More Than You Deserve

Last updated
More Than You Deserve
Music Jim Steinman
Lyrics Jim Steinman
Book Michael Weller
Productions1973 The Public Theater

More Than You Deserve is a musical written by Jim Steinman and Michael Weller, produced by Joseph Papp and directed by Kim Friedman. After a workshop production lasting two weekends in April 1973 at the Other Stage (now known as the LuEsther Hall) of The Public Theater, [1] it opened at the Newman Theater (also within The Public Theater) on November 21, 1973, ran for 63 performances and closed on January 13, 1974. [2] Weller's original title for the play was Souvenirs, which referred to the severed ears of killed Viet Cong forces which the soldiers collected and wore as keepsakes on strings around their necks.

Contents

Original cast

Plot synopsis

The story is set in a United States Army base in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Major Michael Dillon (Gwynne), who is impotent, falls in love with a reporter sent to cover the camp, who turns out to be a nymphomaniac when she is gang-raped by the other soldiers in the camp. However, she realizes at the end that she will be even happier giving up her newfound lust for sex to settle down with the impotent commander.

Song

"More Than You Deserve"
Song by Meat Loaf
from the album Dead Ringer
Genre Soft rock
Length7:02
Songwriter(s) Jim Steinman

The song that gives the musical its title was planned as a single in 1973, but ultimately cancelled. Only promotional copies exist. Years later Meat Loaf recorded the song again for his 1981 album Dead Ringer .

Other songs

  1. Overture
  2. Give Me the Simple Life
  3. Could She Be the One
  4. Where Did It Go?
  5. Come With Me (We Know Love)
  6. Mama, You'd Better Watch Out for Your Daughters
  7. More Than You Deserve
  8. O, What a War
  9. Song of the City of Hope
  10. To Feel So Needed
  11. Mama, You'd Better Watch Out for Your Daughters (reprise)
  12. Go, Go, Go, Guerrillas
  13. What Became of the People We Were
  14. If Only
  15. Midnight Lullabye
  16. Song of the Golden Egg
  17. What Became of the People We Were (reprise)

Legacy

Steinman and Meat Loaf first met during the production and would go on to make the multi-platinum album Bat Out of Hell . The title track from the show was recorded by Meat Loaf for the album Dead Ringer . He also performed the song on his show VH1 Storytellers .

Paul Shaffer served as musical director for the show.

Citations

  1. ↑ Funke, Lewis (1973-04-22). "News of the Rialto". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  2. ↑ Calta, Louis (1974-01-12). "Gloom Prevails Off Broadway". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-02-19.


Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meat Loaf</span> American singer and actor (1947–2022)

Michael Lee Aday, known professionally as Meat Loaf, was an American rock singer and actor known for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. He is on the list of best-selling music artists. His Bat Out of Hell trilogy—Bat Out of Hell (1977), Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993), and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006)—has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. The first album stayed on the charts for over nine years, as of 2016 still sold an estimated 200,000 copies annually, and is on the list of best-selling albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Steinman</span> American composer, lyricist and record producer (1947–2021)

James Richard Steinman was an American composer, lyricist and record producer. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His work included songs in the adult contemporary, rock, dance, pop, musical theater, and film score genres. He wrote songs for Bonnie Tyler and Meat Loaf, including Bat Out of Hell, and also wrote and produced Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell and Tyler's Faster Than the Speed of Night.

<i>Bat Out of Hell</i> 1977 studio album by Meat Loaf

Bat Out of Hell is the 1977 debut album by American rock singer Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman. It is one of the best-selling albums in history. The album was developed from a musical, Neverland, a futuristic rock version of Peter Pan, which Steinman wrote for a workshop in 1974. It was recorded during 1975–1976 at various studios, including Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, produced by Todd Rundgren, and released in October 1977 by Cleveland International/Epic Records. Bat Out of Hell spawned two Meat Loaf sequel albums: Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993) and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise by the Dashboard Light</span> Single by Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley

"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is a song written by Jim Steinman. It was released in 1977 on the album Bat Out of Hell, with vocals by the American musician Meat Loaf alongside Ellen Foley. An uncommonly long song for a single, it has become a staple of classic rock radio and has been described as the "greatest rock duet".

<i>Bad for Good</i> 1981 studio album by Jim Steinman

Bad for Good is the only studio album by American songwriter Jim Steinman. Steinman wrote all of the songs and performed on most, although Rory Dodd contributed lead vocals on some tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen Foley</span> American singer and actress (born 1951)

Ellen Foley is an American singer and actress who has appeared on Broadway and television, where she co-starred in the sitcom Night Court for one season. In music, she has released five solo albums but is best known for her collaborations with rock singer Meat Loaf.

