“Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through” is a song written by Jim Steinman and originally featured on his 1981 solo album “Bad for Good”, with Rory Dodd providing lead vocals. Meat Loaf later recorded the song for his 1993 album “Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell”, releasing it as the third single in 1994.
“Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through” showcases Jim Steinman’s theatrical style and highlights his enduring collaboration with Meat Loaf. The song celebrates the healing power of music, particularly rock and roll, as a source of comfort during times of loneliness and despair. It portrays music as a “gift of the gods,” with the drums symbolizing the heartbeat of life.
“Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through,” along with the rest of the “Bad for Good” album, was originally intended for Meat Loaf. However, due to a combination of mental and physical issues, Meat Loaf was unable to record his vocals. With the tracks already laid down using many of the same musicians and studios from “Bat Out of Hell”, Jim Steinman decided to take on the vocals himself for most of the album. For this track, however, he enlisted Rory Dodd, a Canadian singer known for his backing vocals on “Bat Out of Hell” and his iconic “turn around, bright eyes” line on “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”
The music video directed by Michael Bay, features Meat Loaf as a fortuneteller who helps guide lost and troubled individuals. An 18-year-old Angelina Jolie portrays a runaway teenager who seeks solace and ultimately reunites with her family by the video’s end. Meat Loaf’s character also intervenes to protect a young boy from joining a gang and provides comfort to others experiencing loneliness and despair.
9.1.25
ALAN PARSONS PROJECT - EYE IN THE SKY
Llançament: Maig de 1982
Llistes d’èxits: EUA: #3
“Eye in the Sky” és una cançó de la banda britànica The Alan Parsons Project, llançada el maig de 1982 com a single del seu sisè àlbum d’estudi, del mateix nom. És la cançó de més èxit del grup, arribant al número 3 de les llistes de Billboard als Estats Units l’octubre de 1982, així com al número 1 al Canadà i Espanya, i al número 6 a Nova Zelanda.
Sovint es rumoreja que “Eye in the Sky” s’inspira en la novel·la “1984” de George Orwell, que retracta un futur distòpic amb vigilància constant, però no hi ha referències directes als temes o la terminologia del llibre a la lletra. Alan Parsons va mencionar que l’àlbum en el seu conjunt explora el concepte de “Big Brother is watching” (el Gran Germà t’observa), però la cançó sembla més centrada en una relació personal, on el narrador afirma tenir coneixement de les reaccions d’una amant. El títol també coincideix amb el terme eye in the sky, utilitzat per descriure les càmeres de vigilància en casinos. Tot i això, la connexió amb Orwell no està confirmada, i el tema principal de la cançó gira entorn de la confiança, la intuïció i el control.
La veu principal és d’Eric Woolfson, lletrista, mànager i principal col·laborador d’Alan Parsons. En aquell moment, The Alan Parsons Project era un grup d’estudi que sovint utilitzava diferents vocalistes per a les seves cançons. Woolfson proporcionava la guia vocal abans que Parsons triés el cantant més adequat. Parsons era inicialment escèptic sobre la cançó i va haver de ser convençut per incloure-la a l’àlbum. Tot i que Woolfson i altres músics hi creien fermament, Parsons va dubtar tant del seu potencial que fins i tot va apostar amb el guitarrista Ian Bairnson que no seria un èxit. Malgrat això, es va convertir en el tema més reeixit del grup. Posteriorment, Parsons el va interpretar durant les seves gires en directe.
La peça instrumental “Sirius” enllaça perfectament amb “Eye in the Sky” a l’àlbum, però al single “Eye in the Sky” es presenta de manera independent, sense “Sirius”. Tot i que “Sirius” no era habitualment reproduïda a la ràdio amb “Eye in the Sky”, va adquirir estatus icònic com a himne esportiu. Els Chicago Bulls la van fer servir com a música d’introducció durant l’any de debut de Michael Jordan, i es va convertir en sinònim de les sis victòries del campionat de l’equip. Amb el temps, “Sirius” va ser adoptada per nombrosos equips esportius d’arreu del món.
