I Won’t Do That
Jan. 23rd, 2022 10:53 amSo, in honor of Meat Loaf’s passing (and with Jim Steinman gone as well), I thought it appropriate to make sure everyone knew the truth of what Meat Loaf would not do, despite his willingness to do anything for love. I’ve actually known the truth since 1999, when Meat revealed it on VH1: Storytellers, which was also where I learned about Steinman’s musical “Neverland,” which finally made to Broadway a few years ago as “Bat Out of Hell.”
Anyway, at the end of each verse in “Anything For Love,” there’s a line that starts with “but.” The first is, “But I'll never forget the way you feel right now,” the second is, “But I'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way tonight,” the third is “But I'll never do it better than I do it with you”, and the last one is, “But I'll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life.” In every case, this is followed by, “I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that.” He won’t forget the way you feel right now, he won’t forgive himself if you don’t go all the way, etc. It’s all a trick of the lyrics, because Steinman was brilliant.
And now you know!
Anyway, at the end of each verse in “Anything For Love,” there’s a line that starts with “but.” The first is, “But I'll never forget the way you feel right now,” the second is, “But I'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way tonight,” the third is “But I'll never do it better than I do it with you”, and the last one is, “But I'll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life.” In every case, this is followed by, “I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that.” He won’t forget the way you feel right now, he won’t forgive himself if you don’t go all the way, etc. It’s all a trick of the lyrics, because Steinman was brilliant.
And now you know!