Greatest Hits
 

Given the chart success of POTA, I wondered what Meat Loaf songs should be included on a new Greatest Hits album ?

In my opinion this shouldn't be the same answer as, 'what are your favourite Meat Loaf songs ?', as any Greatest Hits album should appeal to the non-fan general public.

In other words, what songs would you include which would have enough general appeal to persuade non-fans to become fans, and then perhaps get into the more obscure Meat Loaf songs ?

So if anyone, mentioning no names, includes Masculine then its a clear case of personal preference rather than trying to appeal to the mass audience !

To make it more realistic (& difficult) we should limit ourselves to a single CD ...

So my choice would be:

1. Bat Out Of Hell
2. Took The Words
3. Two Out Of Three
4. Paradise
5. Dead Ringer
6. Anything For Love
7. Rock & Roll Dreams
8. Objects In The Rear View Mirror
9. Home By Now / No Matter What
10. Its All Coming Back To Me Now
11. In The Land Of The Pigs

Is this a hypothetical scenario where all the record labels are working together instead of pissing in each others eyes? :shock:

Bat Out Of Hell
You Took The Words
Two Out Of Three
Paradise
Dead Ringer
Anything For Love (longer still but not as long as the album version)
Rock And Roll Dreams
Objects In The Rear View Mirror (single edit)
I'd Lie For You
No Matter What
Blind As A Bat
In The Land Of The Pig

Would fit nicely onto one CD, but probably in a more random order. :twisted:

Hypothetical in the sense that the record companies work together, but very real in the sense that the song selection has as broad appeal as possible - but if anyone wants to challenge these assumptions with a good argument then by all means feel free ... :twisted:

Your two new greatest hits albums each contain just two songs not already included in Meat's "The Very Best Of" album which can still be purchased/ordered via Amazon. I can see BOOH would be a must on any new compilation of greatest hits .. but just to include 2 not on that album seems a bit strange if it's not a list of our preferred songs.

So if you were to have a second version I'd be in favour of a two disc version (as before) .. a best of spanning his career including the 10 years since the previous one. Mine would probably be (not placed in order on each disc)

I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
I'd Lie For You (And That's The Truth)
Dead Ringer For Love
Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are
Bat Out Of Hell
Home By Now/ No Matter What
You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth
Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad
Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through
Paradise By The Dashboard Light

Couldn't Have Said It Better
Did I Say That?
You're Right, I Was Wrong
Its All Coming Back To Me Now
Blind As A Bat
Bad For Good
The Future Ain't What It Used To be
Peace On Earth
Los Angeloser
Did You Ever Love Somebody

Caryl

Caryl is right, I really don't see any point releasing a Greatest hits which doesn't include more of Meat's material from the last 13 years.

Certainly CHSIB and DIST should be on there, they mark the key Meat Loaf sound which I think together with BAAB are some of the best non Steinman but Steinman-esque songs ever written.

I think Caryl's list makes quite a bit of sense commercially though I'd prefer Man of Steel or Testify over You're Right, I was wrong, What About Love over Future and Madness over Did you Ever Love Somebody.

If PFL is really getting released as a single then it should be on there too. Pigs I've never been a huge fan of and don't see why it would need to be on a Greatest Hits collection at all considering it didn't exist in the live shows very long either.

I just thought that a two disc version was way too easy.

I guess what I was driving at was what dozen or so Meat Loaf songs would you put on an album to get someone who wasn't a fan into the music ? Or which dozen or so songs would have the broadest appeal to the general public who are only prepared to buy a sub tenner CD for the car on the off chance ?

What songs would you include to grab their interest and then make them more likely to buy the 'real' albums ?

as a ONE DISK SET

• Objects
• You Took The Words
• Out Of The Frying Pan
• It Just Won't Quit
• Testify
• Where The Rubber Meets The Road
• California Isnt Big Enough
• Did I Say That?
• Read 'Em and Weep
• Everything Louder
• Modern Girl
• Los Angeloser
• Two out Of Three
• Masculine

as a TWO DISK SET

Disk 1:

1. Objects in The Rear View Mirror
2. You Took The Words
3. Out Of The Frying Pan
4. Bad For Good
5. It Just Won't Quit
6. What You See Is What You Get
7. Piece of the Action
8. Testify
9. Where The Rubber Meets The Road
10. Midnight at the Lost and Found
11. I'm Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us
12. Paradise
13. Rock & Roll Dreams
14. California Isnt Big Enough

Disk 2:

1. I'd Do Anything For Love
2. Jumpin' the Gun
3. Did I Say That?
4. Read 'Em and Weep
5. Everything Louder
6. Priscilla
7. Dead Ringer For Love
8. Modern Girl
9. Amnesty Is Granted
10. Los Angeloser
11. Two out Of Three
12. Bat Out Of Hell
13. Masculine

Jesus :roll:

The Very Best Of is a pretty good compilation, how about an updated, expanded version of it? I'd probably put a few more Bat II songs like Everything Louder or Frying Pan on it though.

