Where “It Just Won’t Quit” was little-changed from the Bad for Good recording, “Out of the Frying Pan (And into the Fire)” is surprisingly different, even if it feels like it’s not. The lyrics, melody, main guitar riff and piano interplay with it are intact, but much of the rest of the song sees some noteworthy changes.

The clearest change from the original recording is that this version completely excises the strings from the original, essentially replacing them with some extra guitars from Tim Pierce and Pat Thrall. There is more loud guitar work apart from the main riff throughout the song, and it sounds like Thrall and Pierce got to have fun and just rip through anything they wanted throughout.

However, lacking the strings and getting more guitar everywhere, as great as that sounds, makes everything sound a bit closer together. The verses are somewhat restrained but where the palm muted guitars of the original give the sense that they are horses stamping their feet to be let out of the gate, this version has a bit more of a standard rock feel by letting them be louder in their moments and completely absent between. The pre-chorus is still the softest part of the song but where the original had a bit of a showtune vibe with its lush background feel, taking the strings out makes it seem a bit more like a continuation of the verses. And then the chorus, lacking the strings, just feels a bit less explosive.

On the bright side, the soloing and lead fills are a bit stronger throughout than in the original, which has some slightly dated-sounding moments compared to its modern counterpart. It works wonderfully as a rock song and I would have zero complaints had I not heard Steinman’s original, but I think it’s a (very slightly) lesser arrangement.

Compared to Steinman’s delightfully unhinged original lead vocal, Meat Loaf is relatively restrained but also has the long power to belt out everything all the way through, which Steinman lacks on some occasions in his recording. Like with the arrangement, if I had never heard Steinman sing it, I wouldn’t call his vocal at all restrained and would say it was great fun listening to him shout and belt his way through, but he just doesn’t have quite the same level of crazed joy that Steinman has.

This is one of my favorite songs ever, and I love every version of it I have ever heard. Steinman’s original is my favorite, but it’s the tiniest possible drop-off to this version. It has a few arrangement and vocal differences that are fine in a vacuum but make it just not quite live up to its predecessor.