than I expected and kind of disappointed when it ended.
Have it
This is a masterpiece. Cheeky and operatic.
Boys will be boys, and don't say I love you unless you mean it.
Loved this - so bombastic and enjoyable. I’ve loved Paradise by the Dashboard Light for years but the rest of the album was also super enjoyable. I also get the context of the Bruce Springsteen comparisons as well as it does feel pretty similar. Would 100% listen to this again.
I couldn't think of a more perfect name for an album. This was full throttle music, baby. Billy Joel tries to have this much attitude in his music but couldn't come close to how Meat Loaf does it naturally. It's a motorcycle musical. A biker gang ballet. A high octane hootenanny. Sweet beautiful music delivered on the back of a chopper racing through demonic wastelands. A full tank of gas and an open road.
This was fun.
I mean it's a classic for a reason, maybe a little too camp for me now though but I used to lash this album.
ca vatjes, ni geweldig
Really good and certainly operatic. Sounds like I imagine teenage life in America during a certain period sounds like. Brilliantly produced and Meat has some voice!
Theatrical Rock. Great tunes. My Dad loved this album. Paradise by the Dashboard Light is a classic!
Puts the power in power ballad! With a touch of song cycle. Love the way the style switches to bring in a new perspective. Thoroughly enjoyable trip down memory lane
Pretty good. I get tired of the Rock Opera format, though.
What an epic experience.
Mood/Vibe: This is much more theatrical than I was expecting?? But then again, I don’t know what I was expecting. Standout Tracks: Bat Out of Hell & For Crying Out Loud Replay? Immediately. Better second time round. Opening/Closing Songs: Bat Out of Hell opens the album and it’s bouncy, frantic, catchy, get-up-and-move vibes. Immediate add to liked songs. For Crying Out Loud is the closing song of the album and it feels like a sad, dramatic, end to bouncy, controlled yet chaotic album. Overall perfect openers and closers and also two of my faves from the album. Notes: An album I’ve heard of but unfortunately for Meatloaf my number one experience with him was the 2011 AFL Grand Final. A performance that went down in history for all the wrong reasons. And remembering that moment from over a decade ago and hearing this album now, I can see the excitement followed by the subsequent dissapointment. Guitar-heavy riffs, fun, bouncy. It reminds me of some of the glam rock from that era, but more erratic and less polished in a totally intentionally creative way. It was a fun journey for sure. I can see why it makes the list. It pushes boundaries and genres the way they seemed to back there. Some new songs added to the liked list.
GETTING CAUGHT UP! lmao okay. so hard to listen to at times but like yes we are having fun and of course they made it into a musical without changing anything bc it's all rock opera bs but it's hilarious. Paradise will always be that song, I cannot lie, but Ellen Foley is really the star there for me
Me encantó el CD! Por el nombre y el cover del CD esperaba algo más heavy metal (que no es mi tipo de música favorita), pero me sorprendió positivamente.
It was really good! Very diverse songs, very great singing.
Малко повече вика, но си му е такъв стилът :D
I always forget how much I love this album!!!
I was actually surprised when I played this album. I know Meat Loaf from "I’d Do Anything for Love", but based on the album art, I was expecting some hard rock or heavy metal. But noooo, it was a full theatrical act. The extravagant musicality, the powerful vocals, and the emotional lyrics really stood out. But I will rate it 4 stars, because I want to listen to it again...whenever I'm ready for it.
Fantastic!
Great album which brings back many happy memories of my first year at university.
Have you ever thought "that Springsteen guy is pretty good, but he's a bit too lowkey for my tastes"? Well, then have I got an album for you! Steinman's maximalist production isn't too dissimilar from Phil Spector, really. The main difference is Spector is totally serious about his lushly orchestrated silly love songs, while Steinman is fully aware that it's ridiculous to take it *that* seriously. So, he gives us the grandiosity that the sound deserves, which only draws our attention to how ridiculous it is to treat teenage love that way.
It's nothing amazing to deserve 5 stars, but it's a really great album, I would get a copy of this on vinyl easily. Very fun listen, I would rate it 5/5 for listening, but overall, gets a 4 just to keep it fair with other albums
Fun romp, love the tongue and cheek interpretation of a bruce Springsteen album. Large orchestrated sounds and killer album cover
I had never listened to this before, just knew the big hits. It was a decent listen.
Banger. 4/5
This is a fantastic album. 4.5
I love this album and I don't care.
