“I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” as Explained by Meat Loaf

So, what would Meat Loaf do for love? That question has plagued fans since “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” became his biggest hit in 1993, and it’s one Meat Loaf estimated he’d been asked “a million times.”

But to him, the answer was obvious—and he lost a bet with songwriter Jim Steinman over it.

What Is “That”?

Steinman was sure the lyrics would confuse listeners.

“Jim and I were in the studio, and Jim goes to me, ‘People aren’t gonna know what ‘that’ is,’” Meat Loaf said of the song in an interview with AXS TV.

Meat Loaf disagreed, saying, “People are not stupid.” He bet Steinman $100 they’d understand it, and he ended up being wrong.

But the answer is “very simple.” As Meat Loaf explained, the line that starts every chorus says exactly what he wouldn’t do for love. So, “I’ll never forget the way you feel right now,” “I’ll never forgive myself if we don’t go all the way tonight,” and “I’ll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life,” among other things.

Meat Loaf attributed the confusion to Steinman’s writing style—by the time the chorus comes around, listeners have forgotten the previous lines.

The interview wasn’t the first time Meat Loaf explained it, either. He previously addressed the confusion by using a chalkboard and pointer in an episode of VH1’s Storytellers.

Steinman also offered the same explanation on his website.

“What he ‘won’t do’ is said about six times in the song very specifically,” he wrote. “It’s sort of is a little puzzle and I guess it goes by – but they’re all great things. ‘I won’t stop doing beautiful things and I won’t do bad things.’ It’s very noble.”

“I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” was released as the first single from Meat Loaf’s sixth album, Bat Out Of Hell II: Back into Hell, and it went to No. 1 in 28 countries. It was his biggest song since a string of hits with Bat Out Of Hell in 1977, and it not only marked his comeback but also a reunion with Steinman after the two had a falling out. The song also earned the singer his only Grammy Award.

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