"Bat Out of Hell" was a Springsteen spoof

Undertoad · 03-26-2016, 12:14 PM

I'm listening to Todd Rundgren on the Marc Maron podcast, talk about his production of Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell"; and it's the first time I've heard him explain... he produced it as a *spoof* of Bruce Springsteen. A *spoof*. It was not in the formula that Meatloaf would actually be taken seriously, singing these long, overwrought songs.

Mind: ~~blown~~

Holy CRAP if you wanted to spoof "Rosalita" you would absolutely write "Paradise" and then end it tragi/comically.

So Rundgren even got three E-Street Band guys to play on it.

So much suddenly starts to make sense.

Griff · 03-26-2016, 02:18 PM

!!!

Gravdigr · 03-26-2016, 07:24 PM

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xoxoxoBruce · 03-26-2016, 08:46 PM

Quote:

There's no discounting the production of Todd Rundgren, either, who gives Steinman's self-styled grandiosity a production that's staggeringly big but never overwhelming and always alluring. While the sentiments are deliberately adolescent and filled with jokes and exaggerated clichés, there's real (albeit silly) wit behind these compositions, not just in the lyrics but in the music, which is a savvy blend of oldies pastiche, show tunes, prog rock, Springsteen-esque narratives, and blistering hard rock (thereby sounding a bit like an extension of Rocky Horror Picture Show, which brought Meat Loaf to the national stage)

link

DanaC · 03-27-2016, 07:24 AM

How the fuck did I not know any of this?

xoxoxoBruce · 03-27-2016, 09:27 AM

Because most of us are not musicians, and not privy to the "business" end of it. I've read several pieces by recording engineers and behind the scenes people, talking about how some of the most famous records were made. The push-pull of various interests, and often the artists thoughts dismissed entirely. More Cowbell!

Undertoad · 03-27-2016, 10:49 AM

Rundgren also explained that "Bang the Drum all Day" started out as contract fulfillment, he had one last record to do for his label ("The Ever-Popular Tortured Artist Effect"), but he appears to feel the song was valid, not just a quick buck.

And cleared up some of the shouting that went on over his production of XTC's"Skylarking" which is roughly 2/3rds XTC, 1/3rd Rundgren in its final form (and one of the greatest albums ever made IMO). (Andy Partridge got cold feet over "Dear God" and demanded it off the album; it became a B-side hit and saved the band and had to go back on!...)

And explained that the song "The Waiting Game" (on "Nearly Human") came to him fully formed, in a dream, where he believed he was working with Manhattan Transfer. (If you've heard the song, it's Manhattan Transferesque with wild vocal layers)

xoxoxoBruce · 03-27-2016, 11:07 AM

Guy loves Bang the Drum.

Rundgren has had his hand in sooo much music. I wonder if there are songs, or even albums, that were so uneventful he doesn't remember what he thought at the time? Probably not, as he puts his polish on everything he touches

Undertoad · 09-30-2016, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Rundgren has had his hand in sooo much music.

Yeah so I was struck today thinking about the Badfinger song "Baby Blue", and what a fine 1972 power pop masterpiece it is. (Re-popularized by Breaking Bad and all, but a kinda great single to begin with.) So I go looking for more information about it, and the album "Straight Up" which matured Badfinger with more interesting songs.

Produced by Todd...

Griff · 09-30-2016, 03:04 PM

A simple holy crap will do...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Rundgren

amazing contacts/production

some of it:
Rundgren learned how to engineer and master his own records and since 1970, he has overseen production of all his solo recordings and those by Utopia. His earliest outside credits were as producer on a long-unreleased Janis Joplin track (recorded with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band) and as recording engineer for the LP Stage Fright by The Band (1970). Other notable production credits include Halfnelson (first incarnation of Sparks), New York Dolls, Badfinger, Grand Funk Railroad, Hall & Oates, Ian and Sylvia (on their Great Speckled Bird album), Meat Loaf, Patti Smith, Shaun Cassidy, The Tubes, Tom Robinson Band, XTC, Bad Religion, John Sloman, Cheap Trick, Hello People, Hiroshi Takano, Bourgeois Tagg, Dragon (aka Hunter), 12 Rods, The Pursuit of Happiness, The Psychedelic Furs, Steve Hillage, The American Dream and many others.

xoxoxoBruce · 09-30-2016, 06:36 PM

Quote:

...and many others.