I appreciate the creativity and humor of these (sometimes sappy & overly romantic) songs as well as the bravado with which they are delivered. Clearly gave rise to rocks greatest cheerleader, Jack Black. Fun. A 4.
The almighty random generator is trolling me at this point - this is my November 1st album. It would have been perfect as the Halloween album! Anyway this is corny and dated but awesome and makes me want to get up and ride a motorcycle with a skull on it.
Pure bombast, seven songs in a row on the theme of Meatloaf being dtf right now
awesome
Picks up after opener
A Tinguely machine! With bells and whistles! And naked dancing ladies! It will never sell! But it did! Marvelously over the top, still enjoyable, but still not exactly what I would put on by free will.
Shame it isn't metal but a solid album nonetheless. 4.35
Meat Loaf is clearly one of the most talented musicians of his time. The songs are fun, the album feels cohesive, it's funny, it's powerful.
This listen was a hoot. Meat Loaf has a way of transporting me to a time and a place that I’ve never been before, but somehow feels familiar. His lyricism takes you in a strange journey, but he backs it up with rock instrumentation that’s better than it has any business being.
I really enjoyed this album. Was not what I was expecting and I was impressed.
The guy was a total idiot but the music is fantastic
I was not expecting to like this so much. A fantastic album, catchy and memorable, theatrical and ridiculous. A lot of fun, and highlights the enormous talent of Meat Loaf.
Fun, over the top, theatrical cheese. 3.5/5. Raising to 4.
Loved it, listened to it 3 times in a row
Theatrical, pretty fun
How can you not like this album? A classic!
I had forgotten how much I like this album. But he likes the saga song a little too much.
This album is too much in all the best ways. I was very apprehensive at the length of some of these tracks, worried they'd drag on too long... But there's so much variety and composition and musicianship in every big cheesy over the top moment that I just couldn't get bored. Half the time I got lost in the changes and didn't realise I was still on the same song as a few minutes ago. This is rock and roll done to a spectacular, orchestrated extreme. The kind of music that makes you feel powerful and also deeply embarrassed and cringey; like a gangly nerd LARPing as a dragon-slaying warrior knight.
4 out of 5. This album knows what it is and doesn't hold back on the cheesy epicness. More enjoyable than I thought it'd be.
Drama Rock Same feel throughout the album.
Okay, so I'd heard of Meat Loaf (though not much), and I don't know why, but I was totally under the impression he was this tough guy, and his music was just as rude and heavy. Well, I was honestly surprised to listen to this and realize that Meat Loaf is actually the heterosexual Elton John (just like one of the reviews here mentioned). I had so much fun listening to this!
o que a galera usou de droga pra fazer esse álbum eu não tomei de água na vida pqp especialmente por isso, brabo
bom, eh bem besta. lembra um pouco bruce springsteen em alguns momentos (nao de um jeito ruim, por incrível que pareça) e lembra tbm elton john. eh bem all over the place, mas não de um jeito ruim também. eu achei bem bacana, bem guitarrudo. eu até curto rock opera, mas tem que ser divertido de escutar e esse eh!!!
Думаю доступ до наркотичних засобів був добре налагоджений під час запису цього альбому) Дуже театральний, водночас веселий і не відчувається перевантаженим, хоч є пісні по 8 хвилин
Meat loaf. I would do anything for love but I won't give 5 stars !
An iconic album, and it maintains your interest, like a ride on a speeding motorbike. But, overhyped and overpraised.
For Crying out Loud is epic, his voice is so nice how else can I describe it.
Es ist so dicht, dass ich es nach drei Liedern immer auch ein wenig satt hatte. Aber jedes einzelne Lied war auch großartig.
3.5 - Good
This surprised me. Really coherent album and I love that it gets that there is no top to go over. Mark docked for having a couple of tracks that are a tad too Springsteen adjacent for my taste
Rock opera at it's very best. It's a masterpiece at times great voice great arrangement and production. Bat out of hell the song is a full on in your face wake up and enjoy anthem. Two out of three is agood ballad and paradise by dashboard light is a solid duet that you can't help move to. There are some weaker points it is beginning to sound dated and it has some nothing song on there but even for the boom intro. It's worth 4 stars. It's like nothing else
Close to 5, but a few songs fall a bit flat for me.
That's some good rock and roll
Yeah, serve me up some Meat Loaf with a side of ketchup. I liked this more than I thought, it was less butt rock and more theater rock.
