Nowhere Fast

[elton22]

How come Meaty took this excellent Fire Inc. number and totally screwed it up? And what happened to the 'Bad For Good' (God Speed) ending? I was so dissapointed. Same is true of 'Surf's Up' actually - seemed like he was trying to make it different from the original, to no great effect.

[AndrewG]

I think you will find many members (including me) on this forum actually like Meat's versions of these two songs, so I personally think you should show a bit more respect, ie write: you think Meat screwed the song up instead of "he totally screwed the song up".

I like both versions of Surf's up and Nowhere fast and they fit well on the three different albums according to me.

[elton22]

Oh, ok. Er are we normally this pompous on these forums?

I am slightly amused by your suggestion that there is a correct opinion about such art. There is no point in me prefixing everything I say with "I think..." because I would have to prefix everything I say. To not prefix does not imply that I am stating a fact, merely that I am playing a language game (presumably artistic criticism in English) in which it is accepted that there is no such thing as fact.

Anyway, you didn't explain the ending of Nowhere Fast, what happened to 'God Speed'? And why did he have to change all the words? Were they changed by Steinman? And why is there no discernable melody except in the chorus?

And on the 'Surf's Up' front, I'm not keen on the louder intro with the 'thuds', the guitars during the bridge ("waves are pounding") bit, the solo over the second verse, or the backing vocals over the frst chorus. I just feel he gets too loud too quickly. On the Steinman/Dodd version it's much more gradual, much more melodic.

Fortunately, I think the quality of the progression and melody of 'Surf's Up' saves it, but 'Nowhere Fast' seems to cut the melody out, and those damn harmonies at the end are so mint.

[Chris]

Nobody is being pompous but starting a thread saying Meat screwed a song up without giving any reasoning why you think that is not going to win friends and influence people. ;)

[elton22]

I personally think you should show a bit more respect
is pompous, no question.

I was hoping, in posting the thread that someone might share, or disagree with my view and we might have a discussion. I apologise for my behavior.

[Paul191]

Well I love love both versions of the song and, I have to say I prefer the Meat Loaf version of 'Surfs up' by far. I think it sounds a lot more rockier than the previous version whic i think suits that particular song much better.

[Pudding]

Personally speaking, I don't like Meats version of Nowhere's Fast or Surf's Up, which is a shame because the rest of the album is pretty good.

Pud :twisted:

[rockfenris2005]

Bad Attitude is THE under-rated Meat album. I love this album. Always have.
That and CHSIB

[Space Monkey]

Does anyone know why Jim completely re-wrote the lyrics for Meat's version? Seems odd for Steinman to write two different versions of the same track...

[AndyK]

Does anyone know why Jim completely re-wrote the lyrics for Meat's version? Seems odd for Steinman to write two different versions of the same track...

That's quite a standard way of working for Jim, many of his songs have had differnet incarnations ... or recyclings as some like to call them ... I think of it as Jim's perfectionism coming out, he'll write a great song and then keep on tweaking it until it becomes greater!

[mickp]

I recall from the time that Meat Loaf's version was an older version of the song and the fire inc version was a rewrite

[mikeloaf]

Bat Attitude is a good album and obviously was geared to the style of music that was popular at that times, When I listen to Nowhere fast it reminds me a bit of 'Do it'. Its recording is spedup and the live versions must have been sung slower otherwise they must have been hard to understand (?).

I never really see the point of being so critical of a recording and feel the fact that meat never seem to sing these songs now tells us what he feels about them.

[djfierce]

They're not my favourite songs but i wouldn't say they had been screwed up.Some of Meat's songs work and some don't i think alot depends on the listener.

[joady power]

How come Meaty took this excellent Fire Inc. number and totally screwed it up? And what happened to the 'Bad For Good' (God Speed) ending? I was so dissapointed. Same is true of 'Surf's Up' actually - seemed like he was trying to make it different from the original, to no great effect.
how about the song tonight is what it meansto be young that was a great track

[Bart]

Meat's versions of Nowhere fast and Surf's up fit very well on the album Bad Attitude. NF is between 2 piano songs and they try to make the sound different. I think they have done it very well, the intro is nice with the synth and guitars. Meat's vocals are awesome and like all the songs on the album they just keep it short and simple. Surf's up is a great version. The piano is simple and loud. The overall sound of the song is excellent with the guitars and the strings and Meat's very loud vocals.The guitarsolo is great, maybe better than on Jim's version.

[mikeloaf]

BA, MG, NF, SU, JTG & CIYD are great song, but POTA doesn't seem to fit well and DLYMOM & STAS are in my view haunting, are they from or linked to films?

[Diane]

POTA fits well enough for me on the album. Meat put in a stunning live performance of it on the Bat Attitude Live video.

Absolutely agree with you that DLYMOM and STAS are very haunting songs but I'm not aware of them being linked to any films. Only the Fire Inc. version of NF fits that bill but who knows SU could to ... IF Neverland ever gets made! ;)

Diane

[L96]

Only the Fire Inc. version of NF fits that bill but who knows SU could to ... IF Neverland ever gets made! ;)

Diane

Thanks, Diane.

I've just spent five minutes trying to figure out what 'IF' could possibly be the title of.... :roll: