After the commercial success of Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, and earning a Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for the song "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)", Meat Loaf nevertheless experienced some difficulty establishing a steady career within the United States. The key to this success was his popularity in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom and Ireland. He received the 1994 Brit Award in the United Kingdom for best-selling album and single. He appeared in the 1997 film Spice World and he ranked 23rd for the number of weeks spent on the UK charts in 2006. He ranks 96th on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock". Meat Loaf appeared in over 50 films and television shows, sometimes as himself or as characters resembling his stage persona. His film roles include Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and Robert Paulsen in Fight Club (1999). His early stage work included dual roles in the original Broadway cast of The Rocky Horror Show. He also appeared in the musical Hair, both on and Off-Broadway.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meat_Loaf
Studio albums
Bat Out of Hell (1977)
Dead Ringer (1981)
Midnight at the Lost and Found (1983)
Bad Attitude (1984)
Blind Before I Stop (1986)
Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993)
Welcome to the Neighbourhood (1995)
Couldn't Have Said It Better (2003)
Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006)
Hang Cool Teddy Bear (2010)
Hell in a Handbasket (2011)
Braver Than We Are (2016)
The Future Ain
Meat Loaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could follow me so mercilessly
It's almost surreal
All the pain that I feel
The future ain't what it used to be
It doesn't matter what they're thinking
It doesn't matter what they're thinking of me
I'm to young to be old
The future ain't what it used to be
Were there ever any stars in the sky
Did the sun ever shine so bright?
Do you have any dreams I could borrow
Just to get me through the lonely night?
Is there anything left to hold on to
When the rivers wash it all away?
Is there anyone left to hold on to
Is there anything left I can say?
[Chorus:]
Say a prayer for the falling angels
Stem the tide of the rising waters
Toll a bell for the broken hearted
Burn a torch for your sons and daughters
The endless night has got a hold of me
Dark days are pulling me forward
And all the tears are washing over me
I'm crying, lost forever
In a future that ain't what it used to be
No more no more no more
It's like a storm that's never ending
It's like a shadow on the land and the sea
There's nothing so sad as
A tomorrow gone bad
The future ain't what it used to be
Some days I feel so numb and empty
And those would be the good days for me
Nothing gets to me now
Unless I'm thinking of how
The future ain't what it used to be
Is there anything left to hold on to
When the rivers wash it all away?
Is there anyone left to hold on to
Is there anything left I can say?
[Chorus]
The future just ain't what it used to be
It's never gonna be like it was
The future just ain't what it used to be
I wish it wouldn't come but it does
I wish it wouldn't come but it always does
The lyrics of Meat Loaf feat. Jennifer Hudson's song "The Future Ain't What It Used To Be" address the struggles of dealing with the reality of life not turning out the way we imagined it, as we grow older. The singer is reflecting on the bad experiences and pain he has gone through in life and the constant feeling of being let down by the future. He wonders if there were ever truly any bright moments to remember, and whether he could borrow someone else's dreams to help him through his loneliness. The chorus speaks of the darkness that seems to have engulfed him, the sadness of a future that wasn't supposed to be this way, and the loss of hope for a better tomorrow.
The song seems to be about coming to terms with one's mortality and the realization that life doesn't always turn out the way we want it to. The lyrics are quite powerful and emotional, and express a feeling of hopelessness that can be relatable to many people. The singers' voices blend well together, increasing the emotional impact of the song. The beautiful melody and haunting background music add to the overall melancholic mood of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I never knew so many bad times
I didn't expect to face so many difficulties
Could follow me so mercilessly
These problems seem to not stop coming
It's almost surreal
It's hard to believe this is my reality
All the pain that I feel
I'm constantly hurting
The future ain't what it used to be
The world has changed and so have my expectations for what's to come
It doesn't matter what they're thinking
I don't care what others are saying about me
It doesn't matter what they're thinking of me
Their opinions don't define me
It's always so cold
Everything feels bleak and lonely
I'm too young to be old
I feel like I've aged beyond my years
Were there ever any stars in the sky
I feel like I can't remember ever experiencing beauty
Did the sun ever shine so bright?
I can't recall the last time something made me truly happy
Do you have any dreams I could borrow
Can you lend me some hope or inspiration?
Just to get me through the lonely night?
I need something to hold onto when it feels like life is crushing me
Is there anything left to hold on to
Is there anything good that life can offer?
When the rivers wash it all away?
When life seems to erase everything I've ever held onto?
Is there anyone left to hold on to
Does anyone care or understand my struggles?
Is there anything left I can say?
Is there anything I can do to change my situation?
Say a prayer for the falling angels
Pray for those who are struggling and have lost their way
Stem the tide of the rising waters
Help stop the flow of despair and hopelessness
Toll a bell for the broken hearted
Acknowledge the pain of those who have been hurt
Burn a torch for your sons and daughters
Be a source of guidance and light for the next generation
The endless night has got a hold of me
I feel trapped in a cycle of darkness and despair
Dark days are pulling me forward
My struggles are leading me down a dark path
And all the tears are washing over me
I'm overwhelmed by my emotions
I'm crying, lost forever
I feel hopeless and don't know how to move forward
In a future that ain't what it used to be
I'm facing a reality that feels vastly different from what I had hoped for
It's like a storm that's never ending
The turmoil and chaos in my life doesn't seem to stop
It's like a shadow on the land and the sea
My struggles loom over every aspect of my life
There's nothing so sad as
One of the worst feelings is
A tomorrow gone bad
The prospect of the future being bleak
Some days I feel so numb and empty
I feel like I'm devoid of any emotion or purpose
And those would be the good days for me
Feeling nothing is preferable to feeling pain
Nothing gets to me now
I'm desensitized to my environment
Unless I'm thinking of how
Except when my thoughts bring me back down
The future ain't what it used to be
The future I had envisioned and hoped for is no longer a possibility
The future just ain't what it used to be
The world has changed and my expectations have shifted
It's never gonna be like it was
The past is gone and can never be recreated
I wish it wouldn't come but it does
I dread what the future holds, but it's inevitable
I wish it wouldn't come but it always does
The future always arrives, whether I'm ready for it or not
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIM STEINMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
tropicwave1
The Future Ain't What It Used To Be
Meat Loaf
Vocals [Featuring] – Jennifer Hudson
Album: Bat Out of Hell III - The Monster Is Loose
Lyrics by: Jim Steinman
℗ 2006 Virgin Records America, Inc.
I wish it wouldn't come
But it always does
Chimney
Criminally underrated song. Rest easy, king.
Cliff Phillips
Love everything he does. Unique , passionate, puts the song where it needs to be .
Robert DesVeaux
Ballads were made for Meat Loaf...Meat Loaf was made for ballads
spiraljoe1273
This lyric is the truest lyric ever written. I love this version endlessly. It should have been as huge as Total Eclipse and I’d Do Anything cus it’s certainly Jim at his best.
ca140984
fantastic album!!! really love it!!
Shelley Elise
Man, this just hits differently now than it did in 2006.
spiraljoe1273
Brilliant biographical honesty. THIS majestic recording is my truth. I never dreamed I would be divorced as I hit 50. There's nothing as sad as a tomorrow gone bad.
Larry G
I feel your pain. I'm 61 and 3 months ago found out that my wife no longer wants me after 33 yrs
Kit Gusto
How are you?
josiewales44
My wife made that decision when I was turning 40. From 40 to 50 were some of the BEST years of my life. It's a shame that I wasted those 21 year with a woman that told my daughter that she knew that she had made a mistake ONE WEEK after we married. The only good things to come from that marriage were my 2 daughters...the rest was a waste of my life.