63. Left In The Dark

[White of High]

This is the START OUT OF HELL & ARRIVE TO HEAVEN topic.
Let's Go to Rock 'n' Roll!!!!!!!

Left In The Dark (9)

What a song? When I listened this album at first time this song attracts the attention of me. (Meat! The hope is being. You know what about I say)
After it became one of my best song in the album. I think you know I hold better Jim's version and you know why. About that later!
What a fantastic emotions. What a love! Great!!!

My score: 9



Average: 8.93 (178.5/20)

[Michel]

An amazing song, just the best of the album. Such a great powerfull ballad. Meat has just the right voice for this song. Jim's version from this song is absolutely not bad, but Meat's version is so much better.

My score: 9

[Garrett]

Incredible!!

10/10

[The Flying Mouse]

:twisted: A very sad song full of emotion.
The guy knows but he doesn't want to know.
The lyrics are great and Meat's voice is really powerful.
One of my favourite songs on the album.
9/10 On your mind.

[Bren]

This is my second favourite Meat Loaf song,For Crying Out Loud ,being my favourite,
Left In The Dark, has really good,powerful lyrics.There is just so much power and emotion in this song,it's amazing.Ilove it.
10/10

[Jayd]

Very emotional song and is really good, not the best on the album but is a lot better than Jim's version. 8/10 :D

[Rushour]

Welcome To The neighbourhood is a really great album, and this song is sooooooooooooo beautiful, i like to listen to it when i go to bed, then i can sleep very well afterwards, but i always listen to ML songs, when i go to bed, i always fall asleep with my headset on. i really can't fell asleep anymore without listening to Meat Loaf. You know it's like an addiction, OH MY GOD: I'M ADDICTED TO MEAT LOAF!!!!
:D Rushour

[Sue K]

OH!!!

a song to DIE for...

10/10

tink...XO

[badger]

This song is simply stunning. The emotion is just amazing and...

Sorry, I have just written about 5 different versions of what I want to say but I can't put into words what I want!

Simply Meat performs this stong in such a greta way you can understand every emotion he is going though.

I really and truly love this album so much, the whole concept of it is great and this song is possibly the best on there.

A thoroughly deserved emotional:

9/10

[Louise]

Meat sings this song with so much passion and emotion. Much better than the Barbra Streisand version too. (At least I think it was her who did a cover of it)

[Bart]

I like the backing vocals on Barbara Streisand's version.

Jim's song is, in fact, the best version. They have to put meat's voice on Jim's version with the backing vocals from Barbara.

Meat: 8/10
Jim: 5/10 (voice)
Barbara: 6/10

[Testify]

i like this song very much!!

9/10

[PanicLord]

I'm going to split my review here into two parts so that I can cover Jim's Version and Meat's.

Jim's: 1/10 (I'm in a generous mood!)

I have never heard such appalling singing on any studio album (even Will Young is better!). The music itself is ok but nothing special, and the song falls completely flat. It was actually quite embarassing listening to this - I usually love Steinsongs because they tell stories, and you often either wish you were the singer (e.g. Paradise) or really empathise with them (e.g. Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us - My fav Meat song!). In this case I just wanted him to stop whining and go away.


Meat's: 8.5/10

This is more like it! Meat sings this fantastically, and it becomes one of the best songs on the album (IMHO still the best non Steinman album). The emotions are intense, the music is great, and Meat's singing is superb. I just wish the ending was screamed out a bit longer, like Gonna.

[mariella]

Superb!

For me, on the same level, as FCOL and Heaven.

10/10

Mariella

[Wild_Honey]

I don't listen to it very often. but I like it. 8/10

[Evan]

"Left In The Dark" is a song that displays the ultimate form of jealousy. My problem with Meat's version is that Steinman didn't produce and as a result most of the character in the song's jealousy was overlooked. Now with Jimmy's version...all I can say is wow! I'm willing to admit that Jim's voice takes a bit of getting use to but once you learn to appreciate it "Left In The Dark" quickly becomes your favorite song on the "Bad For Good" album. If I listen to Jim's version of this song actually alone in the dark it just gives me chills. Nothing can replace the way that you feel when you hear Jimmy hit the chorus, I just love Jim Steinman's voice, what can I say, crucify me if you must.

Jim's Version
10/10

Meat's Version
5/10

Also, I much prefer the great orchestra sounds on Jim's version, rather then the heavy guitars on Meat's version.
However, I've heard from Smeghead that Meat Loaf does put on a great live version of this song.

[evil nickname]

For this review (as it seems to be turned into a double review) I've listened to Jim's and Meat's version back to back... since the lyrics are (almost) the same, all I can say is that they are fab. Jealousy and desperation. As for the music (arrangement):

JIM:
Great spoken intro, soft piano intro, and Jim starts singing. After a while the orchestra slowly starts, and the drummer joins in. Song goes on, nice interlude after the first chorus... the orchestration is faboulous.

MEAT:
No spoken intro, and the song goes starts much the same way as Jim's version. The after-chorus interlude is dominated by synthesized strings and guitars. I have the overall feeling that Meat's version is a bit 'heavier' than Jim's. The spoken question at the end "who made the very first move?" seems completly out of place...

I'd have to say that I prefer Jim's version, mainly because of the orchestra. It gives more 'depth' and 'richness' to the sound.... Note that in Jim's version there is no guitar to be heared, while Meat's version sometimes seem to drown in them.

