I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
"I'd Do Anything for Love" | |
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Song |
"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" is a song written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by Meat Loaf with Lorraine Crosby. The song was released in 1993 as the first single from the album Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell. The last six verses feature a female singer who was credited only as "Mrs. Loud" in the album notes. She was later identified[when?] as Lorraine Crosby. However, she does not appear in the video, in which her vocals are lip-synched by Dana Patrick. Meat Loaf promoted the single with US vocalist Patti Russo.
The power ballad[2] was a commercial success, reaching number one in 28 countries.[1] The single was certified platinum in the United States and became Meat Loaf's first and only number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and on the UK singles chart, and was the best-selling single of 1993 in the United Kingdom. The song earned Meat Loaf a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo.
Music and lyrics
The timings in this article refer to the original album version. There are many shorter single and radio edits.
The song opens with a guitar played to sound like a revving motorcycle. Roy Bittan's piano begins to play along with the guitars. The vocals begin at the 1:50 point. The opening vocals are accompanied by piano and backing vocals. The song then becomes much louder as the band, predominantly piano, plays the main melody for twenty seconds. An instrumental section follows the first verse and chorus, lasting over 45 seconds, with piano playing the title melody, accompanied by guitar and wordless background vocals by Todd Rundgren, Rory Dodd and Kasim Sulton. The lead vocals recommence with another verse. The phrase "sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll" was changed to "Some days I just pray to the god of sex and drums and rock and roll" on the recording, although Meat Loaf occasionally sings the more familiar phrase in concert.[3]
Duet coda
At the 9:28 point, the song transforms into a duet coda. The structure of the verses remains, but the woman now asks what the man would do. He answers in the affirmative for the first four sections.
Woman:
Will you make me some magic with your own two hands?
Can you build an emerald city with these grains of sand?
Can you give me something I can take home?
Man:
I can do that!
The song's tone changes for the final two sections, in which the woman, Lorraine Crosby on the original recorded version, predicts that the man would eventually do things to upset her and their relationship.[4] Both times, he denies it.
The duet part was and still is performed regularly on stage by Meat Loaf with his current featured female vocalist Patti Russo. However, with the passing years their interplay during the coda has gradually taken on ironic overtones, if not overtly comedic ones, which were totally absent from the original album version. For example, in the 2007 show 3 Bats Live, after Russo sings "After a while you'll forget everything, it was a brief interlude and a midsummer night's fling", Meat Loaf stops the band and asks her (half-sung, half-spoken): "Why do you say this to me? Why do you keep saying these things to me every single night?", and she replies innocently (again half-sung): "It's in the lyrics". More funny exchanges of the same kind occur during their other live duets, such as the famous Bat Out of Hell track "Paradise by the Dashboard Light".
Perceived ambiguity of "that"
Meat Loaf says that the question, "What is 'that'?" is one of the most popular questions he is asked.[5]
Each verse mentions two things that the man would do for love, followed by one thing that he will not do. The title phrase repetition reasserts that he "won't do that." Each mention of "that" is a reference to the particular promise that he made earlier in the same verse.[6] The four things he says he will never do are:
- "forget the way you feel right now"
- "forgive myself if we don't go all the way tonight"
- "do it better than I do it with you"
- "stop dreaming of you every night of my life"
At the song's conclusion, the woman predicts two things that he will do: "You'll see that it's time to move on", and "You'll be screwing around." To both of these, the male emphatically responds, "I won't do that!"
In his 1998 VH1 Storytellers special, Meat Loaf even explained it on stage using a blackboard and a pointing stick.[6] In a 1993 promotional interview, Steinman states that the definition of "that" is fully revealed in the song in each of the several verses in which it is mentioned. This sense would have been more clear if the lyric had been "and I won't do that" instead of "but I won't do that." It is the use of "but" instead of "and" that leads to the ambiguity.
