Hell in a Handbasket

Hell in a Handbasket is the eleventh studio album by Meat Loaf, released September 30, 2011, in Australia and New Zealand, through Legacy Recordings (Sony Music Entertainment). A wider global release followed in early 2012.[12]

This article is about a music album. For the phrase, see to hell in a handbasket. For the Aurelio Voltaire song, see Ooky Spooky.
Hell in a Handbasket
North American cover
Studio album by
Meat Loaf
ReleasedSeptember 30, 2011 (Australia)
February 27, 2012 (UK)
March 13, 2012 (US)
RecordedSummer 2011
GenreHard rock, heavy metal
Length53:05
LabelLegacy
ProducerPaul Crook, Lil Jon
Meat Loaf chronology
Hang Cool Teddy Bear
(2010)		 Hell in a Handbasket
(2011)		 Braver Than We Are
(2016)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic44/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The A.V. ClubC-[3]
Consequence of SoundD-[4]
Goldmine[5]
The Guardian[6]
The Independent[7]
London Evening Standard[8]
PopMatters3/10[9]
Record Collector[10]
Spin2/10[11]

Background

The album was produced by Neverland Express guitarist Paul Crook.[13] Songwriters who had worked on his previous album also made a return, including Gregory Becker and John Paul White ("Let's Be in Love") and Tommy Henriksen (co-author of the digital bonus track "Prize Fight Lover"). Also prominently featured on the album is songwriter Sean McConnell, whose contributions were originally developed for Hang Cool Teddy Bear but wound up being discarded as the album took a different direction creatively (however, he is still thanked in that album's liner notes).[14] The album was released on Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, which overseas Meat Loaf's back catalog of releases on the Sony-owned Epic and Arista labels.

Due to the lengthy gaps between releases in various regions, Meat Loaf has intimated in response to public demand that there is still time for longtime collaborator Jim Steinman to make a contribution to the album in its internationally released form. Meat Loaf concluded by noting "don't rule it out."[15] This was a more specific variation on a previous statement, namely that he would work with Steinman again but that Steinman "doesn't know it yet."[16] Speculation has since occurred as to what the contribution may be. As recently as September 2008, Steinman stated on his website he was creating an album as a promotional tie-in to the forthcoming Bat Out of Hell musical with a working title of Bat Out of Hell: The Climax or The Final at Bat, which would feature "new versions of classic BOOH 1&2 songs, and ALL the brand newest songs, sung by many amazing artists." He hastened to add that there was "NO REASON Meat couldnt [sic] sing these too."[17]

Title

The title "Hell in a Handbasket" refers to the popular saying that things are going "to hell in a handbasket." According to Meat Loaf, he chose the title because "the world's gone to hell in a handbasket and every day that I listen to the news, I think the handbasket is getting bigger."[18]

Singles

"Stand in the Storm", featuring special guest appearances from Meat Loaf's Celebrity Apprentice teammates Mark McGrath, John Rich, and Lil Jon, was the first promotional single released digitally in May 2011, to benefit their respective charities.[19]

The first physical and second digital single, "All of Me", the album's opening track, was released for download exclusively through iTunes Australia on August 26, 2011.[20]

The album's seventh track, a cover of "California Dreamin'" (originally by The Mamas and The Papas) featuring Patti Russo, was released to radio in Australia in early September 2011.

Track listing

Australian/German version[21]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."All of Me"Dave Berg5:17
2."Fall from Grace"Gregory Becker, Bobby Huff, Bleu McAuley3:46
3."The Giving Tree"Evan Watson4:54
4."Mad Mad World/The Good God Is a Woman and She Don't Like Ugly" (Special appearance by Chuck D)Tom Cochrane, Paul Crook, Carlton Ridenhour4:05
5."Party of One"Dave Kushner, Franky Perez3:59
6."Live or Die"Gregory Becker, Tommy Henriksen, John Paul White4:27
7."California Dreamin'" (Duet with Patti Russo)John Phillips, Michelle Phillips3:57
8."Another Day"Wade Bowen, Sean McConnell5:03
9."40 Days"Bill Luther, Justin Weaver5:23
10."Our Love and Our Souls" (Duet with Patti Russo)Sean McConnell4:00
11."Stand in the Storm" (Special guest appearances from Lil Jon, John Rich and Mark McGrath)Barry Dean, J. Smith, Troy Verges4:37
12."Blue Sky"Sean McConnell2:57

