Bat Out Of Hell

Last night I listened to the classic Meat Loaf album "Bat Out Of Hell" for the first time in many, many years. The record was released in 1977 and became the soundtrack for many of us for the rest of that decade and through the 80's. It stands as the fifth best selling album of all time, and since Michael Jackson's death is the Number One seller by a living solo artist.

While listening to such songs as "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad" and the always interesting "Paradise By The Dashboard Light", I was reading through the liner notes and was amazed at some of the names associated with the songs:

• Guitar, keyboards and some vocals by Todd Rundgren: Rundgren has produced some of the biggest bands and had his own success with songs like "Hello It's Me" and "I Saw the Light" and "Bang The Drum All Day" heard at sports venues across North America.
• Piano by Roy Bitten of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
• Drums by Max Weinberg also of the E Street Band and Conan O'Brian's show band, The Max Weinberg Seven.
• Saxophone by Edgar Winter: You could not had had ears in the 70's without being blown away by The Edgar Winter Group and their smash hit "Frankenstein".
• Female vocals including those on "Paradise By The Dashboard Light", performed by Ellen Foley: Foley collaborated with such eminent musicians as The Clash, Joe Jackson and Mick Ronson. She later went onto a Broadway career and has on TV's Night Court.
• Baseball play-by-play on  "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" was done by New York Yankee great Phil Rizzuto.

If you have not heard the album in while, take a listen tonight (after the kids are in bed).