It is the eternal question of the karaoke bar. You’ve seen it a thousand times: someone grabs the mic, waits through that massive, motorcycle-revving intro, and bellows out the chorus while everyone else in the room leans over to their friend and whispers, "Wait, what is the that?"
Honestly, the lyrics Meatloaf I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) have been misunderstood for over thirty years. People act like it’s some grand, unsolvable enigma of rock and roll. It isn’t. Jim Steinman, the Wagnerian mastermind behind the song, didn't write it to be a riddle. Meat Loaf himself—born Marvin Lee Aday—spent decades getting annoyed at fans who claimed they didn't get it. He used to point to the lyrics with a literal chalkboard during live performances just to make the point.
The song is massive. It’s theatrical. It is the peak of 1990s power ballad excess. But more than anything, it is a very specific list of promises and boundaries.
The Mystery That Never Really Was
If you listen to the radio edit, you might be confused. I get it. They cut out the connective tissue to make it fit between commercials for Chevy trucks and local news promos. But if you sit down with the full twelve-minute opus from the Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell album, the "that" is clearly defined in every single verse.
Meat Loaf isn't being vague.
Basically, the song follows a pattern of the female lead (originally sung by Lorraine Crosby, though she was credited as "Mrs. Loud") predicting his eventual betrayal. She lists things that men usually do when they get bored or cynical in a relationship. Every time she throws a "you're gonna do this" at him, he responds with, "I won't do that."
One of the big ones happens right toward the end. She says, "After a while you'll forget everything / It was a brief interlude and a midsummer night's fling." He hits back immediately: "I won't do that."
Another one? She predicts he’ll "start cheating around." His response is the same. The "that" is the act of betraying the love he just spent ten minutes screaming about. It’s not a sexual act. It’s not something weird or "kinda gross" like 90s schoolyard rumors suggested. It’s just fidelity. It’s staying true.
Why the Song Hit So Hard in 1993
You have to remember what was happening in music when this dropped. Grunge was everywhere. Nirvana and Pearl Jam were the kings of the mountain, wearing flannel and looking like they just woke up in a garage. Then comes Meat Loaf. He’s wearing a tuxedo, he’s sweating profusely, and he’s singing a sprawling, dramatic epic that sounds like it belongs on Broadway in the 1970s.
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It shouldn't have worked.
But it did. It went to number one in 28 countries.
The lyrics Meatloaf I Would Do Anything For Love worked because they were unashamedly romantic. In an era of irony and detached cool, here was a guy basically dying on stage for the idea of devotion. Jim Steinman’s writing was always about "the moment." He didn't care about being subtle. He wanted to capture the feeling of being eighteen and feeling like a breakup was the literal end of the world.
The production was also a monster. You’ve got those heavy piano chords, the "crying" guitar solos, and a vocal performance that sounds like a man trying to outrun a thunderstorm. Meat Loaf had a background in musical theater—he was in the original cast of Hair and played Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show—and he brought that "back of the house" projection to every line.
Decoding the Specific "Thats"
Let’s look at the verses because people tend to tune out the words and just wait for the big hook. There are four specific things he swears he will never do.
First, he says he’ll never forget the way she feels right now. It’s a promise against the eroding power of time.
Second, he claims he’ll never forgive himself if they don't go all the way tonight. That's the classic Steinman "lust as a religion" theme.
Third, he won't do it better than he does it with her. This is his way of saying she’s the peak experience of his life.
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The final two—and the ones that really matter for the "mystery"—come during the duet section with Lorraine Crosby. She warns him that he’ll eventually stop dreaming of her every night. He says, "I won't do that." Then she says he’ll eventually move on. Again: "I won't do that."
It is a song about a man trying to prove his exceptionalism. He’s saying, "I know everyone else fails at love, but I’m the one guy who won't." It’s arrogant, beautiful, and completely over the top.
The Lorraine Crosby Factor
We can’t talk about these lyrics without mentioning the woman who actually sang the ending. For years, people thought it was the actress in the music video (Dana Patrick), but Dana was just lip-syncing. The voice belonged to a British singer named Lorraine Crosby.
She was a session singer who happened to be at the studio. Steinman asked her to provide a "guide vocal" for the track so they could show other singers what they wanted. But her performance was so raw and perfect that they just kept it.
She brings the reality check to the song. Without her verses, Meat Loaf is just a guy shouting into a void about how great he is. Crosby’s character is the skeptic. She’s the one who forces him to define his boundaries. Her voice is the "that" generator. She provides the obstacles that he has to leap over to prove his devotion.
Misconceptions That Just Won't Die
Even with the explanations, people love a good conspiracy. There are still threads on Reddit and old forums claiming the song is about everything from religion to very specific, taboo kinks.
Meat Loaf actually got quite defensive about this in interviews. He told VH1 Storytellers that it drove him crazy. He would say, "It’s the line before! Just listen to the line before!"
I think the confusion persists because we want it to be a secret. We want there to be some dark, hidden meaning in a song that sounds so gothic. The music video, directed by Michael Bay (yes, that Michael Bay), didn't help. It was a Beauty and the Beast retelling with lots of blue light, candles, and Meat Loaf in heavy prosthetics. It made the whole thing feel like a fever dream. When you watch a guy in monster makeup running through a mansion, you assume the "that" he won't do is something supernatural or terrifying.
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In reality, the "that" is just being a jerk and breaking someone's heart.
The Legacy of the Ballad
When Meat Loaf passed away in early 2022, this was the song everyone played. It wasn't just because it was a hit; it was because it represented the last of a certain kind of rock star. Meat Loaf wasn't a "cool" guy. He was a guy who felt things too loudly.
The lyrics Meatloaf I Would Do Anything For Love are the ultimate expression of that. They are messy. They are repetitive. They are way too long for a pop song. But they are also incredibly human.
Most love songs are about the "doing." I'll climb a mountain, I'll swim the ocean, I’ll buy you a ring. This song is about the "not doing." It’s about the restraint required to keep a relationship alive. It’s about the things you refuse to sacrifice—your integrity, your memory of the good times, and your loyalty.
Actionable Takeaways for the Curious Listener
If you want to truly appreciate the track without the "mystery" getting in the way, try these steps next time it comes on:
- Listen to the 12-minute version: The radio edit is a shell of a song. You need the full build-up to understand the emotional stakes.
- Focus on the duet: Pay attention to the very end of the song where the female vocal comes in. This is where the "that" is actually named.
- Watch the VH1 Storytellers clip: Meat Loaf explains the song with a chalkboard. It is hilarious and definitive.
- Look for the parallelisms: Notice how every "I won't do that" is a direct response to a specific fear mentioned in the preceding line.
Ultimately, the song is a testament to the writing of Jim Steinman and the sheer lung capacity of Meat Loaf. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most romantic thing you can do isn't a grand gesture—it's just staying when everyone else would leave. It’s not a riddle. It’s a vow.
Next time someone asks you what "that" is, you can tell them with total confidence: it’s the betrayal of the person he loves. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s a simple promise wrapped in a very loud, very expensive, very beautiful package.
Next Steps for Music Fans:
- Check out the rest of the album: Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell is a masterclass in 90s rock production.
- Explore Jim Steinman’s other hits: He wrote "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Holding Out for a Hero." Once you hear the similarities, you’ll never unhear them.
- Read Meat Loaf's autobiography: To Hell and Back gives a great look at how he and Steinman created this specific brand of "Wagnerian Rock."