Unpublished Meat Loaf Interview Goes Viral: 'I Lost A Hundred Dollars'
By Kristin Myers on January 21, 2022 at 10:14 AM EST
Singer Meat Loaf passed away suddenly at the age of 84.
Born Marvin Lee Aday, he was best known for his “Bat Out Of Hell” album trilogy, and for appearing in movies like “Fight Club” and “Wayne’s World.”
His family publicly announced his passing in a Facebook post on Meat Loaf’s official page.
“Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight surrounded by his wife Deborah, daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends,” they began.
“His amazing career spanned 6 decades that saw him sell over 100 Million albums worldwide and star in over 65 movies, including ‘Fight Club’, ‘Focus’, ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ and ‘Wayne’s World,’” they continued. “‘Bat Out of Hell’ remains one of the top 10 selling albums of all time.”
“We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man,” they continued. “We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time,” they concluded. “From his heart to your souls…don’t ever stop rocking!”
Many tributes are pouring in about the late talent, including a heartbreaking interview segment that was never published.
Meat Loaf Lost A Bet For 'I Would Do Anything For Love'!
RIP Meat Loaf. I was lucky enough to chat with him once about singing, and we ended up talking about the thing he wouldn’t do for love and him losing a bet over whether or not people would get it. pic.twitter.com/j2urVbvOCR
— Dan Reilly (@danreilly11) January 21, 2022
Journalist Dan Reilly posted an unpublished segment of an interview with the late Meat Loaf to Twitter shortly after he passed.
“RIP Meat Loaf,” he wrote. “I was lucky enough to chat with him once about singing, and we ended up talking about the thing he wouldn’t do for love and him losing a bet over whether or not people would get it.”
In the chat, it says, “You mentioned, ‘I would do anything for love.’ Is that one of the questions you get asked most, about what you wouldn’t do?”
“Well that’s the only question that I get,” Meat Loaf replied. “It’s the line before every chorus. ‘I’ll never stop dreaming of you, I’d run right into hell and back, and ‘I never do it better than I do with you.’ I think there’s seven of them.”
“The problem is that Jim Steinman wrote ‘I’ll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life. I’ll do anything,’” he continued. “If he’d just gone, ‘I’ll do anything for love but I won’t do that,’ you’d know what that was. But he doesn’t.”
“He goes ‘I’ll do anything for love, I’ll do anything for love, I’ll do anything for love. I’ll do anything for love but I won’t do that.’ So that by the time you get to the end of all those ‘I’d do anything for love,’ you don’t remember what the line is that you won’t do,” he added.
“So have you said, ‘hey, thanks Jim’?” Reilly asked.
“No,” Meat Loaf replied. “We had a bet of a hundred dollars and he said ‘nobody’s going to know what ‘that’ is.’ And I’m going, ‘What are you crazy? People aren’t that stupid.’”
He admitted, “I lost a hundred dollars.”
After the tweet, Reilly added, “It just occurred to me that this part of that 2016 interview was never published. What a gem from the archives.”
Fans Thank Reilly For The Sweet Tribute: ‘You Brought A Smile To My Face’
The post was shared widely online by fans who remembered Meat Loaf, not only for his incredible singing and acting ability, but also for his sense of humor.
“As heartbreaking as today is for me, you brought a smile to my face with this,” one fan wrote. “Thank you.”
“I, too, had the pleasure of spending time with [Meat Loaf] before one of his shows,” another fan added. “He was so nice. May he Rest in Peace.”
“Not sure there was a better voice or better entertainer in rock music history,” another added. “#RIPMEATLOAF.”
Many celebrities also weighed in to express their condolences to the late entertainer.
Meat Loaf: 'A One Off Talent And Personality'
I am shocked & saddened by the sudden death of Meat Loaf. He was, as you might imagine, a larger than life character with a voice & stage presence to match & is one of those rare people who truly was a one off talent and personality. Rest In Peace
— Bonnie Tyler (@BonnieTOfficial) January 21, 2022
Singer Bonnie Tyler recorded an album with Meat Loaf in 1989. She tweeted, “I am shocked & saddened by the sudden death of Meat Loaf. He was, as you might imagine, a larger than life character with a voice & stage presence to match & is one of those rare people who truly was a one off talent and personality. Rest In Peace.”
Had So Much Fun With Meatloaf When We Did “Dead Ringer”. Am Very Sorry For His Family,Friends,& Fans. Am I imagining It, or Are Amazing Ppl In The Arts Dying every other Day⁉️
😢— Cher (@cher) January 21, 2022
Singer Cher tweeted, “Had So Much Fun With Meatloaf When We Did ‘Dead Ringer’. Am Very Sorry For His Family, Friends, & Fans. Am I imagining It, or Are Amazing Ppl In The Arts Dying every other Day.”
… he had the quality of being simultaneously frightening and cuddly, which is rare and rather wonderful …
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) January 21, 2022
Comedian Stephen Frytweeted the lyrics from “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” and attached a comedy sketch from Saturday Live where they performed together. “I hope paradise is as you remember it from the dashboard light, Meat Loaf. Had a fun time performing a sketch with him on Saturday Live way back in the last century.”
“… he had the quality of being simultaneously frightening and cuddly, which is rare and rather wonderful,” he added.
The vaults of heaven will be ringing with rock. RIP Meatloaf. Give my best to Jim. - ALW
— Andrew Lloyd Webber (@OfficialALW) January 21, 2022
Composer Andrew Lloyd Webbertweeted, “The vaults of heaven will be ringing with rock. RIP Meatloaf. Give my best to Jim. -ALW.”
Meat Loaf’s close friend and composer, Jim Steinman, passed away in April 2021 at the age of 73 after a long struggle with kidney failure. Meat Loaf had paid tribute to his friend on Facebook nine months ago, writing, “Coming here soon, My brother Jimmy.”