La portada de l’àlbum presenta el símbol egipci de l’ull d’Horus, un emblema conegut de la mitologia de l’antic Egipte. Horus, un déu amb cap de falcó, representava protecció, poder i salut, qualitats simbolitzades per l’ull. Aquesta imatge contrasta amb la lletra de la cançó, que tracta temes com la vigilància i la traïció.
El 2019, Alan Parsons va enregistrar una versió en català d’”Eye in the Sky”, titulada “Seré els teus ulls al camí”. Aquesta versió es va incloure en un CD produït per La Marató de TV3, en el programa destinat a recaptar fons per a la investigació de malalties incurables.
ALAN PARSONS PROJECT - EYE IN THE SKY
Released: May 1982
Charts: US: #3
“Eye in the Sky” is a song by the British band The Alan Parsons Project, released in May 1982 as a single from their sixth studio album of the same name. It became their most successful release, reaching No. 3 on the US Billboard charts in October 1982, as well as No. 1 in Canada and Spain, and No. 6 in New Zealand.
“Eye in the Sky” is often rumored to be inspired by George Orwell’s novel “1984”, which portrays a dystopian future of constant surveillance, but there are no direct references to the novel’s themes or terminology in the lyrics. While Alan Parsons mentioned that the album as a whole explores a “Big Brother is watching” concept, the song itself seems more focused on a personal relationship, with the narrator claiming awareness of a lover’s reactions. The title also aligns with the term “eye in the sky,” used for surveillance cameras in casinos. The Orwellian connection remains unconfirmed, and the song’s central theme revolves around trust, intuition, and control.
The song features lead vocals by Eric Woolfson, the lyricist, manager, and main collaborator of Alan Parsons. The Alan Parsons Project, a studio-based group at the time, often used different vocalists for their songs, with Woolfson providing guide vocals before Parsons selected the best fit. Parsons was initially skeptical about the song and had to be persuaded to include it on the album. Woolfson and the other musicians believed in its potential, but Parsons was so doubtful he even bet guitarist Ian Bairnson it wouldn’t be a hit. Despite this, it became the group’s most successful track. Parsons himself later performed it during live tours.
The instrumental track “Sirius” seamlessly transitions into “Eye in the Sky” on the album, but on the single release, “Eye in the Sky” stands alone, with “Sirius” omitted. While “Sirius” was not commonly played on the radio alongside “Eye in the Sky,” it gained iconic status as a sports anthem. The Chicago Bulls famously used it as their introduction music during Michael Jordan’s rookie year, and it became synonymous with their six championship wins. Over time, “Sirius” was adopted by numerous sports teams across various disciplines.
The cover art of album features the Egyptian symbol of the Eye of Horus, a well-known emblem from ancient Egyptian mythology. Horus, a falcon-headed god, represented protection, power, and health—qualities symbolized by the eye. This imagery contrasts with the song’s lyrics, which center on themes of surveillance and betrayal.
In 2019, Alan Parsons recorded a Catalan version of Eye in the Sky, titled “Seré els teus ulls al camí” (“I’ll Be Your Eyes on the Road”). This version was included on a CD produced by La Marató de TV3, a telethon dedicated to raising funds for research into incurable diseases.
8.1.25
STONEY & MEATLOAF - WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET
Released: October 1971
Charts: US: #71
Before rising to fame with “Bat Out of Hell”, Meat Loaf (Marvin Aday) recorded “Stoney and Meatloaf”, a 1971 Motown album with singer Shaun Murphy, whom he met during the Detroit production of “Hair”. Released on the Rare Earth label, the album showcased Meat Loaf’s powerful voice in a soul-rock style, marking his first professional recording. The single “What You See Is What You Get,” released ahead of the album, became his first charting hit, peaking at #71 on the Billboard Hot 100. This early work hinted at the dramatic vocal talent that would later define his career and collaborations with Jim Steinman.
