Dead Ringer (album)
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| Dead Ringer | |||||
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| Studio album by Meat Loaf | |||||
| Released | 1981 | ||||
| Recorded | 1981 | ||||
| Genre | Rock | ||||
| Length | 42:10 | ||||
| Label | Epic Records | ||||
| Producer | Stephan Galfas, Meat Loaf | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Meat Loaf chronology | |||||
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Dead Ringer is a 1981 album by Meat Loaf and is the second of three Meat Loaf albums written entirely by Jim Steinman.
Songwriter Jim Steinman started to work on Bad for Good, the album that was supposed to be the follow-up to 1977's Bat out of Hell, in 1978. During that time, a combination of touring, drugs and exhaustion had caused Meat Loaf to lose his voice. Without a singer, and pressured by the record company, Steinman decided that he should sing on Bad for Good himself, and write a new album for Meat Loaf. This album was 'Dead Ringer', which was later released in 1981, after the release of Steinman's Bad for Good.
After playing the role of Travis Redfish in the movie Roadie (which had cameos by Debbie Harry, Roy Orbison and Hank Williams, Jr., but was still a box office flop), Meat Loaf got his voice back, got off drugs, played softball, and started to work on his new album in 1980. Steinman had written five new songs which, in addition to the track "More Than You Deserve" (which Meat Loaf had sung in the musical with the same name) and a reworked monologue, formed the album Dead Ringer. Steinman wrote all of the songs, but had little else to do with the album. The album was produced by Meat Loaf and Stephan Galfas, with backing tracks produced by Jimmy Iovine and Jim Steinman. In 1976 Meat Loaf appeared on the track "Keeper Keep Us" from the Intergalactic Touring Band's self-titled album, which was produced by Galfas.
Four singles were released from Dead Ringer. "Dead Ringer For Love" (featuring Cher), which was a minor hit, was a rewritten version of the theme that Steinman wrote with Michael Simmons for Delta House, a TV version of the film Animal House.[1] The other singles were "I'm Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us," "Read 'Em And Weep," and "Peel Out." The album reached #1 in the UK.
The tour for this album also marked the beginning of his long-running collaboration with pianist Paul Jacobs, as both sideman and songwriter.
[edit] Track listing
- "Peel Out"
- Performed by Meat Loaf & Leslie Loaf – 6:30
- "I'm Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us" – 7:09
- "More Than You Deserve" – 7:02
- "I'll Kill You If You Don't Come Back" – 6:24
- "Read 'Em And Weep" – 5:25
- "Nocturnal Pleasure" – 0:38
- Performed by Jim Steinman
- "Dead Ringer for Love"
- "Everything Is Permitted" – 4:41
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- All music, lyrics, and monologues written by Jim Steinman
- Arrangements by Jim Steinman, Roy Bittan, Tom Malone, Alden Shuman, Roy Straigis
[edit] Personnel
- Meat Loaf — vocals
- Cher - guest vocals (track 7)
- Davey Johnstone - guitars
- Mick Ronson - guitars (track 3)
- Joe DeAngelis - acoustic guitars
- Steve Buslowe - bass
- Roy Bittan - piano, keyboards
- Nicky Hopkins - piano (track 3)
- Larry Fast - synthesizers
- Alan Rubin - horns (track 7)
- Lou Marini - horns (track 7)
- Louis Del Gatto - horns (track 7)
- Tom "Bones" Malone - horns (track 7)
- Max Weinberg - drums
- Liberty DeVitto - drums (tracks 5, 7)
- Jimmy Maelen - percussion, African logs (track 7)
- Leslie Loaf - female voice (track 1)
- Jim Steinman - voice (track 6)
- Rory Dodd — vocals
- Ted Neeley - vocals
- Allan Nicholls - vocals
- Eric Troyer - vocals
- Rhonda Coullet - vocals (track 7)
[edit] Business troubles
At the time his manager, David Sonenberg, stepped out and Al Dellentash stepped in to manage Meat Loaf's career. The tour they planned to support the album was cancelled after one show because they ran out of the money that the studio advanced them. Dellentash also convinced Sony Records and CBS to advance more money for the making of Dead Ringer, the movie. He promptly spent the money on extravagant furnishings for his office and personal chefs. The movie was shown at the Toronto Film Festival and got some favourable reviews, but Dellentash re-edited the movie and it turned out terribly.
In 1981, Leslie gave birth to Amanda Aday, now a television actress. Also in 1981, Meat Loaf changed managers after finding out that Dellentash was stealing his money. He had all of Meat Loaf's assets frozen and sued him for breach of contract. He also started spreading rumors about how Meat Loaf was violent and had threatened people with guns. Meat Loaf ended up declaring bankruptcy.
| Preceded by Time by Electric Light Orchestra |
UK Albums Chart number one album September 12, 1981 - September 25, 1981 |
Succeeded by Abacab by Genesis |
