Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Tagged: Meat Loaf

It’s All Coming Back to Me Now

Originally recorded by Pandora’s Box (UK #51 1989).
Other hit versions by Celine Dion (US #2/MOR #1/UK #3/CAN #1/ 1996), Meat Loaf & Marion Raven (UK #6/SCOT #2/NOR #1/GER #7 2006).

If this sounds like a song Meat Loaf should’ve recorded, you’d be right. The songwriter was Jim Steinman, writer of Meat Loaf’s hits ‘Paradise By the Dashboard Lights’, and ‘Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad’. But, Steinman had other plans. Meat Loaf would, however, eventually, be given his opportunity to record ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’ – in 2006 – a decade after Celine Dion had made it into an international hit.

From the wiki: “According to Jim Steinman the song was inspired by the book Wuthering Heights, and was his attempt to write ‘the most passionate, romantic song’ he could ever create. Meat Loaf had wanted to record the song for years, but Steinman saw it as a ‘woman’s song.’ Steinman won a court movement preventing Meat Loaf from recording it.

“In 1989, Steinman instead produced a concept album, Original Sin, with an all-female group called Pandora’s Box. Elaine Caswell was the lead vocalist for ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me Now’, who apparently collapsed five times during its recording. (Original Sin featured other tracks that would later be recorded by other artists, particularly Meat Loaf.)

“For the session, Roy Bittan (of the E Street Band) performed on the grand piano, with Steinman and Jeff Bova on electric keyboards. Todd Rundgren arranged the background vocals, which were performed by Ellen Foley, Gina Taylor, and Deliria Wilde. ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’ was released as a single in the United Kingdom in October 1989, but only reached #51 in the singles charts.

Read ‘Em and Weep

First recorded by Meat Loaf (1981).
Hit version by Barry Manilow (US #18/MOR #1 1983).

From the wiki: “‘Read ‘Em and Weep’ is a rock music song composed by Jim Steinman. Originally written for Meat Loaf and recorded for his 1981 album, Dead Ringer, it did not become a hit until late-1983, when a slightly rewritten cover version was recorded by Barry Manilow. The Manilow version reached #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.”