That would be my choices, too. DIST is one of the strongest songs on CHSIB, and CHSIB (the song) appears to be quite popular and has gotten a lot of clicks and praise on YouTube. BAAB is a complex, varied song. Maybe it would have gotten more attention than COM if it had been released as a single. :shrug: From Bat III, I'd also add IACBTMN. It's not my favorite version of the song but it was a hit so it can't be a bad choice for such a compilation.

It definitely should. It's a rather unusual song for Meat and might get the attention of people who are more interested in singer/songwriters and who think he can only sing over-the-top rock operas. I'd also like to see Song Of Madness and If I Can't Have You on such a compilation. I like compilations that provide a good overview of what an artist has done over the the years and that aren't restricted a certain style, period of time or to the actual "greatest hits". It's often songs that weren't hits that are the most interesting ones.

:lmao: "Masculine, masculine, masculine..." :cheer: (Can someone get the Goffs out of my head, please?)

If we're playing the two CD game then I'll just quote myself from this thread: http://www.mlukfc.com/forums/showthr...255#post513255

Its interesting that you included Pigs in your single CD in this thread but not in you double CD in the previous thread.

I think Pigs is a great song and the vocal and guitar performances are just stella. I also liked the animal farm inspired video which they played on the big screens on the 3 Bats tour, which I guess will also be kicking round the internet somewhere.

17 of hes best known songs, plus 3 brand new songs:D all on two disks.

actually my dream GH set would contain all of this:

YouTube Video

Would we have to endure a 30 second animation every time we picked up the box? :twisted:

You say on your YouTube descriprtion bit that you expect lots of WTF's for no. 12. I think MATLAF is actually the least of your problems - Masculine at no.2 :wtf:, Bat Out Of Hell only at no.14 :wtf: :wtf:, and no Anything For Love or Paradise at all :wtf: :wtf: :wtf:, although I can almost believe that Took The Words is a contender for the greatest Meat Loaf song of all time (just) ... :shock:

number 12 was originally Priscilla. But changed it last minute cause I re-listened to MATLAF and deleted and reuploaded the video copying the description. thats fixed.

Number 2 really shouldn't be a surprise/wtf moment, Number 14 was honest placement, and Paradise/AFL being in the video wasted space and prevented my countdown from standing out.

PRISCILLA :shock: :panic: :wacko:

Some interesting diverse choices appeared so far, limiting myself to the idea of aiming to attract more people to becoming fans and hence exploring the rest of Meat's back catalogue i'd go with something along the lines a chronological history covering all of Meat's career:

What You See Is What You Get
Bat Out Of Hell
Two Out Of Three
Deadringer For Love
I'll Kill You If You Don't Come Back
Midnight At The Lost and Found
Don't Leave Your Mark On Me
Rock and Roll Mercenaries
Everything Louder
Anything For Love
Amnesty Is Granted
If This Is The Last Kiss
Not A Dry Eye
Testify
Did I Say That
Land Of The Pigs
Alive
Prize Fight Lover
Los Angeloser

Yes, I know it'll span well over one disc, but in my fantasy land record company this morning a single CD can have many many more minutes of music than currently available in the real world. I'd say Bat, AFL and Deadringer are the three givens on a best of collection.

LMAO at Masculine again!

If Meat had to put anything from BBIS on a Greatest Hits I think it is likely his choice of song(s) would/should be limited to one or more of these:

"Blind Before I Stop"
"Rock 'n' Roll Mercenaries"
"Gettin' Away with Murder"
"Execution Day"
"Special Girl"
"Rock 'n' Roll Hero"

Execution Day is the only one even close to being on a par with the rest of his albums. :shock:

Indeed I would probably say go with that one too. Even though I personally like Soft Parade I think it would be crazy to put that one on the same CD set as songs like Bat and AFL, as would be putting the studio version of ~~~~~~~~~ on there. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

A good application of the De-Farian Process could turn any of BBIS songs back into the rock song that it was originally recorded as.

