Meat Loaf - If You Really Want To (PCM Stereo)

JUL 01 1983 · 12:00

Meat Loaf - If You Really Want To (PCM Stereo) (1983) Director: Stuart Orme Era: Early MTV Era (1983) - Post-Bat Out of Hell commercial decline period; Meat Loaf's 'Midnight at the Lost and Found' campaign, early music video format establishing gothic rock theatricality on broadcast television. High curatorial value as a documented, director-confirmed 1983 music video representing Meat Loaf's visual identity during the 'Midnight at the Lost and Found' campaign. The gothic-theatrical production design, practical pyrotechnic effects, and film-grade warm palette make it a textbook artifact of early MTV-era British-influenced rock video production. The PCM Stereo audio designation adds additional archival specificity, linking this version to a distinct 1983 physical release format. Tier reflects confirmed cultural significance and period documentary value. Context: Released in 1983 as a single from 'Midnight at the Lost and Found,' this video arrives during a commercially turbulent period for Meat Loaf following the massive global success of 'Bat Out of Hell' (1977). The early MTV era (1981–1984) was defined by a rapid escalation of narrative ambition in music video production, particularly for rock artists who embraced theatrical, horror, and fantasy tropes to distinguish themselves on the nascent cable channel. The gothic horror visual language employed here, vampire figures, coffins, dramatic fire, aligns with a broader wave of British rock video production that drew on horror-film tradition, paralleling contemporaneous work by artists such as Michael Jackson ('Thriller,' 1983) on a larger scale. The warm, film-grain aesthetic and fast editing pace reflect the transition from live performance clip conventions toward short-form cinematic storytelling. Director notes: Confirmed 1983 release per IMVDb and IMDB. The video features gothic-horror theatrical narrative elements including vampire imagery and a flaming coffin sequence, consistent with the dramatic, high-concept music video aesthetic prevalent in early MTV-era British productions. Copyright registered to Sony BMG Music Entertainment (© 2000). The PCM Stereo version referenced in the filename corresponds to the 3:43 mix documented on the 1983 vinyl single release.