What is "that?"

[Trekker4747]

In Meat Loaf's Bat out of Hell II album in the song "I'll Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" there's a certain amount of ambiguity of what "that" is. Toward the end of the song when the female vocalist comes in she asks the male vocalist in the song's narrative (Meat Loaf) if he'd do this, do that (as in love her forever) and he says he can do that, but then she says he'll eventually forget about her, cheat on her and they'll drift away. "I won't do that!" The Loaf answers.

But in a broader sense what do you think "that" is?

Because up until the female vocalist comes in there is some ambiguity of what "that" is (But I'll never stop dreaming of you/Every-night of my life-no way-/I'll do anything for love/ ... But I just won't do that.)

So what is "that?"

I see it as being that we all have our limits and our ends. We all want love, we all want to do anything for love but there's an end to it. We all have our limits. We'll all do anything for love but we just won't do "that." That is something different for all of us, it may be something simple and harmless like we won't get a nipple piercing or a tattoo, or we won't commit forever with marriage, or some of us simply won't make that first step to get to love out of fear of pain and rejection.

So what is your interpretation of what "that" is and do you know what your own personal "that" is?

BTW, I'm not a huge fan of The Loaf but this is one of my more favorite songs. (And, yes, even though it is directed by Michael Bay, I really like the video.)

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Well, Meat has always been a substantial fella, so maybe he won't eat lite food for anyone?

Sorry, I know you were probably looking for a serious answer.

 

[sidious618]

For me that = have children.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

But in a broader sense what do you think "that" is?

She kept trying to insert things in his butt, and The Loaf don't play that way.

 

[Kestra]

I dunno, there's not much I wouldn't do for love. I thought the no children thing would be a dealbreaker, but I'm not sure anymore. I don't think I'd murder for love.

 

[Trekker4747]

I don't think I'd murder for love.

Well, that's kinda reassuring.

 

[Kestra]

I don't think I'd murder for love.

Well, that's kinda reassuring.

Well I didn't say I was certain.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I'm a great fan of Meat Loaf. I really enjoy his songs and the epic feeling of his music (Bat out of Hell II is still one of my favourite albums of all time).

For how I understand it, in the song narratives "that" means to stop loving the woman. He will do everything for her, but he couldn't stop loving her even if she asked to. A testament to the paradox of love.

As for myself, i don't really know what "that" is for me. There are exceptionally few things that I hold sacred in my life. So far, I never had to chose between them and love. We always found a solution, together. I don't believe in non-negotiable principles.

Maybe the one thing I could never do is being different from what I am. Maybe I could try, but I'm not sure I will be able to. In the end, I will probably end up doing much more damage than simply accepting my limits.

A cop-out answer? Maybe. But I don't believe in non-dodgeable questions either.

 

[T'Baio]

I don't understand why people find this song so hard to understand.

In your example, Trekker, the "that" is stop dreaming of her. He won't do that, as in he won't stop dreaming of her.

There is no ambiguity, it's pretty straight forward.

He mentions several things he won't do, then reiterates that no, he won't do that.

 

[Lindley]

I prefer this version anyway:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTPko-aXvJM[/yt]

 

[RJDiogenes]

It boggles my mind that people don't understand this song. I once saw a show on VH-1 where professional music critics wondered what "that" is.

It's all right there in the lyrics, starting on line three: " I'll never forget the way you feel right now." And then it goes on from there to: " I'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way tonight." And so on.

The best way to understand a song is to listen to the words.

 

[cultcross]

I prefer this version anyway:

 

[Niorah]

You just really need to listen...
In the original version of the song that he sang together with Bonnie Tyler there's a part around the end when they duet, and it goes like this:

[Bonnie]
Will you raise me up, will you help me down?
Will you get me right out of this God forsaken town?
Will you make it all a little less cold?

[Meatloaf]
I can do that. Oh I can do that.

[Bonnie]
Will you cater to every fantasy I've got?
Will you hose me down with holy water, if I get too hot? Hot!
Will you take me places I've never known?

[Meatloaf]
Now I can do that! Oh oh now, I can do that!

[Bonnie]
After awhile you'll forget everything.
It was a brief interlude
And a midsummer night's fling,
And you'll see that it's time to move on.

[Meatloaf]
I won't do that. I won't do that.

[Bonnie]
I know the territory, I've been around,
It'll all turn to dust and will all fall down,
Sooner or later, you'll be screwing around.

[Meatloaf]
I won't do that. No, I won't do that.


As for me, I don't know. I like to think that I can do pretty much anything for love. Although I do believe that you have to be -in- the situation to understand how far you're willing to go, it's quite useless to make grandiose statements if you won't deliver when the time comes to back them up.

 

[Dancing Doctor]

I prefer this version anyway:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTPko-aXvJM[/yt]

I like the Spitting Image video of John Major.

"...like a prat out of hell."

 

[Yeoman Randi]

I don't think I'd murder for love.

Well, that's kinda reassuring.

Well I didn't say I was certain.

Morning coffee spew!!!!

 

[Mutai Sho-Rin]

It is worth noting that the song, as with most of Meatloaf's material, was written by the great Jim Steinman. He also wrote Total Eclipse of the Heart for Bonnie Tyler and Making Love Out of Nothing At All for Air Supply. When we saw Meatloaf live in Atlanta in 1979, Steinman was the pianist and he was great at that as well. One of my favorite shows ever.

 

[DeafPoet]

Me and my buddies used to joke that "that" was oral.

Not the most sophiticated joke around but still good for a chuckle.

 

[Trekker4747]

I don't understand why people find this song so hard to understand.

In your example, Trekker, the "that" is stop dreaming of her. He won't do that, as in he won't stop dreaming of her.

There is no ambiguity, it's pretty straight forward.

He mentions several things he won't do, then reiterates that no, he won't do that.

See the problem I have with this is that it, to me, seems like two different things.

To me, there's a difference between being given an example and then the "if" scenario.

In the main chorus we're told "I'll do anything for love, but I won't do that." And then in the verses we're given examples as if he's in love and he can't do certain things.

I'll give you an example of how I'm looking at this.

I'll do anything for a cheeseburger... (as-in I want one but don't have one) but I won't do that (as in I won't do immoral things to get to one.) That's what I get from the chorous, he'll do anything for love, but he won't do that. (that being whatever it is that represents what is beyond our personal moral boundaries.)

Then in the verses he has as a love (and this is most notable in the duet sequences) and he won't do the things she suggests/won't do things that'd ruin the love/relationshop. He has love. (After you eat this cheeseburger you'll forget about it and then go on to have pizza later. I won't do that, my hunger is satisfied.)

I look at this song as I do most other forms of art that there can be some question in it on how to interpret it and that anything the creator adds is just another suggestion, despite what his intent was when the art was made. People have looked at paintings and listened to music by some of the greatest artists of all time and added their own interpretations to it, despite what doucmented evidence says the artist's intent was.

Meat Loaf may have told us what "that" is, but, still, we can add our own interpretations to it.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I like the Spitting Image video of John Major.

"...like a prat out of hell."

I remember that one well.

I also remember the Hale and Pace version:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Iu5oovc1ew[/yt]

 

[RJDiogenes]

It is worth noting that the song, as with most of Meatloaf's material, was written by the great Jim Steinman. He also wrote Total Eclipse of the Heart for Bonnie Tyler and Making Love Out of Nothing At All for Air Supply. When we saw Meatloaf live in Atlanta in 1979, Steinman was the pianist and he was great at that as well. One of my favorite shows ever.

Steinman is great indeed. He also had his own album, Bad For Good, which has a ton of great stuff on it (some of which was later covered by Meatloaf).