The “Stoney and Meatloaf” album featured a special contribution from Motown legend Stevie Wonder, who played piano on one of the tracks. Meat Loaf recalled that Wonder, recording his iconic “Innervisions” at the same studio, offered to play on what he humorously described as a corny song.
The album, originally released in 1971, was re-released multiple times under the title Featuring Stoney and Meat Loaf with altered track listings, first in 1978 and 1979 on the Prodigal label and again in 1986 on Tamla Motown.
“Maggie May” és una cançó coescrita per Rod Stewart i Martin Quittenton, inclosa en l’àlbum de 1971 “Every Picture Tells a Story”. Es va convertir en un èxit massiu, assolint simultàniament el número 1 a les llistes del Regne Unit i dels Estats Units. L’àlbum també va arribar al primer lloc en ambdós països, fent que Stewart es convertís en el primer artista a tenir una cançó i un àlbum número 1 als EUA i al Regne Unit al mateix temps.
“Maggie May” s’inspira en la primera experiència sexual de Rod Stewart al Beaulieu Jazz Festival de 1961 amb una dona més gran. Tot i que l’experiència va ser breu i incòmoda, Stewart la va convertir en una història fictícia una dècada més tard, creant així el seu primer gran èxit. El nom “Maggie May” prové d’una cançó tradicional de Liverpool sobre una prostituta. Avui dia, Stewart encara no sap si la dona real es va reconèixer a la cançó.
“Maggie May” ha rebut crítiques per les seves connotacions misògines, ja que Stewart relata la seva trobada amb una dona més gran mentre n’insulta l’aparença i li nega tota agència. La cançó reflecteix una visió antiga de la Madonna-whore complex, però la interpretació de Stewart transmet vulnerabilitat i autoodi, contrastant amb representacions més agressives i sarcàstiques d’altres cantants, com Mick Jagger. Tot i les seves mancances, l’afecte genuí de Stewart per Maggie i l’eufòria de l’experiència humanitzen la cançó.
Inicialment, “Maggie May” semblava un èxit improbable per la seva manca d’una tornada tradicional i per la seva llarga durada de 5:46. Mercury Records la va llançar com a cara B de “Reason to Believe”, que va arribar només al lloc 62 l’agost de 1971, però les emissores de ràdio van començar a donar preferència a “Maggie May”, cosa que va portar Mercury a promocionar-la com a cara A. La cançó va escalar fins al número 1 l’octubre de 1971.
Hi ha afirmacions conflictives sobre qui va ser el primer a posar Maggie May a la ràdio. Rod Stewart va atribuir el mèrit a un DJ de Cleveland, probablement Mitch Michaels de WMMS. Mentrestant, Chuck Buell, director musical de WLS a Chicago, va afirmar que va identificar “Maggie May” com un èxit, la va posar en rotació i va convèncer Ted Atkins de KHJ Los Angeles perquè fes el mateix, malgrat l’èmfasi inicial de Mercury en “Reason to Believe”.
El músic britànic Ray Jackson, de la banda Lindisfarne, va tocar la mandolina a Maggie May i en altres cançons de Stewart, rebent només una tarifa de sessió de 15 lliures. L’any 2003, Jackson va amenaçar amb emprendre accions legals, al·legant que la seva aportació era vital per a l’èxit de la cançó i que mereixia un crèdit com a coautor. Stewart va rebutjar la demanda, argumentant que Jackson havia estat contractat com a músic de sessió. Per agreujar la situació, els crèdits de l’àlbum indicaven irònicament: “The mandolin was played by the mandolin player in Lindisfarne. The name slips my mind” (La mandolina la tocava el mandolinista a Lindisfarne. El nom se m'escapa del cap). Jackson no va arribar a presentar la demanda als tribunals, però el seu posicionament públic va destacar la seva contribució i va promoure la seva obra artística posterior.