It sort of is a little puzzle and I guess it goes by - but they're all great things. 'I won't stop doing beautiful things and I won't do bad things.' It's very noble. I'm very proud of that song because it's very much like out of the world of Excalibur. To me, it's like Sir Lancelot or something - very noble and chivalrous. That's my favorite song on the record - it's very ambitious.[7][8]
Meat Loaf believed that the lyrics were unambiguous, but Steinman predicted that they would cause confusion.[9] An early episode of the VH1 program Pop-up Video made this claim at the end of the song's video: "Exactly what Meat Loaf won't do for love remains a mystery to this day."[10] A reviewer writing for AllMusic commented that "The lyrics build suspense by portraying a romance-consumed lover who pledges to do anything in the name of love except 'that,' a mysterious thing that he will not specify."[11] Frank O'day says the lyrics provide "an enlightening example of how listeners project their own thoughts, values, and concerns onto the meaning of the song with misconstrued lyrics."[4]
The phrase "I would do anything for love but I won't do that" had previously appeared as a spoken interlude in the song "Getting So Excited," released in 1985 by Bonnie Tyler in her album Faster Than the Speed of Night. In this song, the phrase's meaning is more clear: a woman is refusing an offensive proposal. Steinman produced this record and wrote many of the songs but this song is credited to Alan Gruner.
Length
Steinman's songs are usually long, and "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" is no exception.[9] The song is a full 12 minutes, and Steinman was deeply upset when executives advised him that he had to cut it down to get radio play.[9] Manager Allen Kovac warned that any song over five minutes would not be played on radio, saying that if Steinman and the group did not make the cuts then the stations would. Even after they made the cuts, Steinman sent his own version to the stations.[9]
The single version was edited down to five minutes and 25 seconds, with the motorcycle introduction omitted.[9] The video version was whittled down to seven minutes and 38 seconds, with part of the motorcycle intro remaining.[12] In the video version and single version, the lengthy instrumental break is completely omitted. In the video and single versions, the refrain is abridged as well; Lorraine Crosby sings six verses in the complete song. In the video version, the second and third verses are omitted. In the single version, the second, third, and fifth verses are omitted.
Recording
Lorraine Crosby, a singer from England, was the guest singer, though AllMusic incorrectly attributes the female vocals to Ellen Foley.[11] Crosby and her partner Stuart Emerson had moved to Los Angeles to work with Steinman, who became their manager. He secured them a contract with Meat Loaf's label MCA. While visiting the company's studios on Sunset Boulevard, Crosby was asked to provide guide vocals for Meat Loaf, who was recording "I'd Do Anything for Love". Crosby recalls, "In I went and sang it twice and I never thought anything more of it until six months later when I got a phone call saying, 'Would you mind if we used your vocals?'" As Crosby had recorded her part as guide vocals, she received no royalties from the song.[13]
Cher, Melissa Etheridge and Bonnie Tyler had been considered for the role.[13] Tyler, who described Crosby as "a great friend of mine from Newcastle", said: "Meat Loaf was naughty, really: he gave her no acknowledgement on the album but I think her part really made that song."[14]
Music video
Michael Bay directed the music video. He also directed the videos for "Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than They Are" and "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through", also from Bat Out of Hell II. Filming took place in Los Angeles County, California in July 1993; the opening chase was filmed at Chávez Ravine, with the interior mansion scenes filmed at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills.[10] The cinematographer was Daniel Pearl, particularly known for filming The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in 1973. Pearl says that this video "is one of my personal all-time favorite projects... I think the cinematography is pure, and it tells a story about the song."[15]
The video is based on Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera. Bob Keane did Meat Loaf's make-up, which took up to two hours to apply. The make-up was designed to be simple and scary, yet "with the ability to make him sympathetic."[16] It went over budget, and was filmed in 90 °F (32 °C) heat, across four days. According to one executive, it "probably had the budget of Four Weddings and a Funeral."[3] It is the abridged seven-minute single version, rather than the twelve-minute (11:58) album version.
The actress in the video, Dana Patrick, is miming to Crosby's vocals; she did the same for Patti Russo's vocals in the 1995 song "I'd Lie for You (And That's the Truth)".[1][10] According to the captions aired on Pop-Up Video, Patrick received several offers for record deals after the video aired, from executives who assumed she was actually singing in the video.[10]
Synopsis
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/82/IdDoAnythingForLove.jpg/220px-IdDoAnythingForLove.jpg)
The story begins with the opening credits saying: "I have travelled across the universe through the years to find her. Sometimes going all the way is just a start." We then see "The Beast" character – a deformed man portrayed by Meat Loaf, on a motorbike being chased by police officers and a helicopter. As the chase continues into night, the Beast passes through into a graveyard and into what appears to be a very ornate mausoleum hiding from his pursuers. He mournfully examines his deformed hands and features; as the officers enter and examine the mausoleum he crashes through the wall with his motorbike and he accidentally knocks down a police officer (whose shotgun goes off) and causes one of the chandeliers on the ceiling to fall and kill the officer.
