Jim Steinman was obsessed with death. Not in a creepy, "I'm a goth teenager" kind of way, but in a grand, Wagnerian, "love is a car crash and eternity is a guitar solo" kind of way. When he sat down to write It's All Coming Back to Me Now, he wasn't just trying to write a pop song. He was trying to write a resurrection. He actually claimed the song was inspired by Wuthering Heights, which makes a lot of sense if you think about it. It’s all there: the ghosts, the windows, the frantic, desperate need to reclaim a past that’s already burned to the ground.
Most people think of Celine Dion when they hear those opening piano chords. That’s fair. She turned it into a global titan of a hit in 1996. But the song’s history is way messier than a single radio edit. It involves legal battles, a girl group that time forgot, and Meat Loaf being told "no" for nearly two decades.
The Meat Loaf Conflict and the Pandora’s Box Era
It’s hard to imagine anyone but Meat Loaf singing a Jim Steinman song. They were the ultimate pair, like Scorsese and De Niro, but with more ruffles and sweat. However, Steinman was weirdly protective of this specific track. He called it the "most romantic, erotic song" he had ever written. He refused to let Meat Loaf record it for Bat Out of Hell II. He said it was a "woman’s song."
Meat Loaf was devastated. He literally sued for the right to record it. He didn't win that round.
Instead, the world first got the song via a group called Pandora’s Box in 1989. This was Steinman’s personal project, a four-woman powerhouse group featuring Ellen Foley, Elaine Caswell, Gina Taylor, and Deliria Wilde. The album was called Original Sin. If you haven't heard the Elaine Caswell version, stop reading this and go find it on YouTube. It’s raw. It’s less "vegas residency" and more "haunted mansion."
While the Celine version is polished to a mirror finish, the Pandora’s Box original feels like a breakdown. It’s over eight minutes long. It has these bizarre spoken-word segments and a drum sound that feels like a physical punch. It flopped commercially. It was too much. Too long. Too dramatic.
Then came 1996.
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Celine Dion and the "Falling Into You" Transformation
David Foster, the man who basically manufactured the sound of the 90s, was the one who brought the song to Celine. By this point, Celine was already a star, but she hadn't quite hit that "Force of Nature" peak yet.
Recording it was an ordeal. Steinman produced the track himself, and he was a notorious perfectionist. He didn't just want her to sing the notes; he wanted her to inhabit the ghost. They spent days in the studio. Celine has mentioned in interviews that she found the song physically exhausting.
The result was the lead single for her album Falling Into You. It hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100. It stayed there for five weeks. It was a massive, sweeping epic that defied the grunge and R&B trends of the mid-90s.
Why the Song Actually Works (Technically)
Musically, the song is a monster. Most pop songs stay in a comfortable range. It's All Coming Back to Me Now spans two octaves. It starts in a low, breathy register—almost a whisper—and builds into a screaming, belt-at-the-top-of-your-lungs climax.
- The Piano Hook: Those repetitive, driving notes are classic Steinman. They create a sense of urgency.
- The Dynamics: It’s a masterclass in "loud-quiet-loud." Just when you think it’s over, the drums kick back in for one more chorus.
- The Lyrics: They aren't just about a breakup. They’re about the sensory overload of memory. "The touch of the velvet," "the smell of the gunpowder." It’s visceral.
The music video was equally insane. Filmed at the Schloss Plankenstein in Austria, it featured Celine haunted by the ghost of a motorcyclist lover who died in a crash. Lightning flashes. Curtains blow. It’s the visual definition of "extra."
The Meat Loaf Version (Finally)
Meat Loaf eventually got his wish. In 2006, on Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose, he recorded the song as a duet with Marion Raven.
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Was it good? It was... fine.
But by then, the song belonged to Celine. The irony is that Steinman’s "woman’s song" theory proved correct in terms of commercial viability. There is something about the vulnerability in a female vocal performance that makes the massive, over-the-top production feel earned rather than just loud.
The TikTok Renaissance and Cultural Longevity
Fast forward to the 2020s. Most 90s ballads have faded into the background noise of grocery stores. Not this one.
It's All Coming Back to Me Now became a massive viral trend on TikTok and Instagram. Why? Because it’s the perfect "reveal" song. The slow build-up allows creators to start in pajamas and "reveal" a glam look right when the drums hit.
It’s also become a staple in drag performances and karaoke bars. It’s the ultimate "main character" song. You can’t half-sing it. You have to commit. You have to be willing to look a little bit crazy.
That’s the genius of Jim Steinman. He knew that deep down, we all want to be a little bit crazy. We all have that one person who, if they walked into the room right now, would make everything come rushing back.
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What People Get Wrong About the Meaning
A lot of listeners think it’s a happy song about a reunion. It really isn't.
If you listen to the lyrics, it’s actually kind of dark. "I'm better off alone," she sings. The "coming back" isn't necessarily the person; it’s the pain and the passion. It’s about the fact that you can spend years building a wall of "okay-ness," only for a single moment to tear it all down.
It's about the lack of control we have over our own hearts.
How to Actually Sing It (The Expert View)
If you’re planning on tackling this at karaoke, you need a strategy. You will fail if you go 100% from the start.
- Save your voice. The first three minutes are all about the breath. If you scream "There were nights of endless pleasure," you’ll have nothing left for the "Baby, baby, baby!" at the end.
- Watch your diction. Steinman loved words. "The flesh and the fantasies." Enunciate.
- The Bridge is the Key. When the music drops out and it’s just the piano and the "But you were history with the slamming of the door," that’s where you win the audience.
Actionable Takeaways for the Superfan
If you want to dive deeper into the Steinman-verse, here is how to truly appreciate It's All Coming Back to Me Now:
- Listen to the "Original Sin" Album: Find the Pandora’s Box version. It’s longer, weirder, and features a different arrangement that highlights the rock-and-roll roots of the track.
- Watch the 1996 VH1 Divas Live Performance: Celine Dion’s live vocal on this song is a technical marvel. It proves she wasn't just relying on studio magic.
- Compare the "Radio Edit" vs. the "Album Version": The radio edit cuts almost two minutes of the song. You lose the entire atmospheric build-up. Always go for the full seven-minute version if you want the real experience.
- Explore the "Total Eclipse of the Heart" connection: Both songs share a similar DNA. Steinman wrote them as parts of a larger musical landscape. Listening to them back-to-back reveals his specific "Wagnerian Rock" formula.
There will never be another song like this because the music industry doesn't make songs this "big" anymore. Everything is shorter now. Everything is designed for a 15-second hook. This song is a marathon. It’s a drama. It’s a reminder that sometimes, too much is exactly the right amount.