Do you possess such a device? :twisted:

Yes. It's somewhat crude and ineffective though ... The volume control or power button. :))

I don't know, it's pretty effective where BBIS is concerned! :lol:

:lol: but the De-Farian filter is too strong and you end up with nothing, not even the bare bones rocks songs. One day (probably when I've won the lottery and bought a shed load of gadgets and toys) I'll be in a position to try and work some magic with the Greek BBIS master tape I have in my collection ;-)

Anway, we digress ...

If this were to be a true greatest hits spanning Meat's career, rather than a "let's attaract some new fans to Meat's music" collection I'd think the list would be something like:

Whatever Happened to Saturday Night
Bat
Two Out Of Three
Deadringer For Love
Midnight At The Lost And Found
Modern Girl
Rock and Roll Mercenaries
Anything For Love
Rock and Roll Dreams
I'd Lie For You
Not A Dry Eye
Is Nothing Sacred
Couldn't Have Said It Better
It's All Coming Back
Los Angeloser

But that doesn't cover enough from the last 4 albums IMO, so I'd throw in Amnesty Is Granted, Testify, Mercury Blues, The Future Ain't What It Used To Be (re-recorded with Patti) and Let It Rain

Found it. ;-)

http://media.mlxxfc.net/frankfarian.jpg

It's no good. It doesn't seem to go up to 11. :twisted:

:lmao:

Recently heard a live recording where Meat did most of the BBIS album and was amazed at how much better even songs like "Special Girl" were without the cheesy 80's production. The same holds true for some "Bad Attitude" songs. They sound better live. Dare I say I prefer the HCTB live tracks to the one's on the CD as well.

Yeah Bad Attitude is another album crying out for a remaster I know Paul Jacobs was very upset when he heard how his songs sounded and he would love to rerecord/remaster them.

The only Bad Attitude song I've heard done slightly differently is Modern Girl in the late 80's. Meat only ever sang the rest during the BA tour, and sadly that featured instruments squealing far too much for my liking. To put it another way, it sounded very 80's just like the album does. :nuts:

Yeah, "Modern Girl" was one I had in mind. I thought a couple others were slightly better but the backing singers on that tour while sounding OK on backgrounds, should never have sang any leads. Ugh. That ruined some of the live stuff for me. The thing about the late 80's stuff is also the keyboards, like on "Meltdown" where the opening to "Bat" has keyboards that sound like a child's toy.

Maybe BBIS tracks aren't the best choice to put on such a compilation but how about live versions? The songs themselves aren't that bad, as loaferman61 has already pointed out.

That is true, but the only officially available live versions are from the Meat Loaf Live CD, and we've already established that it is terribly produced. It wouldn't be a good enticement for new fans. :shrug:

Actually I forgot about the '93 Masculine, but that's not really the best either. :shrug:

BBIS is better then Bat. The dance beats give the album a uniqness.

I love the song "A Man and A Woman". its very "tropical" sounding and it surprisingly has more emotion in it then FCOL.

"Getting Away With Murder" has the catchiest chorus of any Meat Loaf song up until "Los Angeloser".

as for FF, his production was different and tried to make meat a success. not much you can bash him for.

How about a poll? :))

It's been a while since I've seen a post so full of :shit: :lmao:

When you have the choice of a back catalogue as good as Meat's why would you bother ?

I'd hate to think that some (IMO) of the good rather than the great songs like say IKYIYDCB, Frying Pan, or Everything Louder were potentially dropped for any of these.

You're going for the WTF world record aren't you ?

If only to achieve an approval rating for Bat on a par with third world presedential elections.

That's why I suggested it. It would be interesting to know if there's someone who thinks like Wario though. ;)

There's bound to be. Whenever there's a poll on anything, there's always at least one scrote who will vote for the wrong option just to be a :nuts:. No one with even half a brain could possibly prefer BBIS to BOOH! :shock:

:shrug:

I dare you to start that poll ! ;)

Well this would be my selection
It would be a double album(i could easily make 2 double albums!!!)