In desperation the Beast flees into the nearby woods where he comes across a beautiful woman bathing/cooling herself by a fountain. The woman appears to be in sunny daylight, while the rest of the woods and castle clearly show that it is night-time. The woman looks into a mirror and glimpses the Beast watching her. She turns and he flees leaving only an amulet hanging on a branch. The woman picks it up and pursues him.
As she approaches the castle, the Beast is watching her movements through the reflection of his drink. As she comes into the castle the Beast hurriedly removes himself. The woman sits in his chair and rests by the fire. The beast watches her from his hall of mirrors and contemplates approaching her but is ashamed of his appearance. She later is seen having a bath interspersed with the police officers finding the dead officer's body and preparing to raid the castle. She is later seen trying to sleep while being seduced by 3 vampy women while the Beast sits in a chair (a reference to Dracula and the Brides). The Beast leaves the room and, seeing his reflection, begins to smash up the mirrors. The woman, hearing the noise, comes out and follows him into a presumable living room. The Beast observes her from above and levitates the chair she is sitting on.
The Beast, then hearing the officers are near moves away, pulls the chaise back down breaking a lamp. The two run away and the woman removes the Beast's hood so she can look at him clearly. She accepts him and caresses his face while they embrace. As they pull away, the Beast is returned to his human form, and the two disappear just before the police catch them. The woman and the transformed Beast finally ride off into the sunrise on his motorbike.
Use in media
In 2013, the song was covered in an M&M's commercial which aired during Super Bowl XLVII.
The song is featured in the animated comedy Sausage Party and on its soundtrack. In the film the song is performed by an anthropomorphic meatloaf caricature of the singer.[17]
It was used in a 2017 commercial for Carvana and in the trailer for the 2018 comedy Blockers.
The song also appeared on the EP Fire & Ashes by German symphonic metal band Xandria. On this version, Meat Loaf's vocal parts are done by Dianne van Giersbergen, while Lorraine Crosby's vocal parts are done by Valerio Recenti, singer of the Dutch rock band my propane.
Track listing
The single cover is a cropped version of the painting Leavetaking by fantasy illustrator Michael Whelan, who also painted the Bat Out of Hell II cover.[18]
All tracks are written by Jim Steinman
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" | 7:52 |
2. | "Back into Hell" | 2:45 |
3. | "Everything Louder than Everything Else" (live) | 9:18 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" (single edit) | 5:09 |
2. | "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" (edit) | 6:36 |
Reception
The song reached number one in the charts in 28 countries.[1] In most countries, it was Meat Loaf's first and only number one solo single.[citation needed] It was number one in the US for five weeks and sold over 1.4 million copies there.[20] In the UK, it topped the singles chart, and at seven minutes and 52 seconds, "I'd Do Anything for Love" becoming the longest song on top there since The Beatles' hit "Hey Jude".[21] This was then broken when Oasis released their 1997 hit "All Around the World", clocking in at 9 minutes and 20 seconds.[citation needed]
In the UK, this was the biggest hit of 1993, selling 761,200 copies and staying at number one for seven weeks.[22] As a result of its success, "Bat Out of Hell" was reissued in the UK, this time reaching the top ten (which it did not achieve on its first release in 1979), meaning Meat Loaf achieved the rare feat of having two singles in the UK top ten at the same time.
In Germany, the song is the 7th best-selling pop hymn ever.[23]
Critical reaction was mixed. AllMusic said that "Meat Loaf sells the borderline-campy lyrics with a full-throated vocal whose stirring sense of conviction brings out the heart hidden behind the clever phrases."[11] Meat Loaf won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo for the song.[24]
British adventurer, Bear Grylls cites this song as his inspiration to apply for selection into the SAS: "Enthusiasm and determination count for so much more than, skills, brains or qualifications... and all this expressed itself to me through Meatloaf's song!". [25]
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
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References
- ^ a b c d "Lorraine Crosby's biography". Lorraine Crosby.com. Archived from the original (archived copy from the Internet Archive) on 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
- ^ "The 21 best power ballads".
