To be honest it was during this week, week 51 of 2021, that I learned that Jim Steinman had died on the 19th of April of this year. I remember The first time I came in contact with his production skills and his writing excellence. It was 1977 and the ultimate number one song of that moment was Paradise By The Dashboard Light. My younger uncles, from mother’s side, both bought the record and cassette copies were shared throughout the family. For my birthday I had received a radio cassette player and the tape with Bat Out Of Hell was in it for months.
So I kept following Jim Steinman, mainly through Meat Loaf, but later on through Ellen Foley, Bonnie Tyler and Pandora’s Box. So to honour Jim Steinman influence on the 80’s I present you this compilation of songs produced, written, arranged and played (with some vocals) by Jim Steinman. For those who followed Jim Steinman; tracks written by him pop up on several albums of artists he produced, being Meat Loaf the mass user of the songs over the years.
Spicy detail: for a moment I considered to put this one out as volume 200 of The Unknown Beauty series, but in the end I decided to make this a separate release.
The New York Philharmonic Orchestra – The Storm
The original release of Bad For Good in 1981 was to big to featured on a single album so it was released as a lp and 7”. The A side of the single, The Storm, was the opener of the project and the b-side, Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through (Epilogue To The Album "Bad For Good"), the closing track.
The Sisters Of Mercy – Dominion / Mother Russia
From their 1987 breakthrough album Floodland. The track was co-produced by Jim Steinman.
Pandora’s Box – The Original Sin (the native and restless tonight)
Pandora’s Box was a one-off collaboration brought together by producer Jim Steinman, consisting of Steinman and four lead singers: Ellen Foley, Elaine Caswell, Deliria Wilde and Gina Taylor. Original Sin features Deliria Wilde, Elaine Caswell, Ellen Foley, Gina Taylor, Holly Sherwood, Laura Theodore on lead vocals.
Karla Devito – Heaven Can Wait
Just after the recording of Bat Out Hell original backing singer Ellen Foley left Meat Loaf, because the project took to long to be released . Karla Devito fitted in for the videos that were shout for the singles for the album. Early eighties Kara Devito went solo. Heaven Can Wait, a cover from the Steinman track from Bat Out Of Hell, is featured on her first solo album Is This A Cool World Or What? From 1981.
Jim Steinman – Stark Raving Love
Track from the Bad For Good album from 1981. The lead vocals are by Rory Dodd.
Barbra Streisand – Left In The Dark
Left In The Dark was a single by Barbra Streisand in 1984 and is featured on her album Emotion. The song was written, arranged, mixed and produced by Jim Steinman.
Air Supply – Making Love Out Of Nothing At All
Making Love Out Of Nothing At All was a standalone single of Air supple released in 1983 and written, directed and produced by Jim Steinman.
Meguni Shiina - 悲しみは続かない (sadness doesn't last)
The track was composed and written by Jim Steinman and is featured on Meguni Shiina’s Maxi-Single TV Theme Best 4 from 1989.
Meat Loaf ft. Cher – Dead Ringer For Love
Taken from the second Meat Loaf album Dead Ringer from 1981. The album was written and produced by Jim Steinman.
Jim Steinman – Dance In My Pants
Track from the Bad For Good album from 1981. The lead vocals are Karla DeVito.
Urgent– Love Can Make You Cry
Urgent was a AOR band who just had released an album in 1985 called Cast The First Stone. An early version of Love Can Make You Cry is featured on the album. Jim Steinman produced and extended the track for the Iron Eagle Original Motion Picture soundtrack from 1986.
Bonnie Tyler – Rebel Without A Clue (excerpt from…)
The single version of Rebel Without A Clue released in 1986 was written and produced by Jim Steinman.
Billy Squier – Rock Me Tonite
Jim Steinman produced the album Signs Of Life from 1984 of the former Piper vocalist. It also became a single.
Fire Inc. – Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young
Studio formation assembled for the soundtrack of the 1984 feature film "Streets of Fire", featuring lead vocals by Laurie Sargent and Holly Sherwood.
W.W.F. All Stars – Hulk Hogan’s Theme
Produced and written by Jim Steinman for The Wrestling Album compilation released in 1985.
Meat Loaf – I’m Gonna Love Her From Both Of Us
Produced by Jim Steinman this is the album version of the song featured on the album Dead Ringer from 1981.
Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of The Heart
The huge eighties hit of Bonnie Tyler from her album Faster Than The speed Of Night, which was produced and written by Jim Steinman.
The Sisters Of Mercy – This Corrosion
From their 1987 breakthrough album Floodland. The track was produced by Jim Steinman.
Billy Squier – (another) 1984
Jim Steinman produced the album Signs Of Life from 1984 of the former Piper vocalist. It also became a single.
Jim Steinman – Lost Boys And Golden Girls
From the album Bad For Good from 1981. Lead vocals are by Rory Dodd.
Megumi Shiina - 今夜はAngel
The track was composed and written by Jim Steinman and is featured on Meguni Shiina’s debut album Miss You from 1986. It’s the Japanese version of Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young.
Bill Medley – Rude Awakening
The title track for the film with the same name. Rude Awakening was released as a single in 1989 and written and produced by Jim Steinman. It is also featured on the soundtrack album of the movie.
Mika Asakira - ヒーロー (Holding Out For A Hero)
In 1984 Holding Out For A Hero was covered by two Japanese singers Mika Asakira and Yuki Katsuragi. I choose for the version of the first.
Fire Inc. – Nowhere Fast
Studio formation assembled for the soundtrack of the 1984 feature film "Streets of Fire", featuring lead vocals by Laurie Sargent and Holly Sherwood.
Pandora’s Box – It’s All Coming Back To Me Now
Pandora’s Box was a one-off collaboration brought together by producer Jim Steinman, consisting of Steinman and four lead singers: Ellen Foley, Elaine Caswell, Deliria Wilde and Gina Taylor. Original Sin features Deliria Wilde, Elaine Caswell, Ellen Foley, Gina Taylor, Holly Sherwood, Laura Theodore on lead vocals. In 1995 Celine Dion had a huge hit with a cover version of the song.
Barry Manilow – Read ‘Em And Weep
Original written for the Meat Loaf album Dead Ringer from 1981. Barry Manilow covered the song in 1983, releasing it as a single.
Saint Four(セイントフォー) – Rock’n Roll Dreams Come Through
Cover from the Jim Steinman song original released on Bad For Good from 1981.
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Enjoy. Up for one week.