Excellent
Camp in its purest form. I had a great time, and there really isn't anything else like it. Some and concepts haven't aged well, but I still enjoy it for what it is. Favorite Songs: Bat Out of Hell, Paradise by the Dashboard Light
I’ve always heard the big hits from this and thought that they’re basically just songs from a rock opera, so I was not surprised to learn that his discography was adapted into a full-blown musical. I’m tryna go see that
I fucking adore Bat Out of Hell. I wish with all my heart that we could bring back this kind of big dumb loud 70s arena rock music. It’s an artistic achievement in bombast, maximalism, and some third thing to keep the rhythm of this sentence going. Every word Mr. Loaf sings is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD and he makes you feel that. The melodrama here is fantastic. An 8.5 minute epic about marrying someone to get them agree to bang in car? Whatever the fuck is going on at the beginning of You Took the Words Right of My Mouth? Give Jim Steinman a posthumous Pulitzer. This stupid album just puts me in such a good mood. There’s a very real part of me that says to award this album with more stars than there are stars in the universe—and the universe is infinite. But four out of five ain’t bad
A teenage rock opera dream
I know Meatloaf is a knob, but this was a great album. The songs are slightly too long at times, especially the intros, but it was a fun bit of power metal
It's dramatic, bold, corny, and glorious in so many ways. The production is fucking mint. The vocals are splendid. Aside from the absurd corniness this made for a wonderful listen. Real great rock opera theater kid shit. Top 4: Bat Out Of Hell, You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth, Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad, and Paradise By The Dashboard Light no bad songs 4.25-4.50/5
Interesting blend of rock and musical
Slightly surprising but I think a solid 4/high 3. Very musical-esque and some of the bits don't land for me but overall appreciate the theming/song cycle of it all and high energy
Lots of Queen vibes
Goat out of Hell
genuinely surprised by how good it is the title song is a certified banger the calmer songs are really fucking good, i loved this album tbh
So much fun. The title track and paradise by the dashboard light are musical theatre rock epics with so much character. Took the words and two out of three are just fun rock songs. Heaven can wait and for crying out loud are seriously beautiful ballads. I should listen to this at least once a month.
Good Americana fun!!!
Meatloaf is rock and roll for theatre kids. Not my thing, but I know a lot of theatre kids, and Meatloaf is right in their wheelhouse. I think this first record is always going to be the best, at least as a cohesive album.
Let me get this off my chest; I don’t care for Paradise by the Dashboard Light. I don’t hate it, but it’s like the ultimate boomer bait song. It’s finds its way into almost any social event (party or whatnot) and has the audacity to be over eight minutes for what can be described as “Somebody please take my wife”. The ultimate punchline to any boomer music. I really thought this whole album would fall under this category and expected to hate it. So naturally, I’m little bummed to say that I didn’t. Yea, the albums corny as shit and Meat Loaf is not the most classy of acts, but his ballads are actually pretty good and the dude had some talent. Most of the songs sound like the biggest shit ever, both production wise and vocally. It’s not that bad of an album. I just can go without hearing Paradise really much again. Favorite track: Heaven Can Wait Other hits: Bat Out of Hell, Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, For Crying Out Loud, You Took the Words Right Out of my Mouth
Meat Loaf is objectively a good song writer. Some of these songs don't need to be 8+ minutes long, but I think he has definitely crafted his place into music history. This was a really easy listen.
Sempre pensato che Meat Loaf facesse metal ignorante, mi ha sorpreso in positivo. Promosso
Pretty good
Ridiculous, preposterous, brilliant - just enjoy it!
I came into this album with absolutely no expectations, other than the fact that the album art looks cheesy as hell. Kinda cool in the edgy kind of way, but cheesy nonetheless. In the end, I found an album I didn't think I could relate to so personally, while also being so damn over the top about everything. This is the epitome of dad rock, but at the same time, it's so unabashedly itself, a rock opera that feels so whimsical you practically get sucked right into it. The only part that realistically took me out of the whole experience was the intro of "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth", which while it sets the tone of how intimate the song can be, drags on for a bit too long, taking up like a fifth of the run time. Out of any album I've rated so far, this is the album that's most likely to go down in my rating scale. It's not at all flawless, you need to be in the right headspace to listen to it, and songs may go on for too long sometimes, but passion practically oozes through this project you can't help but appreciate it.
I enjoy that the album art for Bat Out of Hell looks like the album sounds. Unnecessarily huge, theatrical, explosive, way over produced, awesomeness. May a giant bat on a steeple watch over you as you launch your motorcycle out of the grave.
