Does anyone know what Meatloaf means when he sings "I won't do that" in his song "I will do anything for love"? I Heard it the other day and it got my mind ticking again. I wonder if he means committing a crime
I Read them through carefully, and I'm still not getting it. In the video clip, towards the end it was a crime scene and the police were involved (wondering if there's a twist on that).
There are many things he mentions that he "won't do that", but they don't make sense in the context of "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that".
For example:
But I'll never forgive myself if we dont go all the way - Tonight -
I would do anything for love!
I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,
But I wont do that, I wont do that...
And H, the first verse is, "I'll never lie to you and that's a fact". Perhaps that's what you're referring to. Hmmm, you may have a point there. Maybe in the video in the crime scene, he wouldn't lie for her
Hi Suzy,
in the older song "paradise by the dashboard light"
......"I swore I would love you to the end of time.......and now I praying for the end of time....."
I Read them through carefully, and I'm still not getting it.
It is really quite simple Suzy.
The video must causing confusion. As they often have nothing to do with the songs!"
What he won't do is what the girl predicts in the line
" After a while ... you'll say that it's time to move on
And sooner or later you'll be screwing around"
His response is "I won't do that"
So he is simply swearing that he will love her till the end of time, so to speak (to steal a line from that other song).
Don't you love the lyrics of Jim Steinman!!!
I have his CD too.
My favourite track on that is "Dance in my pants" !!!
Same girl as toured with Meatloaf does the female vocals on it whuile Jim does the male.
He even "sounds a lot like Meatloaf, only better " as he said once.
Love it.
I Read them through carefully, and I'm still not getting it. In the video clip, towards the end it was a crime scene and the police were involved (wondering if there's a twist on that).
There are many things he mentions that he "won't do that", but they don't make sense in the context of "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that".
For example:
But I'll never forgive myself if we dont go all the way - Tonight -
I would do anything for love!
I would do anything for love,
I would do anything for love,
But I wont do that, I wont do that...
And H, the first verse is, "I'll never lie to you and that's a fact". Perhaps that's what you're referring to. Hmmm, you may have a point there. Maybe in the video in the crime scene, he wouldn't lie for her
Suzy, at the beginning of that stanza he says "But I'll never forgive myself if we dont go all the way - Tonight ", then he says he would do any thing for love but won't do that (refer first line). Each of those choruses begins with something he won't do:
"But I'll never forget the way you feel right now"
"But I'll never forgive myself if we dont go all the way - Tonight "
"But I'll never do it better than I do it with you"
"But I'll never stop dreaming of you
Everynight of my life - No Way -"
"Paradise" needs to be taken into context... it has dodgy romantics, but you need to listen to it all and see the humourous side to it. The whole album (Bat Out Of Hell) is pure gold, many of the tracks seem to written in context of each other e.g. "Heaven Can Wait" and "Paradise"
For romantic lyrics listen to "For Crying Out Loud", and even the title track. This album came out in my mid to late teens and I think it really struck a chord with many teens of my era. Not only my era, Anne-Louise loves this album, which I think came out 2 years after she was born.
Hubby told me that on ABC radio last week they were asking the same thing, and someone that had something to do with Jim Steinman or such (someone important that knows anyway), actually came on the radio and answered it. It means... He will never leave her.
Should have just asked hubby in the first place, as the answer was right under my nose! I swear that man now thinks he knows everything. He responded back by saying "any other questions you want answered?"
Perhaps I will just give me the scope and let him find all the thousands of objects in the sky for me in one weekend...
Alan, yes, Steinman was indeed a master of lyrics.
Tony, I agree with you- Bat of Hell has got to be one of the most amazing albums ever made. Total music artistry! I couldn't pick a favourite song on that album, but if I had to it would be "Two out of three 'aint bad".
Did you'll also know (I'm sure you'll do) that the girl singing (Carla) in all those videos lypsinced to Ellen Foley. Carla was an important factor to Meatloaf's stage performance. Years later there was a big legal battle between Foley and Meatloaf. Just a bit of music trivia.
Thank you to all that helped with me trying to find the answer. I do very much appreciate it.
We got a video a while back in which Meatloaf spent an evening with about 30 or 40 fans. one of the questions asked was the one you posed.
He said that everyone asked the same question... What is "That"? At this point he gets out a blackboard and writes the choruses, underlining each of the first lines and says "That is what I won't do":
I won't;
Forget the way you feel right now
Forgive myself if we dont go all the way - Tonight
Stop dreaming of you everynight of my life - No Way -
And of course at the end of the song where there is the dialog sequence and it closes with him saying would never screw around and leave her, but this is the finale, the build-up is the other promises he makes through the song.
Like most of the Steinman and Meatloaf collaborations, the song is extremely well constructed and while the choruses and verses are similar, they do not repeat.
Bit pedantic aren't I? Bet you can't tell I'm a bit of a fan, either?
Hi Tony,
I guess you win. I Can't argue with that one.
Yes, you are a true Meatloaf fan. Now, how did you get a hold of that video...?! Todate, many of us are still asking the same question. Even my 20 year old daughter jumped for glee when she thought it got answered.
I'll be glad to tell hubby he is not smart after all.
Thank you so very much for that informative response.
I swear that man now thinks he knows everything. He responded back by saying "any other questions you want answered?" 
Todate, many of us are still asking the same question. Even my 20 year old daughter jumped for glee when she thought it got answered. 
