☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are a passionate declaration of love, in which the singer is willing to do almost anything for love.
- However, there is a specific, unspecified action that the singer refuses, as expressed in the repeated line 'But I won't do that'.
- There are dialogues in the song where the singer promises to fulfill the desires and fantasies of his beloved, such as 'supporting her' and 'making her life less cold'.
- The lyrics address the theme of the transience and fickleness of love. The beloved expresses doubts about the longevity of the relationship, but the singer promises to remain faithful.
- The song is a statement about unconditional love and devotion, but also about maintaining one's own boundaries and rejecting compromises that could jeopardize the relationship or the singer's integrity.
Interpretation
The song 'I'd Do Anything for Love' by
Meat Loaf is essentially a passionate declaration of love. The singer emphasizes time and again that he would do anything for love - go through fire, lie, lose himself - but there is one unspecified thing that he won't do, which is explained by the repeated line 'But I won't do that'.
The lyrics also contain dialogues between the singer and his lover, in which he promises to fulfill her wishes and fantasies. She asks him if he will 'lift her up', 'support her', 'take her out of town', and 'make her life less cold', and he responds each time with 'I can do that!'.
The song also addresses the theme of the transience and fickleness of love. The lover says that 'everything turns to dust' and 'sooner or later you'll screw around', suggesting that she believes their relationship won't last forever. However, the singer responds with 'I won't do that!', indicating that he is committed to staying faithful to their relationship.
Overall, the song is a declaration of unconditional love and devotion, but also a refusal to cross certain boundaries or make compromises that could compromise the integrity of the relationship or the singer himself.