Ok, you dragged it out of me...

My favorite album? Hmmmm, somehow this that should be among the simplest of questions is among the most difficult. I love music, not in the way that some of my friends love music, but I do. I have music playing all the time; at work, in the car, at home, I can’t imagine the void that would exist if there was no music, and I like all kinds.

I like classical, I like folk, ‘80s big hair metal and country. There are types I don’t like though; I dislike contemporary Christian music with the same intensity that I love old gospel and I hate some speed metal as much as I like to crank up the Motley Crue.

So, how to pick a favorite album?

I was going to cheat and give you a top five, but then I couldn’t decide who would be no. 4 and who would be no. 3...so, I’m going to list several of my favorites.

I love Don Williams, some Pink Floyd, Yann Tiersen’s Amelie soundtrack, the Wallflowers Bringing Down the Horse, the Talking Heads, the Clash, Gillian Welch, the Reverend Horton Heat, Southern Culture on the Skids, Cake, Pachelbel’s Canon in D (in spite of this) and on and on…

When I was a kid I used to listen to my parents’ LPs, they had a crazy mix of everything, including the New Christy Minstrels, Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops, Andy Williams, and Ferrante and Teicher. I used to belt out “I Love Making Love to You” along with Engelbert Humperdinck without having a clue what the lyrics meant. Neil Diamond was a huge part of this time of my life.

My first 45 was M’s Pop Muzik…I wore that one out. My first albums of my own were KISS.

In high school I listened to Def Leppard, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Maynard Ferguson, Planet P Project, U2, Devo and Alabama. My mom refused to let me get Quite Riot’s Metal Health because of the spelling of “Cum on feel the Noize”…I don’t think it was the z that upset her.

In college I listened to a lot more country (I was dating a barrel racer…yee haw) and couldn’t get enough of the Georgia Satellites.

In the army I picked up a taste for socialism and the Sisters of Mercy.

Through all of this one album has stuck more than the rest, and yes, you may mock me, but after careful consideration my favorite album is Meat Loaf’s Bat out of Hell.

I don’t know why.

Because of that smirk, I will leave you with this…yes, it will be stuck in your head for days and yes, you will sing it to the point that your friends will shuffle off whenever you approach.

You’re welcome.