"Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" is a song written by American composer
Jim Steinman
James Richard Steinman (November 1, 1947 – April 19, 2021) was an American composer, lyricist and record producer. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His work included songs in the adult contemporary, rock, dance, pop, mus ...
. It was first featured on Steinman's 1981 solo album ''
Bad for Good
''Bad for Good'' is the only studio album by American songwriter Jim Steinman. Steinman wrote all of the songs and performed on most, although Rory Dodd contributed lead vocals on some tracks.
The songs were originally intended to be recorded ...
'', with lead vocals by an uncredited
Rory Dodd
Rory Dodd (born Port Dover, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian rock vocalist who has performed many songs written by Jim Steinman. He is probably best known for singing as the duet voice (the "Turn around, bright eyes" lyrics) on Bonnie Tyler's versi ...
. It was later recorded by American singer
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally as Meat Loaf, was an American rock singer and actor. He was noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. He is on t ...
and released in 1994 as the third single from the album ''
Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell''.
Both the Steinman original and the Meat Loaf remake were top-40 hits. Steinman's version hit number 32 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, number 14 on the ''Billboard''
Rock Top Tracks chart and number 29 on the ''
Cash Box
''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
'' Top 100; it is Steinman's
lone top-40 hit as an artist. In New Zealand, the song spent two weeks at number six and was the 46th biggest hit of 1981. The Meat Loaf version reached number 11 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top ...
, number 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number four on Canada's ''
RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensi ...
'' Top Singles chart in early 1994.
Music and lyrics
"Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" is a
paean
A paean () is a song or lyric poem expressing triumph or thanksgiving. In classical antiquity, it is usually performed by a chorus, but some examples seem intended for an individual voice (monody). It comes from the Greek παιάν (also πα ...
to
rock music
Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as "rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States and ...
, celebrating how it is always there to help you through troubled times. One of its lyrics is "You're never alone, 'cause you can put on the
'phones and let the drummer tell your heart what to do."
Music videos
Jim Steinman version
The Steinman version's video features an empty, dark stage with two dancers, one male and one female, both in dancing suits and dancing
performance art
Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...
with a prop electric guitar. Steinman is seen throughout in a dark suit and
aviator sunglasses
Aviator sunglasses are a style of sunglasses that were developed by a group of American firms. The original Bausch & Lomb design is now commercially marketed as Ray-Ban Aviators, although other manufacturers also produce aviator-style sunglasses ...
standing still on a platform and
lip sync
Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , the same as the word ''sink'', short for lip synchronization) is a technical term for matching a speaking or singing person's lip movements with sung or spoken vocals.
Audio for lip syncing is generated thr ...
hing the song. Scenes of a black bird of prey are seen at the beginning and end of the video.
Meat Loaf version
The video for the Meat Loaf version was directed by
Michael Bay
Michael Benjamin Bay (born February 17, 1965) is an American film director and producer. He is best known for making big-budget, high-concept action films characterized by fast cutting, stylistic cinematography and visuals, and extensive use of ...
, who had also directed the videos for "
I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" is a song written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by American rock singer Meat Loaf featuring Lorraine Crosby. The song was released in August 1993 as the first single from his sixth album, '' Bat ...
" and "
Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than They Are".
In the music video, Meat Loaf stands as a
fortuneteller who comforts a recently runaway teenager (played by
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...
). Meat Loaf's character also protects a young boy from joining a gang and other people who are lost and lonely. Jolie's character, after the song ends, returns to her family.
Release
Several versions of the "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" have been released. The European and UK version included live versions of "Heaven Can Wait" and "
Paradise by the Dashboard Light
"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is a song written by Jim Steinman. It was released in 1977 on the album ''Bat Out of Hell'', with vocals by the American musician Meat Loaf alongside Ellen Foley. An uncommonly long song for a single, it has be ...
". A second UK version had "Wasted Youth" and "
I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" is a song written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by American rock singer Meat Loaf featuring Lorraine Crosby. The song was released in August 1993 as the first single from his sixth album, '' Bat ...
", while the 7"
picture disc
Picture discs are gramophone (phonograph) records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or colored vinyl. Collectors traditionally reserve the term picture disc for records with graphics that extend at lea ...
contains just "Wasted Youth". The US singles contained edited, live and acoustic versions of "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)".
Live variations
The song has been performed live various times since the release of ''Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell''. The song was featured on ''
Live Around the World'' and a live soundcheck appeared on the MAXI single. It was performed with the
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an Australian orchestra based in Melbourne. The MSO is resident at Hamer Hall. The MSO has its own choir, the MSO Chorus, following integration with the Melbourne Chorale in 2008.
The MSO relies on f ...
in 2004 as a sound test, but was not in the actual concert (Its audio can be heard on a special edition of the ''
Bat Out of Hell Live'' CD). It was showcased in the DVD ''
3 Bats Live'' with performance by Meat Loaf in
London, Ontario
London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximatel ...
in 2007. It can also be found on the special two-CD edition of ''Bat Out of Hell II'' and most recently on the live album ''Casa De Carne'', a bonus CD with the Special Edition (US) Deluxe and Super Deluxe versions (UK) of Meat Loaf's 2010 album ''
Hang Cool Teddy Bear''.
Charts
Jim Steinman version
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Meat Loaf version
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Release history
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Meat Loaf songs
1981 singles
1981 songs
1993 singles
Epic Records singles
MCA Records singles
Music videos directed by Michael Bay
Song recordings produced by Jim Steinman
Songs about rock music
Songs written by Jim Steinman
Virgin Records singles