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Sometimes something enjoyable is a big production

Posted by Michael James on Dec. 22, 2010

December 22nd's Favorite Thing - Jim Steinman lyrics

I struggle with explaining this type of subject.  I really like the subject, I kind of know why I like it, but I don't exactly know how to express it.  We see what happens when I discuss a topic that I really know about, but something like the lyrics of one songwriter that many people have never heard of... that's tough.

Jim Steinman is a songwriter who has penned the following...

• Most Meat Loaf songs, including
  • "Bat out of Hell"
  • "Two out of Three Ain't Bad"
  • "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights"
  • "I Would Do Anything for Love"
• "Total Eclipse of the Heart" from Bonnie Tyler
• "Making Love out of Nothing at All" from Air Supply
• "Read 'Em and Weep" first from Meat Loaf, but made a hit by Barry Manilow

(Side note; In the same week in 1983, "Total Eclipse of the Heart" was ranked #1 "Making Love out of Nothing at All" was #2 and "Read 'Em and Weep" was #18.  Not a bad week for Mr. Steinman.)

The way most hit songs are composed is very simple.  First line is about six to eight words.  Second line six to eight words.  Third line six to eight words.  Fourth line is six to eight words that rhyme with one or more lines.  Then a chorus.  Then a second verse (sometimes done before the first chorus).  Then another chorus. Then a bridge, a guitar solo and a repeating chorus.  Let's try it with Michael Jackson's "Beat It"....

They told him don't you ever come around here
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear

Yeah, that fits the pattern.  How about "Hound Dog" from Elvis Presley....

You ain’t nothing’ but a hound dog
Cryin’ all the time.
You ain’t nothing’ but a hound dog
Cryin’ all the time.

(Chorus)

Well, you ain’t never caught a rabbit
And you ain’t no friend of mine.

A very simple pattern, and very big hits.  But Steinman's lyrics don't fit that pattern.  They rarely rhyme, and some of the lines go on and on and on... but they don't seem obtrusive.  The verses are sometimes long, too, and they crescendo to the chorus.   The neat thing, too, is that there seems to be multiple choruses (chorii?) in his songs. 

Here are the lyrics to one of my favorite Steinman songs, "Read 'Em and Weep"

I've been trying for hours just to think of what exactly to say.
I thought I'd leave you with a letter or a fiery speech
like when an actor makes an exit at the end of a play.

And I've been dying for hours trying to fill up all the holes with some sense.
I'd like to know why you gave up and you threw it away,
I'd like to give you all the reasons and what everything meant.

(MJ cut in here... the next paragraph isn't called a chorus, but it builds up strongly throughout and is also repeated later in the song)

Well, I could tell you "goodbye" or maybe "See you around",
with just a touch of a sarcastic "thanks"!
We started out with a bang and at the top of the world,
Now the guns are exhausted and the bullets are blanks.
And everything's blank!

CHORUS:
If I could only find the words then I would write it all down,
If I could only find a voice I would speak.
Oh, it's there in my eyes, oh, can't you see me tonight --
Come on and look at me and read 'em and weep!

REPEAT CHORUS

I've been whispering softly, trying to build a cry up into a scream.
We let the past slip away, and put the future on hold,
Now the present is nothing but a hollowed-out dream.

And I've been dreaming forever hoping something would eventually come.
I saw your eyes in the dark,
I felt your kiss on my lips,
I traced your body in the air until the bodies were numb.

Well, I could tell you "good-bye" or maybe "See you around",
With just a touch of a sarcastic "thanks"!
But now the rooms are all empty, the candles are dark,
The guns are exhausted and the bullets are blanks. And everything's blank!

CHORUS

(MJ cut in again... the next paragraph is kind of like the chorus, but the words are different.  Also note that this, too is repeated later in the song.  Kind of like a third chorus.)

Oh, it's there in my eyes and coming straight from my heart,
It's running silent and angry and deep!
Oh, it's there in my eyes and it's all I can say,
Come on and look at me and read 'em and weep!

(Read 'em and weep) - for all the hours we'll be spending alone,
(Read 'em and weep) - for the dreams we'll ignore,

(Running silent and deep)
And all those promises we promised to keep, they won't be kept anymore!

(Read 'em and weep) - for the magic that our bodies had made,
(Read 'em and weep) - for the love that we lost.

(Running silent and deep)
And all the secrets that we somehow betrayed,
For whatever the cost!

(Read 'em and weep) - for the memories still alive in the bed,
(Read 'em and weep) - for the lies we believed,

(Running silent and deep)
And all the things that will have never been said,
Why don't you look at me and read 'em and weep!
Come on and look at me and read 'em . . .

It's there in my eyes and coming straight from my heart,
It's running silent and angry and deep!
It's there in my eyes, and it's all I can say,
Come on look at me and read 'em . . . and weep!

(Here is the video... keep in mind this was from 1983, and the video is VERY '80s.  It was also about four Manilow facelifts ago.)

 

That song is long (about five minutes), which is also typical of Steinman.  All of his songs are productions, and the meanings are very deep.  I hope I've explained this well.  If not, maybe tomorrow's favorite thing will be easier to explain (like pecans... nothing tricky there, eh?)

On the First Day of Christmas, my favorite thing is - Baseball's Hot Stove League

On the Second Day of Christmas, my favorite thing is - A handful of chopped pecans

On the Third Day of Christmas, my favorite thing is - Memories of my past

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, my favorite thing is - Jim Steinman lyrics