7. Jim - Left In The Dark

[White of High]

Left In The Dark (10)

I wanted to speak about this song again in Jim's performing! I think it wanted to be For Crying Out Loud onto Bad For Good! What a song! I gave 9 Meat's version and I want to give 10 or 11 if it is possible. Why? You know! The orchestra is fantastic. Very powerfull! And I love the speech at begining. It's so mystic. The bell at the end is fantastic. It's perfect!
If Meat sings it with this orchestra...

My score: 10 or 11

[Michel]

I still think, Meat's version is better. But Jim sings it well.

My score: 8

[Tim]

Jims version is longer, no, different. He has a great voice, but is no performer. So Meat Loaf's version is better. Still, Jim's version has that spoken part. But i don't like his version, don't know why.

I will give it an 7/10

[Bart]

Cause he has a weak voice. and he is a lousy performer (have you seen the video Bad for Good, he acts really weird)

[JacenSolo]

Jim's version is different, but like most of you, it was the first I heard, so it holds a special place...kind of like Surf's Up for me....
My Rating: 7

[Ben]

i like jims versison although his voice is weaker than meats. i would have liked to have heard to spoken part on meats version.
6/10

bart where have you seen the video for bad for good. what happens it in?

[Bart]

Originally Posted by Ben

i like jims versison although his voice is weaker than meats. i would have liked to have heard to spoken part on meats version.
6/10

bart where have you seen the video for bad for good. what happens it in?

you can donwload it from Jim his site.

[Ben]

really?? what the dream pollution site?

[Sabine]

I think Meat´s version is much better then Jim´s!

[Ben]

Originally Posted by Bart

you can donwload it from Jim his site.

i downloaded it this morning bart, very strange, very strange indeed!!!

[dan_84]

Gotta say, i think i'm one of the few people here who actually prefers Jim's version. Meat does a great job but it just seems to lack the initial raw emotion that Jim is ale to offer. No complaints about either version though.
Jim Steinman: 9/10
Meat Loaf: 8/10

[besty01]

bart
what media u using to watch it
i have it download but wont play

[original sin]

9/10

I find this track quite emotional.....definately one to listen to with a box of hankies and a glass of wine...........feeling mellow and very sorry for myself

[MjP2]

I must say I prefer Jim's version. It's a shame Jim wasn't involved when meat did his cover because I believe it could have been perfect that way. Can't always have everything.

Not just the spoken part, Meat's version also lacks the short part from "Come with Me" (you know, the melody for "And you'll now love forever, you will live forever more"), which I think is one of the most powerful moments of the song.

9/10

Meat's version: 8/10

MjP2

[dottie]

Funnily enough I prefer Barbra Streisands version of this best of all - for babs I'll give it 7/10

[besty01]

1. to watch the vid you need real player
2.i prefere jims version
meat does sing it better as he is a singer
i like jims version because its the one i grew up with

[White of High]

Did you know that Barbara Streisand's intro is different? But I can't hear it! What does she say?

[evil nickname]

Originally Posted by White of High

Did you know that Barbara Streisand's intro is different? But I can't hear it! What does she say?

Streisand version:

Where did she touch you? And how did it feel?
Why did you let it begin?
What did she whisper? And what did it mean?
And where did you think it will end?
How long did it last? Do you think it'll stop?
Did you get to try anything new?
How good was she, honestly? And where did you go?
And who made the very first move?
Who made the very first move?

Steinman version:

Where did he touch you? And how did it feel?
Why did you let it begin?
What did he whisper? And when did you cry?
And where did you think it'll end?
How long did you do it? And why did you stop?
Did you get to try anything new?
How good was he, honestly? Where did you go?
And who made the very first move?

And for my rating - see Meat's version :)

[rockfenris2005]

I have reason to believe this song was originally intended for "Bat Out of Hell" but was never used. What a pity. 20-something years later Meat delivers a watered-down send up of Steinman's greatest dramatic moment. I cringe at Meat's version. There's nothing exciting about it. Ron and the band killed the song with those arrangements. Jim didn't even have any involvement with it. And yes, I have seen the videos from BAD FOR GOOD. They are not weird, just bizarre and funny. They're kind of SCREEN TESTS for the Neverland movie. I hate the cavemen at the start of the BFG video. What the hell are they doing there?? It's scary. And people, don't knock Jim as performer. I heard DREAM ENGINE and he's amazing. He would make an interesting stand-up comedian.

[Bart]

You must give points!

[Sparky]

I also think that Meat's version is better. It's more powerful. And Meat has a better voice than Jim.

My score: 6

[Miranda]

Hi, I'm Miranda, I'm new here!

I wanted this to be the first thread I posted in cause Left in the Dark is probably my favourite song sung by Jim except for More Than You Deserve.

Now, I was wondering, in context to the song what do you reckon Jim meant by;

And there are no lies on your body.
So take off your dress.
Oh I just want to get at the truth.


Hell if anyone wanna take a stab at interpreting the whole song, feel free!! Like someone else said, I really love the raw emotion Jim has in it.

[Alex]

Well, 3 versions of the same song.

Dottie, I think your mad. Everything else in your million and one posts has always been quite sensible and good. But you did a boo boo in this one hehe. Not a fan of that version. Don't like the production of the intro, don't like they didn't use a decent piano, don't like Barbara's alterations on jims spoken part. It's not altogether a bad song, but the other two imho are way better.

The other two version rate #1 and #2 on my favourite songs of all time by any artist alive or dead. With Meat sitting highest.

Compare and contrast:

Jims has the intro, Meat's doesn't. I like the intro, Jim gets a point.

Jims uses orchestra, Meat's doesn't, this is good, but I really like them both for this reason. I like Meat's for the Piano as the central instrument and the guitars and drums, and I also like Jims because of his great orchestra.

Jims has the wonderful "You'll Know Love Forever, You'll Know Love Forever Moooooooore" bit in, if you know what I mean.

Meat's has a better production. While you may not like how the musical arrangement is done, for the purpose of my point I'm speaking from a technical POV. e.g. there is more modern technology used in the Meat version and the sound to me is much clearer and whole than the Jim version. Had Jim's been done now, maybe I'd think different.

Jim's has Jim singing (or Rory Dodd, I lost track of the result of that debate which seemed to stray off just Surfs Up onto this) and Meat's has Meat. Meat, imho is the best singer and performer this side of the sun. Jim isn't. More good/average, but not by a long way described as bad.

On a slightly different note. I really liked DIMP video from jimsteinman.com but didn't particularly like the other two. BFG was wierdest and I only watched it a few times. Jim looks nervous on the video's, but I agree with evil_nickname. Jim would make a great comic, but acting maybe isn't his strongest point, or at least imho, certainly not above comedy.

Edit: You know, I really should have posted a score :)

Jim's : 9.5
Meat's : 10
Barbara's : 6

[RSG]

The Above Post is almost exactly how I feel :o

Jim's 11\10 --- Super aweseome!!
Meat's 11\10 --- Super awesome!!!!
Barbara's ?\10 --- ????????????????

both Meat's and Jim's has its ups, and there is a lot of them.
I can't think of any down's from ether!

both are great for different reasons, being it voice or music. but it is still incredible, ether way!

[Bart]

I love the backing vocals on Streisand version. Typical Steinman backing vocals.