As for the singing: obviously Meat is quite a different singer than Jim. It would be ridiculous to compare them to each other. I find it hard to decide which does it better.
I've seen Meat do "Left in the Dark" in Rotterdam in '96, and until that moment, I didn't really like the song (hadn't heard Jim's version yet), but that performance changed my opinion of the song. The whole setting, Meat singing, siting on a chair, lamp next to him, seemed to capture the emotion of the song better than the album version.
Jim's performance is more raw, not as polished as Meat's, and maybe therefore the desperation and jealousy is better displayed.

Anyhow, musically and lyrically there's nothing wrong with Left in the Dark. You can argue who performs it better -- but for me, it's a tie. So score:

Meat: 8/10
Jim: 8/10

[Quigmo]

This is another of those songs that I always wanted to here with Meats voice after JS's Bad for Good. I had no idea this song could be pulled up to this level. It hit me as very juvinal on BFG. Meat definatly found the mature emotion this song needed.
9/10
BFG version 1/10

[Gez]

10/10. Love this one...and even the Steinman version is ok!

[RSG]

Woah, I don't have an opinion to this song yet? I do now.

Amazing song, I like the power in this song. I like it, I love it, I can't get enough of it (like all meat songs, lol) but this is amazing.

10 / 10

probably could have been better with Steinman's production, but it still worked out well.

[rockfenris2005]

Apparently it escaped "Bat Out of Hell" - and even forced someone to cut their wrists (after listening to the demo). I don't like the WTTN version - matter of fact, I totally despise WTTN - but the Jim version is truly astounding. It should be in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, as the Phantom's betrayal song when Christine falls in love with Raoul.

[Lauren]

Fantastic 9/10

[black dog]

I love this song.

You can imagine yourself waiting for someone to return home knowing that they have been cheating on you. That's the sort of song I like. One you can relate to.

[martha_mae]

Great song, very good lyrics

10/10

[LostSoul]

I love that song. It's the best for me equal to "Original Sin" on the WTTN album!
And performed live it reaches another level!

I don't like Jim's version, it's rougher and strident! can't stand it!
Jim's a composer... not a performer!

9/10 on the album
11/10 live!

[RadioMaster]

everything that need to be said is said in the left in the dark lyrics thread
a very good song....

there are different ways of interpretation
I see it as a sad but in moments sarcastic song.

9

[JanT]

I also love this song. I think Meats interpretation sounds better than Jims. I have never heard it sung live. Maybe there's an mp3 out there somewhere.

10/10

[mszee]

Great song!!!

8

[24K]

Outstanding! 10 out of 10.

[Ross]

Fantastic song, but I much prefer Jim at it than Meat. Jim's weaker vocals only contribute to the feeling.. and the Orchestra is fantastic on Jim's version,

Meat - 8/10
Jim - 10/10

[lorenzoduke]

10/10. I adore this one, a very passionate performance too. I remember a great performance on the Born To Rock tour in Sheffield or Manchester...I wonder if any of them are kicking around....

[RadioMaster]

Fantastic song, but I much prefer Jim at it than Meat. Jim's weaker vocals only contribute to the feeling.. and the Orchestra is fantastic on Jim's version,

Meat - 8/10
Jim - 10/10

Did you notice that the last orchestral solo of Jims version is used nearly similar for Tanz der Vampire?

[Ross]

Did you notice that the last orchestral solo of Jims version is used nearly similar for Tanz der Vampire?

I didn't know that - having never listened to Tanz. Whenever I get it, which I will I will look out for that, as i love that bit!

[mszee]

I didn't know that - having never listened to Tanz. Whenever I get it, which I will I will look out for that, as i love that bit!

You have to listen to Tanz...it's a must!!!

[RadioMaster]

just for the protocol, its part of the last song in the first act.

[lorenzoduke]

The only thing that could improve Meat's version is if Jim's spoken intro/outro were included. They're melodramatic of course, but I love them

[Bap]

Good song not stand out for me though 8/10

[Evil One]

6. Good, but too much guitar and not enough piano.

[geordieloaf]

9/10

[White of High]

Average: 8.85 (265.5/30)

[djfierce]

i personally didnt like the spoken part at the beginning of jim's version so i am glad it's not on meat's.
hated this song for so long but the last year or so i have woken up to it (my god where have i been :shock) I love it, lyrics are fantastic :D and Meat serves up the neccessary power and emotion to carry it off ;)

9

[Wario]

fantastic and a great performance. 8/10

My favorite version:

FBztaJm7oEM

[Elijah's way]

One of my fav 11

[Mr. Happy]

The live version that Wario linked above is incredible. If it was like that on the recording, it would hands down be one of the best songs in Meat's catalogue.

But it's not. People complain about Bat out of Hell III mutilating all the Steinman songs, but what was done to Left in the Dark is worse than anything on Bat 3. It's not bad, but it's just a gigantic missed opportunity. It could have been so much better. It needs the emotion that's in that live recording, because on Welcome to the Neighborhood, it sounds metallic and lifeless. It doesn't sound like the musicians are feeling the song, they're just playing the notes. It's just...forced. I mean, what the hell happened to the solo? They took an awesome piano solo with an entire orchestra backing it and replaced it with a repetitive five or six note phrase O.O That, and the lack of Jim's monologue made this very disappointing for me :( Each to their own, I guess.

The live recording easily gets a 10 from me.

The studio version gets a 5.

[GDW]

Meat's studio version 8/10 Jim's studio version 9/10. Barbra's studio version 7/10. Great song.:-)

[ninja]

fantastic and a great performance. 8/10

My favorite version:

FBztaJm7oEM

thank you wario! this is incredible ... awesome ... love it!!!

[shell120978]

Awesome song 10/10 got to hear it live at the NEC, Birmingham in 1996 :D