Meat Loaf conundrum?

Question

In the song 'I would do anything for love but I wont do that", what is "that"??? What the $%&@ is he talking about that he wont do?

Answer 1

I think there are a lot of things to which he is referring, but one towards the end:
a female voice sings, "...sooner or later you'll be screwing around..."
he responds, "..but I wont do that..."

Answer 2

As the end of the song states:

[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
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
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

Does that answer your question?

Answer 3

If you listen to the part when the girl is asking what he can do for her, the very last thing she says is "Sooner or later you'll be screwing around" That is what he had been telling her he wouldn't do all along, but like most women, she doesn't listen to what he is saying.

Answer 4

The song suggests that he will eventually do things that will make her sad
In the song she sings:
"You'll see that it's time to move on"
"You'll be screwing around."
He then sings:
"I won't do that! No, I won't do that!"
That's what is being refered to. He wont do anything to hurt her.

Answer 5

If you listen to the female vocals at the end of the song, she is singing about sleeping around, and being unfaithful. That is what he is promising not to do.

Answer 6

Actually, it doesn't technically say, BUT..... it seems to me like he's saying that he won't forget her and turn to someone else. It's in the last couple of verses.

I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That Lyrics
by Meat Loaf
[ Download Free Lyrics Software featuring Meat Loaf ] [ Send to a friend ]

i would do anything for love, i'd run right into hell and back
i would do anything for love, 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
and i would do anything for love, but i won't do that, 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, oh i won't do that

some days it don't come easy, and some days it don't come hard
some days it don't come at all, and these are the days that never end
some nights you're breathing fire, and some nights you're carved in ice
some nights you're like nothing i've ever seen before or will again

maybe i'm crazy, but it's crazy and it's true
i know you can save me, no one else can save me now but you

as long as the planets are turning, as long as the stars are burning
as long as your dreams are coming true, you'd better believe it

that i would do anything for love, and i'll be there 'til the final act
i would do anything for love, and i'll take a vow and seal a pact

but i'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way tonight
and i would do anything for love, oh i would do anything for love
oh i would do anything for love, but i won't do that, no i won't do that

i would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of
but i just won't do that
(repeats 3x)

(solo)

some days i pray for silence, and somedays i pray for soul
some days i just pray to the god of sex and drums and rock 'n roll
some nights i lose the feeling, and some nights i lose control
some nights i just lose it all when i watch you dance and the thunder rolls

maybe i'm lonely. that's all i'm qualified to be
there's just one and only, the one and only promise i can keep:

as long as the wheels are turning, as long as the fires are burning
as long as your prayers are coming true, you better believe it

that i would do anything for love, and you know it's true and that's a fact
i would do anything for love, and there'll never be no turning back

but i'll never do it better than i do it with you, so long, so long
and i would do anything for love, oh i would do anything for love
i would do anything for love, but i won't do that, no no no i won't do that

i would do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of
but i just won't do that
(repeats 7x)

but i'll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life, no way

and i would do 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

[girl:] 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?

[boy:] i can do that! i can do that!

[girl:] will you hold me sacred? will you hold me tight?
can you colorize my life, i'm so sick of black and white?
can you make it all a little less old?

[boy:] i can do that! i can do that!

[girl:] 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?

[boy:] i can do that! i can do that!

[girl:] will you cater to every fantasy i got?
will ya hose me down with holy water, if i get too hot?
will you take me places i've never known?

[boy:] i can do that! oh oh now, i can do that!

[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

Answer 7

I think he's singing about a certain form of mandibular pleasure. But to look at him, you wouldn't think he doesn't like to eat everything.

It's not about cheating. Why would you cheat for love. It doesn't make sense.

Answer 8

Hey, isn't that the same bloke who said He'd never lie to me and thats a fact?

Answer 9

I think he is saying that he will do anything for love, but he won't commit.

Answer 10

I always figured it was something diry, like assplay.