Making Music Out of Nothing at All
RIP ace songwriter Jim Steinman, 73. Born in NYC, raised on Long Island, he began in musical theater, working for legendary producer Joseph Papp, contributing music and lyrics to many works. He broke big as the brains behind Meatloaf’s mega-smash album Bat of Hell, powered by Todd Rundgren’s soaring guitar work. It is one of the most commercial works of all-time, selling over 50 million copies, 14-times platinum. He also had great success with singles. At one time in 1983, two of his songs held the top positions on the Billboard singles chart, Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart #1 and Air Supply’s Making Love Out of Nothing at All #2. In 1993 he again collaborated with Meatloaf for Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell. It included I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That), which hit #1. In 1996 his It’s All Coming Back to Me Now reached #2 for Celine Dion. His Read ’Em and Weep, sung by Barry Manilow, topped the chart for eight consecutive weeks in 1983. In 1996 he received a Grammy for production of Celine Dion’s album Falling Into You. Other notable artists who have recorded his songs: Yvonne Elliman, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, Cher, Ian Hunter, Billy Squier and the Sisters of Mercy. Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito provided great assists on The Bat Out of Hell incarnations. Under the “Soundtrack” category at IMDb, Steinman has 236 credits. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. Awesome, sir. Thank you.
Here’s a nypost.com headline that manifests the madness of the Big Apple’s civic leaders: “Teens charged with attempted murder freed from NYC court without bail: sources.”
Headline from newsmax.com: “Arizona to Start Major Audit of 2020 Presidential Election.” Better late than never.
Par for the course in politics, headline from foxnews.com: “AOC, ‘Squad’ members promote ‘Defund the Police’ but spend thousands on private security.”
The lack of an adequate parking space at my usual book nook sent me to my alternate site on this beautiful day. I had only one customer, an MTA worker. She bought five novels: Nights Of Rain And Stars and Tara Road by Maeve Binchy, You Remind Me of Me by Dan Chaon, Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weissberger, and Pennmarric by Susan Howatch. My thanks.
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