I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
I'd Lie For You (And That's The Truth)
Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are
Amnesty IS Granted
For Crying Out Loud
Living On The Outside
You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth
Not A Dry Eye In The House
Midnight At The Lost And Found
Paradise By The Dashboard Light

Couldn't Have Said It Better
Hot Patootie
Bat Out Of Hell
Peace On Earth
Blind As A Bat
Alive
Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through
Peace On Earth
Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad
Los Angeloser
Dead Ringer For Love

Better not. Since one album inevitably has to lose, I could be accused of spreading "negativity". :bleh:

we had a period of like five hours one day in October when there were a LOT of useless polls comparing all the albums to each other. Evil One and me being the main people at fault lol.

R. deleted the polls and posted this:
http://www.mlukfc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16039

So even if someone were to make it, we'd be violating the wishes of R.

:nuts:. Not just R., that's why he posted that.

Don't drag me into this! :shock:

Once join polleth, thou shall be draggeth.

What I would do for a greatest hits is I'd make it a double album but from there I'd turn the first disc into a celebration of the three Bats and the second disc into the other albums.

So

Disc 1:
Bat Out Of Hell
Took The Words
Paradise
Anything For Love
Rock And Roll Dreams
Objects In The Rear View Mirror
Blind As A Bat
Land Of The Pig

Running Time: 1 Hour

Disc 2:
Hot Patootie
Dead Ringer
I'll Kill You If You Don't Come Back
Midnight At The Lost And Found
Surfs Up
I'd Lie For You
Not A Dry Eye
Did I Say That
Testify
Los Angeloser
Living On The Outside
Prize Fight Winner

Running Time: 50 Minutes

I've tried to cover pretty much all of Meats career. I haven't included anything from BBIS because quite honestly I hate the album so I wouldn't have been able to select anything objectivly but there is space on the second disk for it. Also I might consider putting Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste or Is Nothing Sacred in there too.

Also a note on the arrangement, I have done it the way I have because lets face it, and I know as fans we're not like this but most people are going to come for the Bat material, so that is going to be your selling point.

It's not a knock on the other albums because I personally think Dead Ringer and Welcome are just as good as any of the Bat albums but the general public aren't going to see that.

Secondly on the arrangement it means you could name the two discs 'Bats & ___'

Wouldn't you feel a bit miffed with a CD only totalling 50 minutes when you can fit 74 minutes on a disc? :shrug:

Also, can you really have a Greatest Hits without two Out Of Three? :shock:

I love this list. I'd probably replace The Future with What About Love and DYELS with LOTO. And I'd add Is Nothing Sacred- one of my favorites.

I think it really depends on whether we're talking "Greatest Hits" or "Best Of" because if you're talking Greatest Hits, you're talking those songs that made it big in the charts as singles. A Best Of simply cherry picks what are generally considered the artists' best songs whether they were hits individually or not.

totally agree with your points. The difference between best of and greatest hits is extraordinary.

If we go by "Greatest Hits" you only have a small handful of songs to choose from for Meat. You have the Big Six (Paradise, AFL, Took The Words, Two out of three, DRFL, and Bat) and then just Modern Girl, Midnight, Id Lie For You, and Rock & Roll Dreams.

Thats a 60 Minute CD according to my Itunes. an edited version of Objects cutting down the repetitive ending and Not A Dry Eye could be placed on the disk too with about four minutes of space to spare. far from a two disk set. Technically 'Rock & Roll Mercenaries" should also be included due to that charting better then "Two out of Three" in the UK Singles Chart

If we go the "Best of" route its personal opinion. In My case: Masculine, for example, would get tracked onto the disk. Its great to dream.

Midnight wasn't a hit in any way, shape or form. It's All Coming Back To Me Now charted higher. :shock:

Whereas Dead Ringer was a definite hit

Catyl

youre right. just looked into that

Yes, I was paring down to 10 .. give me 11 and Is Nothing Sacred would certainly be back on the first one. I love all the tracks on HCTB .. with 11 I'd add Living On The Outside in a heartbeat .. or perhaps Lets Be In Love :-) I chose Did You Ever Love Somebody because it shows the range Meat covered, and the vocals are just perfect.

Any 2 disc compliation though has, I agree, to be a Best Of rather than "Greatest Hits" .. perhaps Greatest Tracks or Songs.

Caryl

and i'm sure if you asked someone who vaguely knows about Meat Loaf they'd know of Midnight at the lost and found (from a UK number 1 album as far as I know)rather than Meat's version of It's all coming back to me now.