Not really to my taste. Rock opera at it's best.
It’s cheesy but fun
Riktigt härlig musik! Tuff men sa samtidigt ganska lugn, gillar combon.
yay, musical theatre adjacent 4/5
There was a time when I would have said this album is OTT cheesy theatrical nonsense and rubbish. All true except the rubbish part.
Probably closer to 4.5, but not quite a 5.
Don’t judge an album by its cover. Not much to say except I enjoyed it. The intro to track two really creeped me out when I was by myself though.
Great album
Git
I really feel like I'm being pranked that this is the highest selling album of all time in Australia. It is definitely my aversion to musical theater that's hurting this for me. This is another case of musically, I get how this is impressive and dare I say a maximalist feat but I just don't get it. I had to reframe my approach to listening to this and go again in a mindset of this is silly musical theater that I shouldn't be looking at through the same lens as like To Pimp a Butterfly. Made way more sense that way. I think I'm going to rock a 4 on this but I can appreciate a fully orchestrated rock opera that isn't the worst thing you've ever heard.
Epic
This is a top teir album, Meatloaf is one of one.
I grew up listening to Meat Loaf. Maybe not the best decision on Mom's part, but I still love him. Even if you think he's over the top or too dramatic, you have to admit that this album has some phenomenal written lines!!!!
MEATLOAF!!!!!
I played this too much in my youth and find to be somewhat histrionic… but it is still a brilliant album.
Middle school classic! This brought back so many golden memories, love it
Classic album from a young Meatlosf. I have this album in my collection since 1977 snd always liked it. I think all of the songs are good. I also enjoyed watching the videos
Cool album. But I do find the songs too long.
What a fun ride, like a bat out of hell. Honestly, the album cover goes so hard it deserves an extra star for just bringing so much emotion to the album, and on top of the unique and sick guitar that exists plus the "musical" style that I think it does really, really well. A solid 4.5/5 album for me, leaning 4 because I can't put some of the 9 minute songs into any of my playlists.
A classic, loved it since I was in highschool. Slower songs overall but Meatloaf always kicks it into gear
Macht Laune (gute)
Meat Loaf is Springsteen for theater kids. It's a damned good album.
This album is too much and ridiculous (complimentary)
Wayyy more theatrical than I expected which was interesting. But it wasnt bad!! I appreciated the artistry of it all. Opened strong and closed strong, which makes it a solid album imo.
In high school, you could occasionally bring LPs to music class. Very often, this LP was brought by a classmate.
What a belter of an album. Familiarity: 5 – Deep Familiarity Songs I would actively choose to listen to: 3 - Half What can I remember the next day?: 4 - Most Best song: Paradise by the Dashboard Light
They call him 007 0 songs written 0 sex appeal 7 double cheeseburgers
Loved the rock opera sound.
REALLY fun!!! super upbeat and intense while being beautiful throughout its runtime
Judging by the cover, I think this album might be just too subtle to be any good! This has to be the most overblown, overproduced, over the top album than has ever been created. Operatic extravagance with motorbike engines and musical theatre earnestness. It’s all very safe, and very high camp drama. Meat Loaf seems permanently on the cusp of a breakdown, but never more so than on For Cryin’ Out Loud, which camp drama in the extreme. I never know whether to take Bat Out of Hell seriously or not because it works best as a great party album. I don’t think it stands up to intense critique of the artistry. I love it.
Meaty Horror Picture Show. If you ever want an alternate Grease universe with a theater nerd's version of rock and roll, and some cutesy (slash rather die than have a relationship) lover-boy ballads, Meatloaf's got you covered. Really catchy and fun tunes, and would really love to see Bat out of Hell: The Musical, baseball-sex scene and all.
Bra variation och allt var typ bra
Some really good songs on an enjoyable album. -3.5/5
The rock opera that sets the stage for the rest.
4 Wow what a banger. So theatrical.
Super fun. Super massive. Has a sense of humor and rips. Even one of the ballads caught my attention. Also...43 million copies sold world wide? holy shit
Albumcover ist ja schonmal sehr gelungen. Pop-Oper Version einer judas priest Platte? Bissi wierd, aber irgendwie feier ich das
Really nice sorta prog style stuff with the progressions throughout the songs, great sound to go along with it. 4 stars
SO much fun
This was decadent in all of the right ways. I'm still a firm believer that Meatloaf's best work was the acting he did in Spice World. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Works great as straight up hard rock, or as hard rock parody. 7 songs, 4 bangers. A fun album for sure. 4/5 Heard before? Just the singles Owned: No. 1/1001, 1/5 (20%) Will I get? Maybe Recommend: Yes
8/10 Rock opera at its best - the title track is awesome. The rest has its moments too, obviously, although it often feels like the sum of its parts. My wife hates Meatloaf, so let's keep my admiration for this between ourselves, shall we?
