Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad
Meat Loaf Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Baby, we can talk all night
But that ain't gettin us nowhere
I told you everything I possibly can
There's nothing left inside of here

And maybe you can cry all night
But that'll never change the way that I feel
The snow is really piling up outside
I wish you wouldn't make me leave here

I poured it on and I poured it out
I tried to show you just how much I care
I'm tired of words and I'm too hoarse to shout
But you've been cold to me so long
I'm crying icicles instead of tears

And all I can do is keep on telling you
I want you (I want you)
I need you (I need you)
There ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you
Now don't be sad (don't be sad 'cause)
'Cause two out of three ain't bad
Now don't be sad ('cause)
'Cause two out of three ain't bad

You'll never find your gold on a sandy beach
You'll never drill for oil on a city street
I know you're looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks
But there ain't no Coup de Ville
Hiding at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box

I can't lie (I can't lie)
I can't tell you that I'm something I'm not
No matter how I try
I'll never be able to give you something
Something that I just haven't got

There's only one girl I'll ever love
And that was so many years ago
And though I know I'll never get her out of my heart
She never loved me back
Ooh I know

Well I remember how she left me on a stormy night
Oh she kissed me and got out of our bed
And though I pleaded and I begged her not to walk out that door
She packed her bags and turned right away

And she kept on telling me
She kept on telling me
She kept on telling me

I want you (I want you)
I need you (I need you)
There ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you
Now don't be sad (don't be sad 'cause)
'Cause two out of three ain't bad

I want you (I want you)
I need you (I need you)
There ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you
Now don't be sad (don't be sad 'cause)
'Cause two out of three ain't bad
Now don't be sad
'Cause two out of three ain't bad





Baby, we can talk all night
But that ain't getting us nowhere

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Meat Loaf's "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" depict a man who is unable to reciprocate the love of his partner. He acknowledges that he has poured his heart out to her, but that he simply cannot love her the way she deserves to be loved. He painfully reminisces on a woman from his past who he had deep feelings for, but who never loved him back. The man tells his current lover that he wants her, and he needs her, but he will never be able to love her the way she wants him to. The song ends on a hopeful note, as he tries to console her by pointing out that even though he cannot love her fully, two out of three things (wanting her, needing her, and loving her) ain't bad.


The song is an exploration of the complicated nature of love and relationships. While the man clearly cares for his partner, he is aware that love cannot be forced, and that sometimes people are just not able to give what their partners want or need. The snow piling up outside the window serves as a metaphor for the stagnation in the relationship, as the man feels like they are just talking in circles and getting nowhere. The phrase "crying icicles instead of tears" is an evocative image that highlights the depth of the man's emotional pain.


Line by Line Meaning

Baby, we can talk all night
We can continue to communicate for an extended period of time


But that ain't gettin us nowhere
But it's not helping us resolve our issues


I told you everything I possibly can
I've shared every detail that I can about my feelings


There's nothing left inside of here
But there's no more emotions left for me to express


And maybe you can cry all night
You may shed tears throughout the night


But that'll never change the way that I feel
But it won't alter my emotions towards you


The snow is really piling up outside
The snowfall outside is accumulating rapidly


I wish you wouldn't make me leave here
I don't want to depart from this place


I poured it on and I poured it out
I put in a lot of effort and showed a lot of emotion


I tried to show you just how much I care
I attempted to display the depths of my feelings for you


I'm tired of words and I'm too hoarse to shout
I'm exhausted from speaking and my voice is strained


But you've been cold to me so long
But you've been distant and unfeeling towards me for an extended period of time


I'm crying icicles instead of tears
My tears are freezing before they can fall, due to the coldness of the situation


And all I can do is keep on telling you
All I can do is continue to express myself to you


I want you (I want you)
I still desire you


I need you (I need you)
I depend on you


There ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you
However, I'll never be able to love you


Now don't be sad (don't be sad 'cause)
Now, don't become upset


'Cause two out of three ain't bad
Because even though I can't love you, I still want and need you, and that's something


You'll never find your gold on a sandy beach
You'll never discover true riches in an easy or obvious location


You'll never drill for oil on a city street
You won't discover something valuable in a place where it doesn't exist


I know you're looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks
I understand that you're searching for something extraordinary in a place where it's not easy to find


But there ain't no Coup de Ville
But there isn't a fancy or expensive car


Hiding at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box
Concealed inside an inexpensive and unremarkable item


I can't lie (I can't lie)
I can't be dishonest


I can't tell you that I'm something I'm not
I can't misrepresent who I am


No matter how I try
Despite my best efforts


I'll never be able to give you something
I won't ever be able to provide you with what you want


Something that I just haven't got
Because I simply don't possess it


There's only one girl I'll ever love
I only ever loved one woman


And that was so many years ago
And that was a long time in the past


And though I know I'll never get her out of my heart
Even though I recognize that I'll never stop loving her


She never loved me back
It was unrequited love


Well I remember how she left me on a stormy night
I recall her exiting on a tumultuous evening


Oh she kissed me and got out of our bed
She kissed me before departing from our shared bed


And though I pleaded and I begged her not to walk out that door
Although I implored and beseeched her not to leave


She packed her bags and turned right away
She rapidly and decisively gathered her belongings and departed


And she kept on telling me
She repeatedly stated to me


I want you (I want you)
That she desired me


I need you (I need you)
And felt that she depended on me


Now don't be sad (don't be sad 'cause)
Now, don't become upset


'Cause two out of three ain't bad
Because even though she didn't love me, she still wanted and needed me, and that's something


I want you (I want you)
I still desire you


I need you (I need you)
I depend on you


There ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you
However, I'll never be able to love you


Now don't be sad (don't be sad 'cause)
Now, don't become upset


'Cause two out of three ain't bad
Because even though I can't love you, I still want and need you, and that's something


Now don't be sad
Now, don't become upset


'Cause two out of three ain't bad
Because even though I can't love you, I still want and need you, and that's something




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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@KarlRock

My Dad got me into Meat loaf 🙏Great gift.

@andregomes6665

Just came here to listen to this song after watching your video where you told Manisha about it :)

@michaelverbakel7632

R.I.P. after his passing we found out Meatloaf's actual real proper full name was Meatloaf With-Gravy.

@crawwwfishh3284

How did you taste. 😀😀😀😀😀😀

@PamDukovac-ie3dk

But I’m never gonna love you

@PamDukovac-ie3dk

😂😂😂😂😂

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@user-tr1bn1gx5h

Thumbs up if you're listening to this magnificent masterpiece in 2024

@craigconnolly5547

Right now beautiful s

@mandyharewood886

Hello!

@jswhosoever4533

👍🏼

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