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| re: Bat 3. Ten years on. | |
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rockfenris2005 06:59 am UTC 04/12/16 |
| In reply to: | re: Bat 3. Ten years on. - Dr_Rock 09:13 pm UTC 04/11/16 |
Yeah, there's this whole way of looking at the album that's completely depressing to me. It's sort of like the difference between hearing Meat Loaf's version of "Original sin" for all these years and then suddenly, wow. Pandora's Box just blows you away. And not to mention the difference between "Never forget" and Jim's remix version as well, which opens up with the passage from Verdi's Requiem. Now you know you're in "the presence of the master". It's just this sense of awe that comes over you as a listener, and it's a combination of many different things as well, like Todd's backing arrangements, Rinkoff in the studio, Jeff's synths, Margoshes's orchestrations which I'm a huge fan of, and Rory and Eric (and I would have loved to have had the "contrast" between Meat and Rory, with Rory recording an album of Jim's songs sometime in the 80s which probably would have included "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" maybe.) When Meat announced Bat 3, my jaw hit the floor. I was like, wow. Not even because of the first Bat, but because how they would follow the second one, and how would they have done it with the technology that had developed since? Would there be an orchestra again? What songs would be used? The disappointment/speculation over what might have been is huge, so huge that I *STILL* ten years later wonder what it might have been like. And it's like this massive ELEPHANT in the room whenever you go to listen to Bat 3 (and how could it not be?). Why did they even bother? Meat himself said they just should have cancelled it the moment Jim stepped out. But they had to make it, because they'd signed a contract, or whatever had happened. And you can't help but feel cynical when you imagine these record people saying, "Oh, you have to do this song, and it'll get put in a movie as well, OK?" And then when they did the movie, they didn't even use Meat's version. They brought in another bloody singer. It's just... intense. Sorry, I should have pointed that out much more in my post. But over the years, as an album in itself, I think I really enjoy it. Two other things I had to say: It did feel LONG this time I listened to it, like it was too long. AND if they'd never made this album, I wouldn't have felt the absolute need for another one, so they could say that they ended it on a much better note, although if they hadn't... you've got to love irony because you could say: Bat 1 Bat 2 Bat 3 Two out of three ain't bad? > Funnily enough I listened to The Monster is Loose a few > weeks ago just by chance. For a start I regard this album > as the Jews regard Jesus: I'm still waiting for the > promised one - Bat 3. > > It's probably best to steer the topic away from religion > so I'll reiterate my thoughts on this album which actually > are the same as when I first heard it. > The title track, Blind as a Bat, Alive and Cry Over Me are > all decent enough if you don't analyse the lyrics too > much. > > The problem with the Steinman tracks is that, without > exception, they make me want to go and listen to the > originals. Why would I listen to Bad for Good? I have the > Bad For Good Album. Why would I listen to Seize the Night? > I have the DotV demos. Why would I listen to It's All > Coming Back to Me Now? I have the Pandora's Box album. > Not a single one of Meat's versions stands up well against > other recorded versions and this version of Bad For Good > is a withered, anaemic shadow of Jim's version. > > When one has listened to a Steinman album, one should feel > utterly spent as though your soul has been ravaged to the > core, taken up to heaven and then thrown down to earth at > a million miles an hour like a supercharged > rollercoaster. > When I have listened to this album I think, "oh, The > Future Just Ain't What It Used to Be was on here. I must > have missed that." > > I have to say the best thing about this album is that it > introduced me to Marion Raven - who's Set Me Free album I > enjoyed very much. > > > > I was feeling depressed, so I lay down and listened to Bat > > 3, because I listened to Bat 2 the other night, and I was > > meaning to get around to this one. My thoughts, ten years > > after the release of the album. > > > > Overall, I can see this through line for the whole thing, > > which is this pretty tortured guy going through a lot of > > ups and downs here. Whether it's more than two women, or > > just the two, I can't make out. Anyway, the songs. > > 1. The Monster is loose - I actually love how aggressive > > and balls to the wall this one is. The yelling at the end > > and the choir just makes it for me too. > > 2. Blind as a bat - This should have been a single. I > > don't know about first, also with the whole Steinman thing > > as well, but definitely should have been second in my > > eyes. > > 3. It's all coming back to me now - In terms of the song > > itself, which leads into the whole argument about Steinman > > involvement, I just don't like it as