Jim Steinman was frustrated. That’s probably the best way to describe the vibe in 1981. He had written Bat Out of Hell, an album that basically redefined what theatrical rock could be, turning Meat Loaf into a global icon. Everyone wanted a sequel. The fans were screaming for it, the labels were waving checks, and the momentum was undeniable. But there was a problem. Meat Loaf’s voice was shot. Whether it was physical exhaustion, the immense pressure of following up a masterpiece, or psychological hurdles, the singer couldn't deliver.
So, Steinman did something bold. He decided to sing the songs himself.
That’s how we got the Bad for Good album. It is one of the weirdest, most ambitious, and deeply polarizing records in the history of classic rock. Some people call it a vanity project. Others see it as the "lost" Meat Loaf album, a blueprint for what should have been the greatest follow-up in music history. If you’ve ever wondered why Dead Ringer felt a bit off or why the eventual Bat Out of Hell II took another decade to arrive, the answers are all buried in the bombastic, over-the-top tracks of this 1981 release.
The Tragedy of the Missing Voice
You can’t talk about this record without talking about the heartbreak of the Steinman-Meat Loaf partnership. They were a duo in the way Elton John and Bernie Taupin were, but with more leather and operatic screaming. Steinman wrote specifically for Meat’s range. When they went into the studio to start working on the project—originally titled Renegade Angel—Meat Loaf just couldn’t hit the notes.
It was a mess.
Steinman, who was never exactly known for his vocal prowess, ended up taking the lead. He had this thin, reedy, almost vulnerable voice that stood in stark contrast to the massive, wall-of-sound production he favored. It’s jarring. You listen to the title track, "Bad for Good," and you can hear the ghost of Meat Loaf’s power missing from the mix. But there's also something intensely personal about hearing the creator sing his own melodrama. It feels like a demo that got way out of hand in the best way possible.
What's Actually on the Record?
The Bad for Good album isn't just a collection of B-sides. It contains some of the most important compositions in the Steinman canon. In fact, if you’re a fan of 80s power ballads, you’ve heard these songs before, just performed by other people.
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Take "Left in the Dark." It’s a moody, paranoid masterpiece about infidelity. Steinman’s version is raw and edgy. A few years later, Barbra Streisand covered it. Think about that for a second. The same guy writing for the "Mother" of theatrical pop was the one screaming about "Stark Raving Love."
Then there’s "Surf’s Up." This track eventually made its way onto the Bad Attitude album by Meat Loaf. But the original 1981 version has this Wagnerian surf-rock energy that feels unique to that specific moment in time. The production was handled by Todd Rundgren and Jimmy Iovine, among others. These guys were titans. They layered the sound until it was thick enough to chew on.
The Epic Scale of "The Storm"
One of the standout moments is "The Storm." It’s a prologue. It’s nearly three minutes of instrumental, orchestral tension that sounds like the soundtrack to a movie that was never filmed. Steinman always saw music as a visual medium. He didn't just write songs; he wrote scenes.
When you listen to the Bad for Good album today, you have to realize it was released with an EP. The original vinyl came with a bonus 7-inch or 12-inch (depending on where you bought it) because the songs were too long to fit on a standard LP without compromising the sound quality. This was peak Steinman. Efficiency was never the goal. Grandeur was the goal.
The Production Paradox
Jimmy Iovine and Steinman didn't always see eye to eye. Iovine was a hitmaker; he wanted clarity and punch. Steinman wanted a revolution.
The sessions for this album were notoriously expensive and exhausting. We're talking about a time when studio time cost a fortune and Steinman was demanding dozens of vocal layers and complex arrangements. Because Steinman wasn't a "natural" singer, the production had to work harder to support him. They used Rory Dodd—the guy who sings the "Turn around, bright eyes" part in "Total Eclipse of the Heart"—to bolster the vocals.
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Actually, if you listen closely to the Bad for Good album, you'll notice Dodd's voice is everywhere. He’s the secret weapon of the Steinman sound. He provides the high-end polish that Steinman’s grit lacked. It creates this eerie, double-tracked effect that makes the album feel like it's being performed by a choir of lost souls.
