Bat Out of Hell
Meat Loaf Lyrics


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The sirens are screaming, and the fires are howling
Way down in the valley tonight
There's a man in the shadows with a gun in his eye
And a blade shining oh so bright
There's evil in the air and there's thunder in the sky
And a killer's on the bloodshot streets
And down in the tunnels where the deadly are rising
Oh, I swear I saw a young boy down in the gutter
He was starting to foam in the heat

Oh, baby you're the only thing in this whole world
That's pure and good and right
And wherever you are and wherever you go
There's always gonna be some light
But I gotta get out, I gotta break it out now
Before the final crack of dawn
So we gotta make the most of our one night together
When it's over, you know
We'll both be so alone

Like a bat out of hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes
When the night is over, like a bat out of hell
I'll be gone, gone, gone
Like a bat out of hell
I'll be gone when the morning comes
But when the day is done
And the sun goes down
And the moonlight's shining through
Then like a sinner before the gates of Heaven
I'll come crawling on back to you

I'm gonna hit the highway like a battering ram
On a silver-black phantom bike
When the metal is hot, and the engine is hungry
And we're all about to see the light
Nothing ever grows in this rotting old hole
And everything is stunted and lost
And nothing really rocks, and nothing really rolls
And nothing's ever worth the cost

Well I know that I'm damned if I never get out
And maybe I'm damned if I do
But with every other beat I've got left in my heart
You know I'd rather be damned with you
Well, if I gotta be damned, you know I want to be damned
Dancing through the night with you
Well, if I gotta be damned, you know I want to be damned
Gotta be damned, you know I want to be damned
Gotta be damned, you know I want to be damned
Dancing through the night
Dancing through the night
Dancing through the night with you

Oh, baby you're the only thing in this whole world
That's pure and good and right
And wherever you are and wherever you go
There's always gonna be some light
But I gotta get out, I gotta break it out now
Before the final crack of dawn
So we gotta make the most of our one night together
When it's over, you know
We'll both be so alone

Like a bat out of hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes
When the night is over, like a bat out of hell
I'll be gone, gone, gone
Like a bat out of hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes
But when the day is done
And the sun goes down
And the moonlight's shining through
Then like a sinner before the gates of Heaven
I'll come crawling on back to you

Then like a sinner before the gates of Heaven
I'll come crawling on back to you

Well, I can see myself tearing up the road, faster
Than any other boy has ever gone
And my skin is raw, but my soul is ripe
And no one's gonna stop me now, I'm gonna make my escape
But I can't stop thinking of you
And I never see the sudden curve 'til it's way too late
And I never see the sudden curve 'til it's way too late

Then I'm down at the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun
Torn and twisted at the foot of a burning bike
And I think somebody somewhere must be tolling a bell
And the last thing I see is my heart, still beating
Breaking out of my body and flying away
Like a bat out of hell

Then I'm down in the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun
Torn and twisted at the foot of a burning bike
And I think somebody somewhere must be tolling a bell
And the last thing I see is my heart
Still beating, still beating
Breaking out of my body and flying away

Like a bat out of hell
Oh, like a bat out of hell
Oh, like a bat out of hell
Oh, like a bat out of hell (I'll be gone when the morning comes)




Oh, like a bat out of hell (I'll be gone when the morning comes)
Oh, like a bat out of hell

Overall Meaning

In "Bat Out of Hell," Meat Loaf sings about a dangerous, oppressive world where sirens scream, fires howl, and killers lurk openly in the street. This only increases the urgency for the singer to escape this misery with a lover, the only truly good thing he sees in the world. The song is about the ephemeral nature of their connection and the need to make the most of their time together. They have only one night, which is why he needs to "break it out now." The singer knows that he has to leave before the sun comes up, and it seems as though he will never see her again. The chorus is where Meat Loaf sings the classic line “Like a bat out of hell I’ll be gone when the morning comes” which sets the tone of the song.


The song's intensity never wanes; it's a fast ride from beginning to end, with Meat Loaf's powerful vocals perfectly matched to the song's epic lyrics. It's a song always moving forward, just like the "bat out of hell" that gives the song its title. However, as the song progresses, the singer seems to be having second thoughts in the second half of the song. He realizes the futility of his action and imagines his own death, alone at the bottom of a pit. The singer ultimately decides that he should be damned with his lover and would rather have a short, passionate life with her than a long, cold one without her.


Line by Line Meaning

The sirens are screaming, and the fires are howling
The atmosphere is chaotic and dangerous, with alarms sounding and fires raging in the valley.


Way down in the valley tonight
The events are taking place in a low-lying area, adding to the sense of danger.


There's a man in the shadows with a gun in his eye
A dangerous figure is lurking with a threatening weapon, creating tension and fear.


And a blade shining oh so bright
The man also has a sharp and deadly blade, making him even more of a danger.


There's evil in the air and there's thunder in the sky
The overall feeling is one of danger and malevolence, with elements in the environment adding to the ominous feel.


And a killer's on the bloodshot streets
There is a violent criminal on the loose, stalking the streets looking for their next victim.


