1977: Meatloaf gives 'er

My mom had the Bat Out of Hell album when we wuz little. We loved it. Later I had it on tape, so I remember driving around in my put-put in the 90s, just loving and singing along to every track.

My political philosophy professor hugely admired authors who took a "give 'er" approach to their research and books. When I read Das Kapital I saw what he meant. I mean, Marx just keeps swinging that bat, the more melodramatic the better. Just throw everything you got at the reader.

That's Jim Steinman the writer...

Oh I know you belong inside my aching heart
And can't you see my faded Levis bursting apart
And don't you hear me crying:
"Oh Babe, don't go"
And don't you hear me screaming:
"How was I to know?"



...and Meatloaf the singer. Here he sings the song live, for the first time in decades, and tells the audience: I'll probably mess up, and you can either say "Screw you" or "God he gave it a good try." Love the attitude.

1973: E.L.O. is just awesome

One of my dad's albums that my brother and I *discovered.* This is the ELO take on Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King. I love the crisp sound of those guitars combined with violin, and I love the drums--what a cool cover. Jeff Lynne created such a great sound with this band.



Live version:

1971: Aretha doing Bridge Over Troubled Water

This performance might be later, but the original she did was in '71. Great video--runny eyeliner and all.