He done been there, done that.

infinite monkey · 10-01-2016, 10:53 PM

I have always been a huge fan of Todd Rundgren. I'm listening to him right now. He is one of our best songwriters, and we don't always know he wrote it. Like Dolly, Willie...

'It wouldn't have made any difference. '

03-26-2016, 12:14 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	"Bat Out of Hell" was a Springsteen spoof I'm listening to Todd Rundgren on the Marc Maron podcast, talk about his production of Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell"; and it's the first time I've heard him explain... he produced it as a spoof of Bruce Springsteen. A spoof. It was not in the formula that Meatloaf would actually be taken seriously, singing these long, overwrought songs. Mind: ~~blown~~ Holy CRAP if you wanted to spoof "Rosalita" you would absolutely write "Paradise" and then end it tragi/comically. So Rundgren even got three E-Street Band guys to play on it. So much suddenly starts to make sense.

03-26-2016, 02:18 PM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	!!! __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

03-26-2016, 07:24 PM	#3
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	__________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

03-27-2016, 09:27 AM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Because most of us are not musicians, and not privy to the "business" end of it. I've read several pieces by recording engineers and behind the scenes people, talking about how some of the most famous records were made. The push-pull of various interests, and often the artists thoughts dismissed entirely. More Cowbell! __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-27-2016, 11:07 AM	#8
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Guy loves Bang the Drum. Rundgren has had his hand in sooo much music. I wonder if there are songs, or even albums, that were so uneventful he doesn't remember what he thought at the time? Probably not, as he puts his polish on everything he touches __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-27-2016, 10:49 AM	#7
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Rundgren also explained that "Bang the Drum all Day" started out as contract fulfillment, he had one last record to do for his label ("The Ever-Popular Tortured Artist Effect"), but he appears to feel the song was valid, not just a quick buck. And cleared up some of the shouting that went on over his production of XTC's"Skylarking" which is roughly 2/3rds XTC, 1/3rd Rundgren in its final form (and one of the greatest albums ever made IMO). (Andy Partridge got cold feet over "Dear God" and demanded it off the album; it became a B-side hit and saved the band and had to go back on!...) And explained that the song "The Waiting Game" (on "Nearly Human") came to him fully formed, in a dream, where he believed he was working with Manhattan Transfer. (If you've heard the song, it's Manhattan Transferesque with wild vocal layers)

09-30-2016, 03:04 PM	#10
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	A simple holy crap will do... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Rundgren amazing contacts/production some of it: Rundgren learned how to engineer and master his own records and since 1970, he has overseen production of all his solo recordings and those by Utopia. His earliest outside credits were as producer on a long-unreleased Janis Joplin track (recorded with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band) and as recording engineer for the LP Stage Fright by The Band (1970). Other notable production credits include Halfnelson (first incarnation of Sparks), New York Dolls, Badfinger, Grand Funk Railroad, Hall & Oates, Ian and Sylvia (on their Great Speckled Bird album), Meat Loaf, Patti Smith, Shaun Cassidy, The Tubes, Tom Robinson Band, XTC, Bad Religion, John Sloman, Cheap Trick, Hello People, Hiroshi Takano, Bourgeois Tagg, Dragon (aka Hunter), 12 Rods, The Pursuit of Happiness, The Psychedelic Furs, Steve Hillage, The American Dream and many others. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

10-01-2016, 10:53 PM	#12
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	I have always been a huge fan of Todd Rundgren. I'm listening to him right now. He is one of our best songwriters, and we don't always know he wrote it. Like Dolly, Willie... 'It wouldn't have made any difference. '

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