Greater Long Island coverage is funded in part by Toresco & Simonelli, a boutique injury and family law firm in West Islip. They fight for their clients. Click here to learn more and to get in touch.
“Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” “You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth,” and an encore performance of “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad.”
They’re all there, and more. Sung loud, proud and live on stage by the “Bat Out of Hell” himself, Meat Loaf, at Nassau Coliseum.
The world is saying goodbye today to the heavweight rock superstar whose Thursday death at the age of 74 was announced this morning. But his wide-ranging voice and theatrical, dark-hearted anthems live on across “MEATLOAF Live at Nassau Coliseum 9-1-1978.”
The CD, released by Yellow Cat Records in 1994, features the long-haired rocker belting out nine of his early hits, including a glorious 19-minute version of a 1980s wedding reception and forever radio staple “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.”
A hard Google search will land you some independent sellers of the CD, but you can click the YouTube box below to hear the whole concert.
Meat Loaf debuts in 1977
Only a year before his 1978 concert in Uniondale, Meat Loaf, born Marvin Lee Aday in Dallas, Texas, debuted with “Bat Out of Hell,” a mega-selling collaboration with songwriter Jim Steinman and producer Todd Rundgren. the album quickly made him one of the most recognizable performers in rock.
Fans fell hard for Meat Loaf’s roaring vocals, the comic non-romance of “You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” and “Paradise By the Dashboard Light,” an operatic cautionary tale about going all the way.
“Paradise” was a duet with Ellen Foley that featured play-by-play from New York Yankees broadcaster Phil Rizzuto, who alleged — to much skepticism — that he was unaware of any alternate meanings to reaching third base and heading for home.
“Bat Out of Hell” eventually became one of the top-selling albums in history, with worldwide sales of more than 40 million copies.
Younger generations will remember Meat Loaf for his television and film appearances, including “Fight Club” and cameos on “Glee” and “South Park.”
Meat Loaf honored across social media
Friends and fans on mourned the legendary singer’s passing on social media.
Actor Edward Norton, who starred alongside Meat Loaf in “Fight Club,” tweeted “He was so funny. And gentle. And warm to everyone. A sweet soul. RIP Meat Loaf.”
“I hope paradise is as you remember it from the dashboard light, Meat Loaf,” actor Stephen Fry said on Twitter.
Andrew Lloyd Webber tweeted: “The vaults of heaven will be ringing with rock.” And Adam Lambert called Meat Loaf: “A gentle hearted powerhouse rock star forever and ever. You were so kind. Your music will always be iconic.”
Meat Loaf’s biggest musical success after “Bat Out of Hell” was “Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell,” a 1993 reunion with Steinman that sold more than 15 million copies and featured the Grammy-winning single “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).”
His other albums included “Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose,” “Hell in a Handbasket” and “Braver Than We Are.” His songs included “Dead Ringer for Love” with Cher and she shared on Twitter that she “had so much fun” on the duet. “Am very sorry for his family, friends and fans.”
No cause or other details were given in Meat Loaf’s death, but the singer had numerous health scares over the years.
With Associated Press
Photo/file: Rock star Meat Loaf appears on stage during the first concert of his tour through Germany in Hamburg, northern Germany, Tuesday, June 12, 2007.
(AP Photo/ Kai-uwe Knoth)
