Bat Out Of Hell: Re-Vamped

Bat Out of Hell is probably remembered most for its rock operetta of 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 and roll as Broadway theater, Bat made Meat Loaf a star. Jim Steinman’s contribution to the record is invaluable. His classically tinged piano gave a certain lush quality to his collaborations with Meat Loaf, making songs like the hit “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” all the more emotional.