And down in the tunnels where the deadly are rising
Even below ground, danger looms as deadly things or people are beginning to stir.


Oh, I swear I saw a young boy down in the gutter
Amidst all the danger and chaos, the artist sees the innocent and vulnerable being harmed and affected.


He was starting to foam in the heat
The boy was experiencing physical agony and distress, adding to the tragic and disturbing nature of the scene.


Oh, baby you're the only thing in this whole world That's pure and good and right
The artist sees their love interest as something pure and good amidst all the darkness and chaos.


And wherever you are and wherever you go There's always gonna be some light
The person represents hope and positivity in the singer's life, which they can cling to no matter where they go.


But I gotta get out, I gotta break it out now Before the final crack of dawn
The artist feels trapped and unable to survive in their current circumstances, and they need to escape before it's too late.


So we gotta make the most of our one night together When it's over, you know We'll both be so alone
The singer and their love interest only have one night to be together before everything changes, and they both feel the isolation and loneliness that comes with that.


Like a bat out of hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes When the night is over, like a bat out of hell I'll be gone, gone, gone Like a bat out of hell I'll be gone when the morning comes
The singer feels a sense of urgency and intensity, like they have to move quickly and decisively to escape their current situation. They liken themselves to a bat out of hell, which conveys a feeling of wild abandon and danger.


But when the day is done And the sun goes down And the moonlight's shining through Then like a sinner before the gates of Heaven I'll come crawling on back to you
Despite their desire to escape, the singer knows they will always come back to their love interest, as they are drawn to them like a sinner to the gates of Heaven.


I'm gonna hit the highway like a battering ram On a silver-black phantom bike When the metal is hot, and the engine is hungry And we're all about to see the light
The artist plans to make their escape in a dramatic and intense way, describing their method of transportation as a powerful and fierce battering ram.


Nothing ever grows in this rotting old hole And everything is stunted and lost And nothing really rocks, and nothing really rolls And nothing's ever worth the cost
The artist feels a sense of despair and hopelessness about their current surroundings, believing that everything is stagnant and unfulfilling.


Well I know that I'm damned if I never get out And maybe I'm damned if I do But with every other beat I've got left in my heart You know I'd rather be damned with you
The singer knows that they may face consequences for trying to escape, but they'd rather face those consequences with their love interest by their side.


Well, if I gotta be damned, you know I want to be damned Dancing through the night with you
The singer is willing to face any consequences as long as they get to spend their last moments dancing and being happy with their love interest.


Well, if I gotta be damned, you know I want to be damned Gotta be damned, you know I want to be damned Gotta be damned, you know I want to be damned Dancing through the night Dancing through the night Dancing through the night with you
The artist repeats their desire to be with their love interest, no matter what happens, and to dance through the night together.


Well, I can see myself tearing up the road, faster Than any other boy has ever gone
The artist envisions themselves speeding away from their current situation faster than anyone else has ever escaped.


And my skin is raw, but my soul is ripe And no one's gonna stop me now, I'm gonna make my escape But I can't stop thinking of you
The artist is determined and unstoppable in their desire to escape, but they can't help but think of their love interest during the process.


And I never see the sudden curve 'til it's way too late
The singer is so focused on escaping that they don't notice the danger that's ahead until it's too late.


Then I'm down at the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun Torn and twisted at the foot of a burning bike And I think somebody somewhere must be tolling a bell And the last thing I see is my heart, still beating Breaking out of my body and flying away Like a bat out of hell
The artist meets a tragic end, crashing their bike and dying, with only the sound of a bell tolling in the distance as their heart breaks free from their body and flies away.


Oh, like a bat out of hell Oh, like a bat out of hell Oh, like a bat out of hell (I'll be gone when the morning comes) Oh, like a bat out of hell (I'll be gone when the morning comes) Oh, like a bat out of hell
The singer's final moments are characterized by the same intense and dangerous energy as they had throughout their escape, with the repeated phrase 'like a bat out of hell' emphasizing this feeling and giving it finality.


Then like a sinner before the gates of Heaven I'll come crawling on back to you
The final line of the song reiterates the singer's desire to be with their love interest, even in the afterlife.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jim Steinman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@ScruFaceJeanOfficial

RIP to one of the greatest musicians of all time this one hurt me. “Like a Bat out of Hell I’ll be gone when the morning comes” …he wasn’t lying, rest easy OG. I will play this song at max volume until the Rock Gods themselves come down and stop me. Thank you MR. loaf “we gotta make the most out of our one night together” I’d like to think we did. Peace king

@Spagz

You took the words right out of my mouth.

@c4sb2008

Hurt me too!

@m.a.kadirjoharifinance5505

Soundtrack of my youth 😭. Adieu Sir

@cedjulemckeever

Rest in Peace.

@ruththomas4915

You perfectly put into words my hearts feelings this morning!

189 More Replies...

@JamesSamuelMagic

RIP 💙🙏 They don’t make em like you anymore!

@seand8236

sadly, sadly , sadly so true.

@louisethorpe3947

I wondered if I'd see comments on here after the news today!

@tonysoper9514

like you would no you look 17 haha

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