45 Years Ago - 1977 Meatloaf released his debut album Bat Out of Hell.
Considered a classic today, back in the day Dave Marsh's review in Rolling Stone called the songs "swell, but... entirely mannered and derivative"
Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf had difficulty finding a record company willing to sign them. According to Meat Loaf's autobiography, Clive Davis commented that "actors don't make records" and challenged Steinman's writing abilities and knowledge of rock music:
Do you know how to write a song? Do you know anything about writing? If you're going to write for records, it goes like this: A, B, C, B, C, C. I don't know what you're doing. You're doing A, D, F, G, B, D, C. You don't know how to write a song.... Have you ever listened to pop music? Have you ever heard any rock-and-roll music.... You should go downstairs when you leave here...and buy some rock-and-roll records.
Charting singles were "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)" (#39), "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" (#11 #31 AC), and "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" (#39.)
Comments