Why Critics Hated It (And Why Fans Love It Now)
When it dropped in April 1981, the critics were brutal. They didn't get it. To the mainstream press, it sounded like a man trying to be a rock star without the pipes to back it up. They compared it unfavorably to Bat Out of Hell, which is fair, but also kind of misses the point.
- Vocal Limitations: People weren't used to a composer-fronted album.
- Length: The tracks were long. "Lost Boys and Golden Girls" is a sprawling epic that demands your full attention.
- Theatricality: By 1981, New Wave was starting to take over. Synthesizers were getting "thin" and "cool." Steinman was still doing hot-blooded, piano-driven rock.
But for the cult followers? It was a goldmine. It was the purest distillation of Steinman’s "Peter Pan on motorcycles" aesthetic. It’s camp. It’s brilliant. It’s ridiculous. Honestly, it’s probably the most "Steinman" record ever made because there was no singer to act as a filter between his brain and the tape.
The Legacy of the Songs
The real proof of the Bad for Good album's quality is where the songs ended up. Steinman was a master of recycling—or, as he would probably call it, "reimagining."
- "Out of the Frying Pan (And Into the Fire)": This became a massive hit on Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell in 1993. When Meat Loaf finally sang it, the song exploded. But the DNA of that hit is right here in 1981.
- "Lost Boys and Golden Girls": This track also found a home on Bat II. It captures that fleeting, tragic sense of youth that Steinman obsessed over his entire career.
- "Stark Raving Love": Parts of this were basically the foundation for "Holding Out for a Hero." You can hear the rhythmic urgency and the "larger than life" desperation that Bonnie Tyler would later turn into a global anthem.
It’s basically a sketchbook of hits. You're listening to a genius show his work before the rest of the world caught up.
The Technical Reality of the 1981 Release
The album reached the Top 10 in the UK, which is actually pretty impressive. In the States, it didn't do as well, peaking around 63 on the Billboard 200. It wasn't a flop, but it wasn't the monster success the label wanted.
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What’s interesting is how the album sounds on modern equipment. Because it was recorded with such high-end gear and legendary producers, it has a dynamic range that many 80s albums lack. It’s "loud" but not "compressed." The piano, played by Steinman and Roy Bittan (of the E Street Band), has a percussive weight to it. You can feel the hammers hitting the strings.
Looking Back at the Bad for Good Album
Is it a perfect record? No. Steinman’s vocals can be an acquired taste. If you're looking for the soulful, gut-wrenching power of Meat Loaf, you're going to be disappointed for the first few listens. But if you're looking for the soul of the songwriter, it’s all there.
The Bad for Good album represents a moment where a creator refused to let a "minor" thing like the lead singer losing his voice stop the music. It’s about persistence. It’s about the fact that these songs were so powerful they had to exist, even if the delivery system was unconventional.
How to Listen to It Today
If you’re coming to this album for the first time, don't jump straight to the hits you know. Start with "Love and Death and an American Guitar." It’s a spoken-word piece. It’s weird. It’s a guy talking about a guitar as if it’s a religious relic or a weapon. If you can get through that and think, "Yeah, I dig this," then the rest of the album will make perfect sense.
It's a world where motorcycles fly, hearts are always breaking, and the night lasts forever.
Actionable Insights for the Music Collector
- Find the Vinyl: If you can, track down an original pressing with the bonus EP. The artwork is sprawling and matches the music perfectly.
- Compare Versions: Listen to "Left in the Dark" by Steinman and then listen to the Barbra Streisand version. It's a masterclass in how arrangement changes the meaning of a lyric.
- Check the Credits: Look for the E Street Band members. Max Weinberg and Roy Bittan give this album a rhythmic backbone that makes it feel like a cousin to Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run.
- Listen to the 1993 Meat Loaf versions: After you’ve lived with Bad for Good for a week, go back to Bat Out of Hell II. You’ll realize that Meat Loaf wasn’t just singing songs; he was finally fulfilling a promise made a decade earlier.