<i>Dead Ringer</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Meat Loaf

Dead Ringer is the second studio album by Meat Loaf, released on September 4, 1981. It is the second of four albums written entirely by Jim Steinman. The album cover was designed by comic book artist and horror illustrator Bernie Wrightson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorraine Crosby</span> Musical artist

Lorraine Crosby is an English singer and songwriter. She was the female vocalist on Meat Loaf's 1993 hit single "I'd Do Anything for Love ". Her debut album, Mrs Loud, was released in 2008.

<i>The Very Best of Meat Loaf</i> 1998 compilation album by Meat Loaf

The Very Best of Meat Loaf is a 1998 album spanning the first 21 years of Meat Loaf's recording career. Although not reaching the top ten in the United Kingdom, it was certified double platinum there in 2013. The album features many of Meat Loaf's best-known songs as well as a few from his lesser known albums of the 1980s.

<i>Midnight at the Lost and Found</i> 1983 studio album by Meat Loaf

Midnight at the Lost and Found is the third studio album by Meat Loaf, released in April 1983. This would be the final Meat Loaf release under Epic Records until The Very Best of Meat Loaf (1998).

<i>Bat Out of Hell: Live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra</i>

Bat out of Hell: Live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is a live album released by singer Meat Loaf in 2004 on the Mercury and Sanctuary labels.

<i>Live Around the World</i> (Meat Loaf album) 1996 live album by Meat Loaf

Live Around the World is a live album by Meat Loaf, released in 1996 to capitalize on his two recent successes, Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell and Welcome to the Neighbourhood. The album was recorded at various times between 1987 and 1996. The album is limited to a release of 250,000 copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karla DeVito</span> American singer and actress

Karla DeVito is an American singer and actress.

<i>Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose</i> 2006 studio album by Meat Loaf

Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose is the ninth studio album by Meat Loaf, and the third and final album in the Bat Out of Hell trilogy. It was released in Ireland on October 20, 2006, 29 years after Bat Out of Hell (1977), and 13 years after Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993). It was released in the UK on October 23, 2006, and in the US on October 31, 2006.

"It's All Coming Back to Me Now" is a power ballad written by Jim Steinman. According to Steinman, the song was inspired by Wuthering Heights, and was an attempt to write "the most passionate, romantic song" he could ever create. The Sunday Times posits that "Steinman protects his songs as if they were his children". Meat Loaf had wanted to record the song for years, but Steinman saw it as a "woman's song". Steinman won a court movement preventing Meat Loaf from recording it. Girl group Pandora's Box went on to record it, and it was subsequently made famous through a cover by Celine Dion, which upset Meat Loaf because he was going to use it for a planned album with the working title Bat Out of Hell III. Alternately, Meat Loaf has said the song was intended for Bat Out of Hell II and given to the singer in 1986, but that they both decided to use "I'd Do Anything for Love " for Bat II, and save this song for Bat III.

<i>Hits Out of Hell</i>

Hits Out of Hell is a 1985 compilation album by Meat Loaf. It comprises seven Jim Steinman songs. The original release also contained the hit "Modern Girl" from Bad Attitude, which came out at about the same time.

<i>VH1: Storytellers</i> (Meat Loaf album) 1999 live album by Meat Loaf

VH1: Storytellers is a live album by Meat Loaf. Meat Loaf told humorous stories of his career as a singer and how he unfolded into rock stardom. The DVD version has two additional songs. Some songs on the CD are taken from Meat Loaf's Hard Rock Live performance. Others were taken from the pre-show soundcheck. The album peaked at No. 129 on the Billboard 200, making it his lowest charting album in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bat Out of Hell (song)</span> 1979 single by Meat Loaf

"Bat Out of Hell" is a song written by Jim Steinman, for the 1977 album Bat Out of Hell and performed by Meat Loaf.
In Australia, the song was picked as the second single from the album in May 1978, accompanied by a music video. In January 1979, the song was released as a single in the UK and other European countries, and re-released in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead Ringer for Love</span> 1981 single by Meat Loaf featuring Cher

"Dead Ringer for Love" is a song performed by American rock singer Meat Loaf and American singer-actress Cher from Meat Loaf's second studio album, Dead Ringer. The song was written by Jim Steinman and one of only two tracks on the album produced by Steinman and Jimmy Iovine.

<i>Braver Than We Are</i> 2016 studio album by Meat Loaf

Braver Than We Are is the twelfth and final studio album by American singer Meat Loaf, released in Europe on September 9, 2016, by Caroline International S&D and released in the United States on September 16, 2016 by 429 Records.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.