Meat Loaf: 10 Incredible Forgotten Songs
5. Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are
The longest non-bracketed hit single ever, Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are was a highlight of Meat Loaf's reunion with Jim Steinman for Bat Out Of Hell II in 1993. The album was a commercial rebirth for Meat, and although this song was the third and least successful single released, it still made the Top 40 in both the U.S. and Britain.
As was often the case, Objects... was built on histrionic piano chords and benefited from Todd Rundgren's composing of the background vocals. Inspired by the warning sign on side mirrors, Steinman built a dramatic story featuring domestic abuse, loss and abandonment.
There is a mature depth to the song, as within the usual references to cars, sex and frustration, the mirror analogy allows Steinman to reflect on how past trauma can still play a huge role in our present lives, their presence enlarged.
Meat Loaf clearly felt the message of the track, as it reflected elements of his own childhood, and consequently he controls the entire epic ten-minute running time. Modulating his delivery to push the emotion at exactly the right time, Objects... is an overlooked demonstration that Meat and Steinman were kindred spirits destined to create together.