Meat Loaf – Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through

About The Song

“Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through” is a song written by Jim Steinman, recorded by Meat Loaf, and released on October 18, 1993, as the second single from his sixth studio album Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell on MCA Records. The song reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart, marking one of Meat Loaf’s significant hits from the album. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo, in 1994, though it lost to Meat Loaf’s own “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).”

The recording took place at various studios, including Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood, produced by Steinman and assisted by Roy Bittan. The session featured a large ensemble with Bittan on piano, Todd Rundgren on guitar, and background vocals by Rory Dodd and Kasim Sulton. The track includes a sweeping orchestral arrangement by Steve Buslowe and a choir, recorded over multiple days to achieve its dramatic buildup. Steinman described the process in a 1993 interview, saying, “This song was about capturing the dreams of youth, with all the grandeur and heartbreak they carry.” The song runs 8:19 on the album, with the single edited to 5:50 for radio play.

The lyrics explore themes of nostalgia, hope, and resilience, with lines like “You can’t run away forever / But there’s nothing wrong with getting a good head start.” The song was originally written for a musical project called Neverland in the mid-1970s, intended for a duet between a young boy and a girl, but was adapted for Meat Loaf’s solo performance. Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, released on September 14, 1993, became a massive success, selling over 14 million copies worldwide and reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200, driven by the lead single “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).”

The music video, directed by Michael Bay, premiered in 1993, featuring Meat Loaf in a surreal, dreamlike setting with imagery of a young girl and a carnival, reflecting the song’s themes. It was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography in 1994. The song was performed live during the 1993-1994 world tour, with a 14-piece band, and a live version appeared on Live Around the World (1996). A piano-driven version by Steinman, titled “Lost Boys and Golden Girls,” was included on the album as a hidden track.

The track was released in multiple formats, including CD and 7-inch vinyl, with B-sides like “Wasted Youth” and a live version of “Bat Out of Hell.” It was included on compilations such as The Very Best of Meat Loaf (1998) and Hell in a Handbasket (2011). The production involved extensive use of overdubs, with Meat Loaf recording vocals in segments due to ongoing health issues, including vocal strain from previous tours.

Video

Lyric

You can’t run away forever
But there’s nothing wrong with getting a good head start
You want to shut out the night
You want to shut down the sun
You want to shut away the pieces of a broken heart

Think of how we’d lay down together
We’d be listening to the radio so loud and so strong
Every golden nugget coming like a gift of the gods
Someone must have blessed us when he gave us those songs

I treasure your love
I never want to lose it
You’ve been through the fires of hell
And I know you’ve got the ashes to prove it

I treasure your love
I want to show you how to use it
You’ve been through a lot of pain in the dirt
And I know you’ve got the scars to prove it

Remember everything that I told you
And I’m telling you again that it’s true
When you’re alone and afraid
And you’re completely amazed
To find there’s nothing anybody can do

Keep on believing
And you’ll discover baby

There’s always something magic
There’s always something new
And when you really, really need it the most
That’s when rock and roll dreams come through

The beat is yours forever
The beat is always true
And when you really, really need it the most
That’s when rock and roll dreams come through

For you

You’ve got to keep the faith
If you want to live the life

I’ve got to hear some music
If it’s gonna get me through the night

There’s always some magic
There’s always some hope
When all the love has gone away

You’ve got to believe in yourself
That’s the place you’ve got to be
When the night is dark and full of shadows

You’ve got to walk on
You’ve got to be strong

There’s always some magic
There’s always some hope
When all the love has gone away

Keep on believing
And you’ll discover baby

There’s always something magic
There’s always something new
And when you really, really need it the most
That’s when rock and roll dreams come through

The beat is yours forever
The beat is always true
And when you really, really need it the most
That’s when rock and roll dreams come through

For you