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You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Meat Loaf's Paradise By The Dashboard Lights at Lyrics.org.
Lyrics
Well I remember every little thing
As if it happened only yesterday
Parking by the lake
And there was not another car in sight
And I never had a girl
Looking any better than you did
And all the kids at school
They were wishing they were me that night
And now our bodies are oh so close and tight
It never felt so good, it never felt so right
And we’re glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
C’mon Hold on tight
C’mon Hold on tight
Though it’s cold and lonely in the deep dark night
I can see paradise by the dashboard light
Ain’t no doubt about it
We were doubly blessed
‘Cause we were barely seventeen
And we were barely dressed
Well ain’t no doubt about it
Baby got to go and shout it
Ain’t no doubt about it
We were doubly blessed
‘Cause we were barely seventeen
And we were barely dressed
Baby don’t you hear my heart
You got it drowning out the radio
I’ve been waiting so long
For you to come along and have some fun
Well I gotta let you know
No you’re never gonna regret it
So open up your eyes I got a big surprise
It’ll feel all right
Well I want to make your motor run
And now our bodies are oh so close and tight
It never felt so good, it never felt so right
And we’re glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
C’mon hold on tight
C’mon hold on tight
Though it’s cold and lonely in the deep dark night
I can see paradise by the dashboard light
Though it’s cold and lonely in the deep dark night
Paradise by the dashboard light
You got to do what you can
And let Mother Nature do the rest
Ain’t no doubt about it
We were doubly blessed
‘Cause we were barely seventeen
And we were barely dressed
We’re gonna go all the way tonight
We’re gonna go all the way and tonight’s the night
We’re gonna go all the way tonight
We’re gonna go all the way and tonight’s the night
We’re gonna go all the way tonight
We’re gonna go all the way and tonight’s the night
We’re gonna go all the way tonight
We’re gonna go all the way and tonight’s the night
Okay, here we go, we got a real pressure cooker going here,
Two down, nobody on, no score, bottom of the ninth,
There’s the windup, and there it is,
A line shot up the middle, look at him go.
This boy can really fly
He’s rounding first and really turning it on now,
He’s not letting up at all,
He’s gonna try for second, the ball is bobbled out in center,
And here comes the throw, and what a throw
He’s gonna slide in head first,
Here he comes, he’s out
No, wait, safe-safe at second base,
This kid really makes things happen out there.
Batter steps up to the plate, here’s the pitch-he’s going,
And what a jump he’s got, he’s trying for third,
Here’s the throw, it’s in the dirt-safe at third
Holy cow, stolen base, he’s taking a pretty big lead out there,
Almost daring him to try and pick him off.
The pitcher glances over, winds up, and it’s bunted,
Bunted down the third base line, the suicide squeeze is on
Here he comes, squeeze play, it’s gonna be close, here’s the throw, here’s the play at the
Holy cow, I think he’s gonna make it
Stop right there
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?
Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?
Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Let me sleep on it
Baby, baby let me sleep on it
Let me sleep on it
And I’ll give you an answer in the morning
Let me sleep on it
Baby, baby let me sleep on it
Let me sleep on it
And I’ll give you an answer in the morning
Let me sleep on it
Baby, baby let me sleep on it
Let me sleep on it
And I’ll give you an answer in the morning
I gotta know right now
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?
Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further
Do you love me?
And will you love me forever?
What’s it gonna be, boy?
Come on, I can wait all night
What’s it gonna be, boy?
Yes or no?
What’s it gonna be, boy?
Yes or no?
Let me sleep on it
Baby, baby let me sleep on it
Let me sleep on it
And I’ll give you an answer in the morning
I gotta know right now
Do you love me? (let me sleep on it)
Will you love me forever? (baby, baby let me sleep on it)
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy (let me sleep on it)
For the rest of my life? (I’ll give you an answer in the morning)
Will you take me away
(I’ll give you an answer in the morning)
I gotta know right now?
Before we go any further
Do you love me?
will you love me forever?