Es grandilocuente, recargado, dramático. Pero suena bien, hay música aquí.
Listened to this while playing Through Ice and Snow. I lost...again. This album was so much more enjoyable than I was expecting it to be. It felt like I was listening to a more enjoyable act 2 of Rocky Horror Picture Show. I loved the grandiosity of the arrangements...it felt appropriately epic. Almost a 5...but just shy.
Springsteen for theatre kids, it's brilliant
I absolutely love this album. I'm a big fan of huge production and this album has it in spades. An absolute allstar cast helped record and produce this album and it shows. While the mix is perhaps not the cleanest in the world, the instrumentation and songwriting is top notch. Reminds me a lot of Elton in places, if Elton john had a little bit more of a rock edge. Solid 4 for me
Liked how the album begins with a heavy song and then switches to more delicate tracks. Generally a high-quality one.
Surprisingly epic! You really don't know what to expect when you see an album with a cover this metal and an artist named Meatloaf. "Bat Out of Hell" is a certified banger, "Two Out of Three Ain't bad" walks the line gracefully between drama and humor, and "Paradise By the Dashboard Light" has the greatest switch-up I have heard in a song recently. I'm probably not going to revisit it soon, but you can't deny how great and unique this album is. 4/5 ain't bad
Ended up enjoying this so much more than expected.
A classic Meat Loaf album. Almost a five, but I cannot call it flawless
takie pecie kwak
A couple of tracks are complete dross
Anyone who listens to classic rock hears some of these songs on the radio regularly. And some of you are undoubtedly like me: while I don’t go seeking them out, I find myself singing right along when they come on. What was interesting is listening this album front to back, as it’s actually quite good. Paradise By The Dashboard Lights is always so much fun. That they including the Phil Rizzuto part always kills me (even if he didn’t know what it was for, which actually might make it better). But the way this track moves through different parts and phases is the true genius that drives this song. Truly great. There’s so much to like on this beyond that tune though. Right from the jump, the title track is an epic tune that’s just in your face, over the top, and really lets you know what you are in store for across the rest of the album. A great way to open. Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad is another fun song, as is You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth (even if the opening is super strange). The low point for me was For Crying Out Loud, which I thought was a bit boring at times. Even then, Meat Loaf’s voice is great and the orchestral backing soars at numerous points. The roll up is that this was way better than I anticipated. Meat Loaf’s voice is great and there are a lot of intricacies to these songs which make them interesting. Is it bombastic and exaggerated? No doubt, but that shouldn’t diminish how well constructed this album is.
Three great songs and some filler. The vocals are superb
Over-the-top in the best way, such a fun album
До этого я не знал ни про Мита Лофа, ни про Джима Стайнмана, ни уж тем более про альбом Beat Out Of Hell. Обложка меня заинтересовала. Очень красивая! Ну а сам альбом хорош, ни больше, ни меньше. Вокал Мита Лоуфа хороооош! Мелодии Джима Стайнмана тоже хороши! Мне понравились песни: All Revved Up with No Place to Go Paradise by the Dashboard Light Это на любителя, я поставлю оценку 4, но если можно было, то я поставил бы 3,5
I can only respect this album for the vision and theatrics, but I also think it is extremely cheesy in many parts and doesn't resonate in 2025 even in the way it did closer to release or in the 90's when I heard a couple songs repeatedly. I think there are better ways to do a rock opera, but I approach this album like the soundtrack of a musical, and I can understand why it has fans. I'd give it a 3.5, but I'm rounding up to 4 for this scale.
Felt like a rock opera, I loved it
great sound, especially love the use of strings and brass instrumentals! cohesive and not repetitive, but the songs are really long making them difficult for casual listening. highlights: All Revved Up with No Place to Go, Bat Out of Hell
I have a hard time separating Meat Loaf from his role in Rocky Horror. Like this just sounded like him doing bonus tracks for the movie. Which would be great. I like his expressiveness. It's like a soundtrack to a musical rather than just pop or rock music. Solid
It would get 5 stars if it weren't so subtle.
