Read 'Em and Weep

Last updated
"Read 'Em and Weep"
Single by Meat Loaf
from the album Dead Ringer
B-side "Everything Is Permitted"
ReleasedNovember 1981 (US)
  • March 12, 1982 (UK) [1]
Genre Rock
Label Epic
Songwriter(s) Jim Steinman
Producer(s) Jim Steinman, Jimmy Iovine
Meat Loaf singles chronology
"I'm Gonna Love Her for Both of Us"
(1981)
"Read 'Em and Weep"
(1981)
"Peel Out"
(1981)
Music video
Video on YouTube
"Read 'Em and Weep"
Single by Barry Manilow
from the album Greatest Hits Vol. II
B-side "One Voice"
ReleasedNovember 1983 (1983)
Genre Easy listening
Length5:16
Label Arista
Songwriter(s) Jim Steinman
Producer(s) Jim Steinman
Barry Manilow singles chronology
"Some Kind of Friend"
(1983)
"Read 'Em and Weep"
(1983)
"You're Looking Hot Tonight"
(1984)
Music video
Video on YouTube

"Read 'Em and Weep" is a rock music song composed by Jim Steinman. It was originally written for Meat Loaf and recorded for his 1981 album, Dead Ringer , the second of only two tracks on the album produced by Steinman and Jimmy Iovine.

Contents

Barry Manilow version

"Read 'Em and Weep" did not become a hit until late 1983, when a slightly rewritten version was recorded by Barry Manilow as one of three new tracks on his compilation album Greatest Hits, Vol. II . This version featured new lyrics for the second half of the song's second verse, as well as slight changes in the first verse and final chorus. It was a chart-topping success, hitting #1 on the Canadian and U.S. Adult Contemporary charts for six weeks, as well as peaking at number #18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in the first weeks of 1984 [2] [3] , becoming Manilow's final Billboard Top Forty hit.

Chart performance

Chart (1983–84)Peak
position
Canada Adult Contemporary1
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) [4] 17
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 1
US Billboard Hot 100 18

See also

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References

  1. "Meat Loaf singles".
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 156.
  3. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1984-01-28. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  4. "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved March 8, 2022.