much as the other two > > and I don't think that's ever going to change. And I'll > > just get that out of the way now. In terms of how it fits > > with the album, I can see this guy looking back on an > > older relationship, maybe the one in the song we just > > heard, or maybe another one. He's been through some > > dramas. > > 4. Bad for good - I think this is the beginning of a new > > relationship here, or it could be looking back on the > > older one. I'm not sure. This was probably the first time > > also that Brian May's involvement here really "hit" me. I > > just remember thinking "There's hardly anything here", but > > this time you could feel him, and how it made so much > > sense to get him involved with this one. It does have a > > bit of a Queen vibe on this one. Can't help but wonder btw > > what a studio version of the 80s live one would have been > > like. I wish Meat and Jim had done this somehow after Bat > > 2, and there probably could have been a Bat 3 between > > this, Future, Original sin, All coming back, Left in the > > dark. Ah well. > > 5. Cry over me - Diane Warren's song. People have talked > > about this song not belonging here. I don't really know > > what to say about that at this point. All I'm going to say > > though is. THIS SONG IS EVERYTHING. This and "If God could > > talk" actually sum up my feelings pretty well sometimes > > and I can't find that in many other songs, not even Jim's. > > This one is actually really underrated to me. I think the > > guy's broken up with the girl now. > > 6. In the land of the pig the butcher is king - Damn, this > > song is fierce. I think the guy's really depressed at this > > point. He's just got off the subway or something moving > > through the city, like Vin's story a bit that Jim was > > talking about on the blog. He's in a dark place here. Life > > is a lemon in the land of the pig. Where the butcher is > > king and you want your money back! Love the guitar > > solo/instrumental, also the dark ominous string parts. It > > almost makes you feel like there's this monstrous beast > > looming, like something out of "The Lord of the Rings", > > and you can smell it on the air. > > 7. Monstro - Should the lyrics have been Latin? I don't > > know. > > 8. Alive - Difficult to appreciate this one now, given > > what Meat said about it feeling "forced". And I don't > > know, it's a bit cliche and all, but it's not bad really. > > If I'd heard someone else singing it, I would have > > thought, "Meat could have done this." Probably not on this > > album though! > > 9. If God could talk - I just keep remembering what Todd > > said, "Shouldn't it be 'If God WOULD Talk'? Besides that, > > see "Cry Over Me". If God Could Talk, these big grand > > images he's trying to use to get his point across. I know > > how this guy feels. > > 10. If it ain't broke break it - I've heard different > > meanings for this song, but I always took it as the guy's > > really depressed. And I can tell you now, this really > > helps when you're in one of these moods, "Everything I've > > ever dreamed of/Has begun to fade to black/I don't know > > where I ever lost love/Or where to go now to get it back". > > Not that I take that literally, but something in it really > > makes you relate. Also, in terms of the songwriting, we're > > so used to Steinman being so melodic with his music. I > > actually really appreciate how this is more... monotone? I > > can't think of the right word. It goes with the vibe of > > the song as well. I wonder if there was a full Mike Vogel > > recording of "Only when I feel" for "Wuthering Heights" > > which could have been the demo that Meat heard? I don't > > know. > > 11. What about love? - Really felt the lyrics this time. > > He's in a relationship now. He's moved ahead. > > 12. Seize the night - Love the use of "The storm" here, > > though Meat would have got that from the "Dance of the > > Vampires" demo with the Overture at the start. I think > > this is the couple going through some kind of crisis. > > 13. The future ain't what it used to be - And this is > > where the crisis really crystallizes or becomes complete. > > I would have named the album after this song really. It > > probably would have fixed everything, haha. "Bat out of > > Hell 3: The future ain't what it used to be". The ending > > with Meat and Jennifer riffing with the backing vocals I > > love. > > 14. Cry to Heaven - It sums it all up, and probably all > > the Bat albums too. > > > > But yeah, maybe they should have called it "Bat out of > > Hell 3: The future ain't what it used to be"!!! > > > > The problem is it's very difficult to appreciate knowing > > what might have been, and I would still like an album > > called "The final flight" with roughly these songs: > > "Braver" > > "Not allowed to love" > > "Only when I feel" > > "What part of my body hurts the most?" > > "Who needs the young?" > > "You've got to love me with the sun in your eyes" > > "In the land of the pig the butcher is king" > > "We're still the children" > > "Cry to Heaven" or "Angels arise" which I can imagine > > Sarah Brightman singing. > > > > Anyhoo! Just my 200 cents. | |
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