That's why it'd have to be on any Greatest Hits or Best Of

Not necessarily, one album will finish first, and the other will finish second. See, no negativity at all ! :lol:

Wario

Could you go for a week without mentioning Masculine !!!!!!!

I wouldn't be miffed about the album length because that doesn't make much of a difference. I've heard albums like Cynics Traced In Air that were only 34 minutes and really enjoyed them as much as I have something like Transatlantics The Whirlwind which takes up the entire length of the CD. I guess with a Best Of you want as much on there but I think near two hours worth of music is good value for money.

Regarding Two Out Of Three, you could really make a case for any of the songs from Bat Out Of Hell to be on there because the album is that good. Tell you what, Two Out Of Three can go on in place of any track from BBIS :-P

Two Out Of Three is definitely better than all the BBIS songs combined! :lol:

That would probably be equivalent to a week without spanking the monkey.

Well he will go blind before he stops. :lol:

Ok why not a Very Best Of Meat Loaf II?

1. Couldn't have Said It Better
2. Man Of steel
3. Did I Say That
4. Blind As A Bat
5. It's All Coming Back
6. Cry Over Me
7. Song Of Madness
8. Peace On Earth
9. Living On The Outside
10. Los Angeloser
11. New Song
12. New Song

Mainly because it wouldn't sell...you'd have many people scratching their heads asking where Bat Out of Hell and Anything for Love were.

Indeed. That album would sell than HCTB, CHSIB, BAT 3 for sure.

Thinking about it, I'm surprised we haven't had a compilation from Mercury yet. Then again, it's Mercury so I'm not too surprised. :shock:

:twisted: There is, they just forgot to put any copies in the shops or advertise it in any way shape or form.

Meat Loaf: The Invisible years, brought to you by Transparent records...a division of Mercury

:twisted: Meat's next release for Mercury should be called car keys, TV remotes, and other lost things :lmao:

This is what I'd like to see. Lots of other artists with long careers do things like this, and Meat is well deserving of a Part II, especially considering he has done some great songs on the last 3 records.

My tracklist would look something like this:

01 - [New Steinman song]
02 - Bad For Good
03 - Did I Say That
04 - Living On The Outside
05 - It's All Coming Back To Me Now
06 - [New Steinman song]
07 - Blind As A Bat
08 - Couldn't Have Said It Better
09 - Los Angeloser
10 - If It Ain't Broke (Break It)
11 - Dance In My Pants (Meat and Patti edition)
12 - Elvis In Vegas

I don't think Meat should record or perform Dance in my Pants now. I loved the song when I first heard it and could have seen Meat do it in his forties but now it would just seem a bit TOO recyclable if you get my drift. Surely What Part of My Body and Graveyard Shift should be contenders. Those cry out for Meat vocals in my opinion.

I don't think Meat should record Dance In My Pants because I think it's a poor song. :shrug:

Not that Dance In My Pants is (too) bad a song, but What Part Of My Body, Still the Children and Braver Than We Are deserve the Meat Loaf treatment far, far more. Graveyard Shift too, but that has too much recycling of Bad for Good for my liking :/

01. Bat out of Hell (9.51)
02. I'm Gonna Love Her For Both of Us (7.07)
03. Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through (5.51)
04. What Part of My Body Hurts The Most (4.41?)
05. You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (5.05)
06. I'd Do Anything For Love (12.01)
07. Life is a Lemon And I Want My Money Back (8.00)
08. Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are (10.16)
09. Two Out of Three Ain't Bad (5.26)
10. Braver Than We Are (9.34?)
11. Paradise by the Dashboard Light (8.29)
12. We're Still The Children We Were Then (4.56)

Ideal Greatest Hits, IMO. If you used the single version of Anything For Love / cut out some of the last repeats on Objects you'd just scrape 80 minutes :S New songs are there so it's not a carbon copy of the original VBO...AND because they really need to be done :P

and its 95% female vocal

Since Meat never recorded the God Speed part for his version of BFG, I think it's perfectly acceptable as the majority of listeners wouldn't have a clue.

By Too Recyclable of DIMP I actually meant it would just seem utterly desperate to do a Steinman song, I just don't think the song should be recorded at this stage, Meat is simply at an age where this doesn't really suit imo.

I love this track list - swap IGLHFBOU with Dead Ringer, and maybe (maybe) Lemon with IACBTMN, and IMO its a near perfect single CD - with new songs thrown in as well !

uhh. no aha