On paper I shouldn’t like this: It’s theatrical, proggy, overly fussy at times, odd and completely over the top. But it’s actually pretty great. Jim Steinman’s songs and compositions are strong, and Meat Loaf seals the deal, singing like a man trying to break free of possession by his own impulses. A couple slow clunkers, but “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” is maybe the best song ever written about teenage lust. It sounds like something that could have only come out of 1970s America.
Cinema for the ears. Great
Some albums are just so huge and over the top that it's impossible to dislike them. The elements that make this one probably shouldn't have worked together but they absolutely did. Meat Loaf certainly doesn't look anything like a charismatic lead singer, and even decades later, it's shocking to see him channeling Freddie Mercury. Combine this with Steinman's music, originally intended to be a modern retelling of Peter Pan, it's seeped in sex and Americana (added by members of the E Street Band). If record sales were initially slow, it may have been that people had no idea what to make of it. But the ongoing sales decades later confirm that eventually people caught on. It's a ridiculous but feel good album. If it's not working for you, consider taking music less seriously.
Classic album, always a good listen to find again
Okay but for why was this actually good though. Shocked to enjoy an album this much of the genre it is, from the period it’s from, with the album art it has.
It's kitsch, it's over the top, it's cliché, it's cheap-operatic... but if not taken seriously it's a fun album. Very good at what it does and definitely influential so must be on the list. I will never listen to this by choice (any more) but have to give it at least a 3. Oh go on, a 4 then, after all, if you like kitsch etc. this is about perfect.
Meatloaf rocks, no question about it.
thank you to the meat loaf episode of glee i had no idea how much of this album i actually knew. actually thought this was quite good, big fan of meat loaf's work in rocky horror. don't know if this is one i'd listen to in my free time but it's objectively very brilliant for what it is.
i liked it, my favourite song was paradise by the dashboard light.
A powerful addition to what I call, "Hyperdramatic songs" or music that overstates the significnce of the events described. Jim Steadman is the king of this music, and he has many songs to be included. Meatloaf has a perfect voice, and sometimes this album shows exactly what overdramatic means. 4/5
Paradise By the Dashboard Light
Good stuff, didn't hear about this band before, but I really enjoyed the album
Parece otro tipo de disco por su portada pero es muy chill y mola mucho
Brilliant record, like it more each time I listen to it
Great vibe the whole way through.
Loud. Over the top. Bombastic. Operatic. Cheesy. Melodramatic. Grandiose. Epic. You could probably guess what the album would be just by those clues. 'Paradise By The Dashboard Light' is the best track that I'd not heard before, easily. A really good rocking duet with a funky middle section. 'Bat Out Of Hell' is a classic over the top rock track and a great opener. The spoken opening to 'You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth' I find pretty cringe, but the actual song makes up for it. A catchy banger. 'All Revved Up With No Place To Go' has a huge ear worm of a sax 'riff' which wouldn't sound out of place on an 80's sitcom or gameshow theme tune. Meatloaf has a great voice that I really enjoy and it's suited perfect to this rock opera sounding album. It's not perfect. I think the slower ballads let it down a bit but it's a fun and accessible album.
A really solid album overall
Great album!
When Bruce took the off-ramp from bombast to a leaner sound after Born to Tun, this team jumped on that highway and drove it to Broadway. Then they beat it to death. But this thing is special, unique, snd of sinking humor.
По обложке ожидала, что будет hard metal и мне не зайдёт, а тут даже качает. Классно, первая песня идёт в подборку. Честно? Первый треки классные, но слишком долгие. Я честно не могу десять минут слушать про bat out of the hell
had no idea what would greet my ears when I put this on, but it absolutely cooked
This is the first time I've heard the entire album in a single play through. It's a force of nature and so I'm going for 4 stars. The music falls somewhere between Grease and the Rocky Horror Picture Show, bombastic and with everything turned up to eleven. It's a shame that Meatloaf never really surpassed his debut album.
♫ Listening to “Paradise By the Dashboard Light” by Meat Loaf & Ellen Foley (Bat Out of Hell, 1977) ♫
4/5
Not played in a while. It was overplayed in the day and very thin recording by today’s standards. Still, good to play it again.
The drama of this!
Bat out of hell is such a good song and rest of the album holds up
Really bipolar album but really good as well. 👍
Absolutely awesome album. From start to finish a gem.
Maybe not my usual style of music, but operatic and OTT in the best way.
Someone described this as an album for theatre kids and I couldn’t agree more. This was our pre-show singalong choice in 1989.
i love you mr loaf