Des del punt de vista musical, “Maggie May” és excepcional, fusionant perfectament elements de folk i rock. La melodia acústica central de Martin Quittenton, l’orgue d’Ian McLagan i el solo icònic de mandolina de Ray Jackson al minut 4:26 donen a la cançó el seu caràcter distintiu. Les contribucions de Ronnie Wood, des de les línies de baix fins a la guitarra de 12 cordes i el solo elèctric, aporten profunditat. L’èxit de la cançó el 1971 reflectia les tendències populars del moment, amb un estil narratiu personal propi dels cantautors de l’època. La combinació de l’energia del rock amb la calidesa del folk va fer que “Maggie May” esdevingués un clàssic atemporal.
ROD STEWART - MAGGIE MAY
Released: July 1971
Charts: US: #1 (5 weeks) UK: #1 (5 weeks)
“Maggie May” is a song co-written by Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton, featured on Stewart’s 1971 album “Every Picture Tells a Story”. It became a massive hit, topping both the UK and US charts simultaneously. The album also reached #1 in both countries, making Stewart the first artist to achieve a #1 song and album in the US and UK at the same time.
“Maggie May” was inspired by Rod Stewart’s first sexual experience at the 1961 Beaulieu Jazz Festival with an older woman. While the encounter was brief and awkward, Stewart fictionalized it into the song a decade later, creating his first major hit. The name “Maggie May” was taken from a traditional Liverpudlian song about a prostitute. To this day, Stewart doesn’t know if the real woman recognized herself in the song.
“Maggie May” has drawn criticism for its misogynistic undertones, as Rod Stewart recounts his tryst with an older woman while insulting her appearance and denying her agency. The song reflects a dated Madonna-whore complex, but Stewart’s delivery conveys vulnerability and self-loathing, contrasting with Mick Jagger’s more venomous depictions of women. Stewart’s genuine affection for Maggie and the elation of the experience humanize the song despite its flaws.
“Maggie May” was initially considered an unlikely hit due to its lack of a traditional chorus and lengthy 5:46 runtime. Mercury Records released it as the B-side to “Reason to Believe”, which peaked at #62 in August 1971. However, radio stations began flipping the single to play “Maggie May”, leading Mercury to promote it as the A-side. The song climbed to #1 by October.
There are competing claims over who first played “Maggie May” on the radio. Rod Stewart credited a DJ in Cleveland, likely Mitch Michaels at WMMS, for flipping the record. Meanwhile, Chuck Buell, music director at WLS in Chicago, claimed he identified “Maggie May” as a hit, put it in rotation, and convinced Ted Atkins at KHJ Los Angeles to do the same, despite Mercury’s initial promotional focus on “Reason to Believe”.
Ray Jackson, a British musician from the band Lindisfarne, played the mandolin on “Maggie May” and other Rod Stewart tracks, receiving only a £15 session fee. In 2003, Jackson threatened legal action, claiming his mandolin part was vital to the song’s success and that he deserved a writing credit. Stewart dismissed the claim, stating Jackson’s work was paid as “work-for-hire.” Adding to Jackson’s frustration was Stewart’s album credit, which read: “The mandolin was played by the mandolin player in Lindisfarne. The name slips my mind.” Although Jackson never pursued the case in court, his public stance highlighted his contributions and promoted his later artistic work.
Musically, “Maggie May” is exceptional, blending folk and rock elements seamlessly. Co-writer Martin Quittenton’s central acoustic melody, Ian McLagan’s organ, and Ray Jackson’s iconic mandolin solo at 4:26 give the song its distinct character. Ronnie Wood’s contributions, from basslines to 12-string guitar and electric solo, add further depth. The song’s success in 1971 reflected its alignment with popular trends of the time. It combines two memorable solos, including one from an unconventional rock instrument (the mandolin), and tells a personal, character-driven story like much of the era’s singer-songwriter music. By fusing the energy of rock with the warmth of folk, “Maggie May” became a timeless classic.