North American/European version[22][23][24]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."All of Me"Dave Berg5:17
2."The Giving Tree"Evan Watson4:54
3."Live or Die"Gregory Becker, Tommy Henriksen, John Paul White4:27
4."Blue Sky/Mad Mad World/The Good God Is a Woman and She Don't Like Ugly" (Special appearance by Chuck D)Tom Cochrane, Paul Crook, Sean McConnell, Carlton Ridenhour4:58
5."California Dreamin'" (Duet with Patti Russo)John Phillips, Michelle Phillips3:57
6."Party of One"Dave Kushner, Franky Perez3:59
7."Another Day"Wade Bowen, Sean McConnell5:03
8."40 Days"Bill Luther, Justin Weaver5:23
9."Our Love and Our Souls" (Duet with Patti Russo)Sean McConnell4:00
10."Stand in the Storm" (Special guest appearances from Lil Jon, Trace Adkins and Mark McGrath)Barry Dean, J. Smith, Troy Verges4:42
11."Blue Sky"Sean McConnell2:57
12."Fall from Grace"Gregory Becker, Bobby Huff, Bleu McAuley3:46

Personnel

Musicians

The Neverland Express

Regular Meat Loaf studio sidemen

Session musicians
  • Ginny Luke – violin (track 5)
  • Caitlin Evanson – fiddle (track 6)
  • Glen Duncan – mandolin (track 9)
  • Bruce Bowden – pedal steel (track 11)
  • Jerry Flowers – backing vocals (track 4)

Guest appearances

Charts
Chart (2011–12) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] 20
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[28] 62
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[29] 29
Irish Albums (IRMA)[30] 51
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[31] 39
Scottish Albums (OCC)[32] 6
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 49
UK Albums (OCC)[34] 5
US Billboard 200[35] 100

Tour

Meat Loaf embarked on the Guilty Pleasure Tour across Australia and New Zealand in October 2011 in support of the album, receiving mixed reviews for his vocal performance. The show in Sydney was recorded for DVD release.

References
  1. "Hell in a Handbasket – Meat Loaf". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  2. Thomas Erlewine, Stephen. "Hell in a Handbasket – Meat Loaf". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  3. Murray, Noel (March 13, 2012). "Meat Loaf: Hell In A Handbasket". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  4. Freed, Nick (March 16, 2012). "Meat Loaf – Hell in a Handbasket". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  5. Prince, Patrick (December 5, 2012). "Album review of Meat Loaf's 'Hell in a Handbasket'". Goldmine. F+W. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  6. Simpson, Dave (February 23, 2012). "Meat Loaf: Hell in a Handbasket - review". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  7. Gill, Andy (February 24, 2012). "Album: Meat Loaf, Hell in a Handbasket (Sony Legacy)". The Independent. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  8. "CDs of the week: The Ting Tings, Meat Loaf and Gary Husband". London Evening Standard. February 24, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  9. Johnson, Andy (June 7, 2012). "Meat Loaf: Hell in a Handbasket". Popmatters. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  10. Pinfold, William. "Meat Loaf – Hell In A Handbasket". Record Collector. Metropolis International. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  11. Harris, Keith (March 20, 2012). "Meat Loaf, 'Hell in a Handbasket' (Legacy)". Spin. SpinMedia. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  12. Video on YouTube
  13. "Meat Loaf To Work With Lil Jon And Chuck D On New Album". 411mania.com. 2012-05-10. Archived from the original on 2012-10-09. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  14. "Meatloaf (sic)". Sean McConnell. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  15. "Meat Loaf Responds to Facebook Questions, Vol. 22". Youtube.com. 2011-09-16. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  16. "Facebook Q&A: Volume 17".
  17. "The Rockman Record - LET ME EXPLAIN". Jimsteinman.com. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  18. George, Andrew. "Meat Loaf talks hip-hop, news prior to Sands Bethlehem Event Center show". Bethlehem Area News. The Express-Times. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  19. "New Song "Stand In The Storm" Collaboration With John Rich, Lil Jon and Mark McGrath on iTunes Now!". Meatloaf.net. 2011-05-26. Archived from the original on 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  20. "iTunes - Music - All of Me - Single by Meat Loaf". Itunes.apple.com. 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  21. "JB Hi-Fi Australia". Jbhifionline.com.au. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  22. "Meat Loaf New 2012 Album: "Hell in a Handbasket" Tracklist and Release Date | Music News". Songonlyrics.com. 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  23. "Meat Loaf Announces 'Hell in a Handbasket' Tracklist, Art and Release Date". Ultimateclassicrock.com. 2012-01-17. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  24. "Legacy Recordings Announces The Stateside Release Of Hell In A Handbasket, The New Full-Length Studio Album". Meat Loaf. Archived from the original on 2012-08-14. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  25. Australian release only
  26. North American/European release only
  27. "Australiancharts.com – Meat Loaf – Hell in a Handbasket". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  28. "Dutchcharts.nl – Meat Loaf – Hell in a Handbasket" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  29. "Offiziellecharts.de – Meat Loaf – Hell in a Handbasket" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  30. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 10, 2012". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  31. "Charts.nz – Meat Loaf – Hell in a Handbasket". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  32. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  33. "Swisscharts.com – Meat Loaf – Hell in a Handbasket". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  34. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  35. "Meat Loaf Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
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