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Meat Loaf did two albums
prior to Bat Out of Hell. I don't own
either of them, so this is all second-hand information.
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Stoney and Meat Loaf |
| Covers |
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| Tracks |
- (I'd
Love To Be) As Heavy As Jesus (2:44)
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She Waits By The Window (3:55)
- It
Takes All Kinds Of People (2:20)
- Game Of
Love (3:39)
- Kiss Me
Again (4:53)
-
What You See Is What You Get
(2:08)
- Sunshine
(Where's Heaven) (2:54)
- Jimmy Bell
(3:55)
- Lady Be
Mine (4:29)
- Jessica
White (2:34)
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Although lots of Meat Loaf fans don't realize
it, Meat Loaf cut an album several years before
Bat Out of Hell. In 1971, U.S. Rare
Earth (a division of Motown) released this interesting bit, mostly
comprised of duets between Meat and his lady partner Stoney.
I won't get into loads of detail here right
now; maybe later I'll add all the pertinent information. Until then, I
refer you to this excellent site devoted to this album:
http://homepages.tesco.net/~stoneymeat. |
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Meat Loaf Featuring Stoney and Meat
Loaf |
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Covers |
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Tracks |
- *
Jimmy Bell (5:03) - 1:08 longer
than previous album
- *
She Waits By The Window
(3:55)
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Stone Heart (2:48)
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Who Is The Leader Of The
People (4:05)
- *
Kiss Me Again (4:05) - 0:48
shorter than previous album
- *
Sunshine (Where's Heaven) (2:54)
- *
Jessica White (2:34)
- *
Lady Be Mine (4:29)
-
Everything Under The Sun
(2:52)
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This re-release of the original was in 1978,
apparently to cash in on Meat Loaf's juggernaut name (Bat Out of Hell
had been released in 1977 to uncontrolled acclaim; of course, they jumped
at the chance to make some money on his name). It featured similar tracks as
Stoney and Meat Loaf (indicated by red *).
"Jimmy Bell" is a remix, as it is more than a minute longer
here--longer instrumentals. Meat was
apparently embarrassed by the album, and unhappy about its re-release on
his
Bat Out of Hell success. When asked by an
interviewer in 1978 what he thought about it, Meat replied: |
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"What, Stoney and Meat Loaf? You can burn
it if you own a copy, burn the damn thing. I don't want to see it, you
know, people come up with it. They're getting ready to re-release it. I
can't believe it. I hate that record. I had nothing to do with the record
other than it said 'Meat Loaf' and I did a few vocals." |
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In a 1978 Sounds magazine bit, he
commented: |
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"That was my first record contract and I
really didn't know what I was doing, so I just did what they told me to do
... I didn't really have anything to do with the making of that album so
it doesn't really count for anything. The Motown people just called me up
and told me when I'd be going into the studio. They sent over a tape of
the backing tracks, which they'd already cut, and copies of the lyrics.
The producer was singing the rough medley on the backing tracks for me to
copy. The only creativity involved came when Stoney and I got together and
decided how we were going to do each song. Mostly I did that because I'm
good at figuring out who sings where." |
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Ralph Terrana, the album's producer, evidently
got wind of Meat's disparaging comments, and said, "I was disappointed to
hear Meat's negative opinion of the Stoney and Meatloaf album. He was
certainly enthusiastic while we were recording it. Also, it was 'As Heavy
As Jesus,' a song I produced and co-wrote, that got him his association
with Jim ... Meat, if you ever read this: we were all young then, doing
the best we could. Looking back, there is much I would do to change things
on that album, but it is what it is and I feel we all did the best we
could. You and I were very close in those days. If you were not happy, why
didn't you talk this over with me? I was thrilled for you when success
came your way and I wish you continued good fortune, Meat."
Wow! Was Meat a crybaby?! Or was it just in
1978, 25+ years ago now, and he was still "young" then? If you hear
some of the tracks off these albums, you'll find they're not all that bad.
In fact, there's some excellent songwriting and certainly great
performances by Stoney and Meat. |
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