- ^ a b Producers: Gina & Jerry Newson (1995-06-12). "Marketing Meat Loaf". The Music Biz. Season 1. Episode 4. BBC2.
- ^ a b Bader, Anne (2007). "Media myths in popular love songs". In Galician, Mary-Lou; Merskin, Debra L. (eds.). Critical thinking about Sex, love, and romance in the mass media: media literacy applications. London: Routledge. pp. 155–6. ISBN 0-8058-5615-3.
- ^ Meat Loaf (commentary) (2004). Meat Loaf Live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (DVD). Melbourne: Warner Music Vision.
- ^ a b "Meat Loaf", VH1 Storytellers, [DVD]
- ^ Jim Steinman (1993). Back into Hell: Meat Loaf & Jim Steinman interview (DVD). Virgin Records.
- ^ "The Artist's Mind". jimsteinman.com. Retrieved 2006-10-22.
- ^ a b c d e Loaf, Meat; David Dalton (2000). To Hell and Back: An Autobiography. London: Virgin Publishing. pp. 203–4. ISBN 0-7535-0443-X.
Jimmy always said, "You know what? Nobody's gonna get it." And he was right.
- ^ a b c d "Episode 5". Pop-up Video. VH1.
- ^ a b c Guarisco, Donald A. "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". Allmusic. Retrieved 2006-09-29.
- ^ Video available on Bat out of Hell II: Collector's Edition, Virgin
- ^ a b Holt, Pauline (Dec 7, 2003). "All on her own". Sunday Sun. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved 2010-02-06.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|dead-url=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Heatley, Michael (June 2001). "Classic careers: Bonnie Tyler". Classic Rock #28. p. 98.
- ^ "Pearl Looks Forward to Future, 25 Years after Texas Chainsaw Massacre". International Cinematographers Guild. Archived from the original on 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2006-08-29.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Meat Loaf (1993). Back into Hell: Meat Loaf & Jim Steinman interview (DVD). Virgin Records.
- ^ "Meat Loaf Sings In 'Sausage Party' & It's As Hilarious As You'd Expect". Bustle. 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2016-08-14.
- ^ "Leavetaking". Gallery Collection. The Art of Michael Whelan. Archived from the original on 2006-11-17. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
- ^ "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) [Alex CD Single] - Meat Loaf | Credits". AllMusic. 1993-10-18. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
- ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard. 106 (3). BPI Communications: 73. January 15, 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
- ^ "Weekly World News". 15 (10). Dec 7, 1993: 13.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)". songfacts.com. Retrieved 2006-08-29.
- ^ "RTL Fernsehprogramm von heute - aktuelles TV Programm".
- ^ "Grammy Awards: Best Rock Vocal Solo Performance". Rock on the Net. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
- ^ Prince's Trust trading Ltd. (2009). Inspired* by music. London: Shoehorn Arts & Culture Books. pp. 12–15. ISBN 978-190714901-6.
- ^ "Meat Loaf – I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Meat Loaf – I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^ "Meat Loaf – I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Top Singles - Volume 58, No. 16, October 30, 1993". RPM. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
- ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- ^ "Meat Loaf – I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" (in French). Les classement single.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (21.10.1993 - 27.10.1993)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir - Tónlist. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ^ "Irish Singles Chart – Search for song". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on June 3, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 45, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "Meat Loaf – I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Meat Loaf – I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". VG-lista.
- ^ "Meat Loaf – I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "Meat Loaf – I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Meat Loaf Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Meat Loaf Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Meat Loaf Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
- ^ "End of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ^ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
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External links
- 1993 singles
- Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
- Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
- European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
- Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
- Meat Loaf songs
- Number-one singles in Australia
- Number-one singles in Austria
- Number-one singles in Germany
- Number-one singles in New Zealand
- Number-one singles in Norway
- Number-one singles in Sweden
- Number-one singles in Switzerland
- RPM Top Singles number-one singles
- Songs written by Jim Steinman
- UK Singles Chart number-one singles
- Vocal duets
- Hard rock ballads
- Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
- Song recordings produced by Jim Steinman
- Music videos directed by Michael Bay
- MCA Records singles
- 1993 songs