Two Out of Three Ain't as Good as I Thought it Was, Still Ain't Bad

I was chatting on messenger with my friend Gina last night. I had drank a glass of wine. I was feelin alright. I decided to mention to Gina how much I love Meatloaf. The artist, not the food. She disagreed, "I like meatloaf. The food, not the artist."

On the way home from Cocula the other day I heard "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad." God, I love that song. Always thought it was one of the sweetest love songs of all time. Wouldn't if feel great to hear someone say to you, "I want you, I need you, and there ain't no way I'm ever gonna leave you"? Isn' t that what we all want? Unconditional love? How can Gina hate that? Anyway, it had been rolling around my head, and flying obnoxiously out of my mouth, a lot. Last night, while I was chatting with Gina, I decided to look up the lyrics. I thought, if the chorus is so good, I bet reading the song in its entirety would be like beautiful poetry.

Once I started reading the lyrics, that idea flew out the window like a bat out of Hell. (Sorry, couldn't resist the pun.)

All these years I've been belting out, "I want you, I need you, and there ain't know way I'm ever gonna LEAVE you." I always wondered what the hell he meant with the next line, "So don't be sad, don't be sad, two out of three ain't bad." But I thought maybe he was high when he wrote it. Or maybe he thought that she didn't feel the same way about him, (with all that wantin and needin and never leavin stuff) but he was willing to cut his losses and take two out of three if she thought she could handle that. You know, lighten the load a little. I'm reading the lyrics last night, and there in print, so damn obvious, "I want you, I need you, but there ain't now way I'm ever gonna LOVE you". AAARRGGGHHH!!!!!!! That's why Gina hates this asshole!

I feel totally betrayed. Well maybe not totally.

It's still a love song, but not at all the one I thought it was all these years. I thought he was professing his undying love TO someone. Really, he is professing his undying love FOR someone else TO a woman who is madly in love with him. He's flat out saying, "You love me but I don't love you." Damn. That's some harsh shit to say to someone. But the loaf is hurting too, you know? And at least he is being honest with this girl. He just isn't saying the romantic mush I thought he was. Still beautiful poetry.

Here's a link to the lyrics. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/m/meat+loaf/two+out+of+three+aint+bad_20091283.html

I still like the artist more than the food. He's got some catchy tunes, and thats better than a wad of ground beef and ketchup.

By the way... meatloaf. meat loaf. one word or two?