When Meatloaf sings that he would do anything for love but he won't do "that" what is the "that"?

Answer 1

marriage.... or bum sex. Thats what I've always been told. If i believe the latter or not is another question....

Answer 2

He's telling her he's not gonna cheat on her or just toss her to the side when they're done. If you listen to the part where they're "talking" to each other she's asking him about all he could do for her and then assuming he's gonna leave after

Will you raise me up
Will you help me down
Will you get me right out of this godforsaken town
Will you make it all a little less cold

I can do that
I can do that

Will you hold me sacred
Will you hold me tight
Will you colorize my life, I'm so sick of black and white
Can you make it all a little less old

I can do that
I can do that

Will you make me some magic
with your own two hands
Can you build an emerald city with these grains of sand
Can you give me something I can take home

I can do that
I can do that

Will you cater to every fantasy I got
Will you hose me down with holy water if I get to hot
Will you take me places I've never known

I can do that
I can do that

After awhile you'll forget everything
It was a brief interlude
A midsummer's nite fling
And you'll see that it's time to move on

I won't do that
I won't do that

I know the territory - I've been around
It'll all turn to duse and we'll all fall down
And sooner or later you'll be screwing around

I won't do that
I won't do that

Anything for love
I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love
But I won't do that
I won't do that

Answer 3

I never got the attraction of Meatloaf, a large, homely guy singing about how he can have his pick of women (such as in "Two out of three ain't bad)

Answer 4

I think he means leave her, sleep around, forget her, treat it as a 'fling'. Read the last 5 paragraphs of the lyrics.

Girl:] After a while you'll forget everything
It was a brief interlude and a midsummer night's fling
And you'll see that it's time to move on

[Boy:] I won't do that! No I won't do that!

[Girl:] I know the territory, I've been around
It'll all turn to dust and we'll all fall down
And sooner or later, you'll be screwing around

[Boy:] I won't do that! No I won't do that!

Anything for love, oh I would do anything for love
I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, no I won't do that

Answer 5

Sorry but it's a lot more boring than most of these answers.

"I'll never lie to you and that's a fact.
But I'll never forget the way you feel right now
- Oh no - no way -
I would do anything for love,
But I wont do that, I wont do that. "

If you don't believe me check for yourself.

http://www.completealbumlyrics.com/lyric/99166/Meatloaf+-+Anything+for+Love.html

Who'd have thought it was in the lyrics all this time eh?!

Answer 6

I have always thought it was marriage.
But judging by the lyrics (where meat loaf and the chick are singing a few liners each) it sounds like he means that he won't leave her and cheat on her.

I think it's really ambiguous on purpose to be honest. Could mean a few different things and I think he likes to leave the audience guessing.

Answer 7

Oh, good question. I am a huge Meatloaf fan and I believe that he let "that" to your imagination! You apply that on your own situation! :)

Answer 8

The answers in the line

"I would do anything for LOVE anything you've been dreaming of"

so when he sings "but i won't do that" i think it means what being asked of him isn't in the name of love, but lust, so he won't do it.

Natch

Answer 9

For the umpteenth time he will not "commit to a relationship" he will do anything for love but he won't do that "commit" now I'm going to take my wife's tights off, they don't half make my legs itch

Answer 10

Cheat

Answer 11

Sorry, but I'm old enough to remember listening to this on an 8-track in my best friend's gremlin. I always thought it was he wouldn't leave and/or forget her.

It isn't dirty after all!