Let me sleep on it
Will you love me forever
Let me sleep on it
Will you love me forever
I couldn’t take it any longer
Lord I was crazed
And when the feeling came upon me like a tidal wave
I started swearing to my god and on my mother’s grave
That I would love you to the end of time
I swore, that I would love you to the end of time
So now I’m praying for the end of time
To hurry up and arrive
‘Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you
I don’t think that I can really survive
I’ll never break my promise or forget my vow
But God only knows what I can do right now
I’m praying for the end of time
It’s all that I can do
Praying for the end of time, so I can end my life with you
It was long ago and it was far away
And it was so much better that it is today
It was long ago and it was far away (it never felt so good, it never felt so right)
And it was so much better that it is today (and we were glowing like, a metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (it never felt so good, it never felt so right)
And it was so much better that it is today (and we were glowing like, a metal on the edge of a knife)
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It was long ago and it was far away (it never felt so good, it never felt so right)
And it was so much better that it is today (and we were glowing like, a metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (it never felt so good, it never felt so right)
And it was so much better that it is today (and we were glowing like, a metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (it never felt so good, it never felt so right)
And it was so much better that it is today (and we were glowing like, a metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (it never felt so good, it never felt so right)
And it was so much better that it is today (and we were glowing like, a metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away
Meat Loaf’s ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’ is not just a song—it’s a sprawling rock and roll saga encapsulating the tumultuous spirit of teenage lust, ambition, and the eventual begrudging commitment that often follows. With its operatic structure and potent imagery, the song transcends simple musical storytelling to become a vibrant theatre of the youthful mind.
Beneath the surface, the song’s structure and prowess stir up a complex narrative flowing through an anthemic celebration of life’s high-octane moments to a grave realization tethered to the responsibilities and entrapments of hasty youthful promises. Let’s take a deep dive into the multifaceted lyrical ethos that Meat Loaf served up in this gargantuan hit.
The Zooming Lens of Narrative: Nostalgia to Reality Check
The song opens with a gleaming retrospective—teenage freedom, a car by the lake, a sense that in this vacuum of adolescence, that very moment was an endless paradise. It deftly portrays that idyllic snapshot where everything seems perfect, capturing the rapture of youth and the thrilling precipice of emerging adulthood.
Yet as the song progresses, it zooms out to reveal this perfection as fleeting—an ephemeral high before the crash of reality. The jubilant chorus morphs into a binding pact of everlasting love, signed with the naivety of a hormone-driven whim, emblematic of the quicksand of rushed commitments.
In The Throes of Passion: Unraveling The Song’s Hidden Meaning
On the surface, ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’ sings of young love and passionate encounters, but the underlying current speaks to the impulsive decisions made in the heat of the moment. It underscores the duality of desire and consequence—a dance between recklessness and the ensuing anchor of one’s actions.
It’s a cautionary tale wrapped in a high-energy rock ballad, serving a hidden meaning which scrutinizes the inescapable bind of choices borne from passion, and the potential for a lifetime of regret that can follow a fleeting promise made under pressure.
The Grand Metaphor: Baseball as Life’s Play-by-Play
The famous baseball broadcast interlude is a stroke of genius, turning a play-by-play sports narration into an allegory for sexual conquest. With its suspenseful build-up and climax, it mirrors the hormonal rush and desperate urgency of teenage romance, depicting the pressure to ‘score’ as if one’s whole worth was at stake.
As an effective metaphor for the machinations of lust and perilous desire, it adds a deeper layer to the song, painting the protagonist’s coming-of-age moment with a blend of satire and truth—a portrayal of the universal scramble for connection and validation.
Unforgettable Lines and Timeless Relatability
‘I swore, that I would love you to the end of time… So now I’m praying for the end of time’—these lines encapsulate both the fervent declarations of affection that come with young love and the mounting dread of an eternal bond welded in haste. They are the words that boomerang from past to present, wistfully remembered and brutally regretted in the same breath.
It’s this anthemic turn of phrase that captures the emotional capriciousness of the song’s characters, and which has granted ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’ its timelessness. Those words strike a chord, a universal feeling too many have felt, tethering the song firmly in the collective psyche.
Cultural Impact and the Anthem of An Era
‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light’ is not just a personal tale but an anthem that encapsulates the cultural zeitgeist of a generation. It found a home in the ethos of the 70s—a representation of the decade’s explosive freedoms and the nascent realization of their consequent limits.
As a reflection of teenage rebellion, the hopeful optimism of budding adulthood, and the lament that comes with dimming innocence, Meat Loaf’s opus is a microcosm of a shifting society grappling with the remnants of post-60s liberation, and the sobering dawn of responsibilities to come.
Related posts:
- “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf
- “Bat Out of Hell” by Meat Loaf
- “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” by Meat Loaf (ft. Ellen Foley)
- “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” by Meat Loaf
- “Heaven Can Wait” by Meat Loaf
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- “You Took the Words Right out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)” by Meat Loaf
- Bat Out Of Hell by Meat Loaf Lyrics Meaning – A Soul’s Wild Escape Through the Corridors of Time
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JB says:
March 7, 2024 at 5:23 pm
This is extremely well written and inciteful. I’m a 75 year old Meat Loaf lover. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve listened to his songs. They impact me anew every time, almost exactly like they did the first time. The tensions, the excitement….all so familiar in my coming of age. Thank you for this.
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