MEAT LOAF & MARION RAVEN - IT’S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW

Released: October 16, 2006

Charts:  UK: #6 

“It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” is a power ballad written by Jim Steinman, inspired by “Wuthering Heights” and intended to be the most passionate, romantic song Steinman could create. Steinman considered it a woman’s song and refused to let Meat Loaf record it, despite their history of collaboration. After winning a court case to block Meat Loaf’s recording, Steinman allowed the girl group Pandora’s Box to record the song first. Later, Celine Dion’s iconic cover made the song a massive hit, frustrating Meat Loaf, who had planned to include it on his new album.

Meat Loaf claimed that “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” was originally intended for “Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell” and was given to him in 1986, but he and Steinman decided to use “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” for the album instead and save this song for “Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose”. Steinman also considered Bonnie Tyler for the song during the production of her “Hide Your Heart” album. Despite Tyler’s confidence that it would be a hit, her record label declined, citing the high cost of having Steinman produce it.

The song was a point of contention between Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman. While Steinman was pleased with its success as performed by Celine Dion, Meat Loaf was upset, believing it was originally intended for “Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell” and promised for a future “Bat Out of Hell III” project. Steinman maintained that the song was written for a female vocalist, whereas Meat Loaf always envisioned it as a duet.

In 2006, Meat Loaf recorded the song with Marion Raven for “Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose”, produced by Desmond Child. Raven was selected because her voice contrasted sharply with Meat Loaf’s, creating a dynamic duet. Meat Loaf described their rendition as the definitive version and admitted he was moved to tears the first time he heard the song. He also joked about the emotional intensity of the song, quipping that while he loves Steinman, he wouldn’t go as far as to “French kiss” him.

The music video for Meat Loaf’s version directed by P. R. Brown, premiered on VH1 Classic on August 8, 2006. The video shares thematic similarities with Celine Dion’s version, featuring a protagonist haunted by memories of a lost lover. It employs a different narrative structure, using flashbacks to contrast moments before and after Marion Raven’s character’s death. Scenes depicting Raven alive are tinted yellow, while those after her death use a darker, blue tint. Unlike Dion’s video, where the motorcyclist dies before the first verse, Raven’s fatal crash is revealed only during the final chorus. A pivotal moment occurs at a masquerade ball, where the ghost of Raven’s former lover appears, angering Meat Loaf’s character. Some reviewers likened this scene to the film Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrick.