Meat Loaf explaining Phil Rizzuto's role in 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light' resurfaces following his death
Meat Loaf died on Thursday at the age of 74, his rep said
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meat Loaf’s retelling of how he got Phil Rizzuto, the legendary New York Yankees player and broadcaster, to work with him on "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" resurfaced Friday, following the singer’s death at age 74.
Meat Loaf appeared on "The Rich Eisen Show" in September 2016 and talked about his relationship with the Hall of Famer. He told Eisen that Art Shamsky, who was an outfielder for the New York Mets, was Rizzuto’s agent at the time when he was thinking about bringing Rizzuto on.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Phil Rizzuto helped the Yankees win seven World Series during his 13 years, including their record five straight titles from 1949 through 1953 and in 1950 he won the American League's Most Valuable Player award. His popularity as a broadcaster from 1956-1996 launched him to a pop culture icon with his trademark phrases like "Holy Cow!" and "You huckleberry!" (Sporting News via Getty Images/)
"We told Phil exactly what he was going to do and what the song was," Meat Loaf recalled. "We told him about the whole album and he asked the question, ‘Do people have to get high to listen to this record?’"
Rizzuto was told it was "probably better" if people didn’t get high when listening to the album, Meat Loaf said. He said he and his team spent a summer picking Rizzuto’s words and when the broadcaster came to the studio it wasn’t exactly the "Holy Cow!" type of enthusiasm they were looking for.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Actor and musician Meat Loaf in a scene from the movie "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," 1975. (Stanley Bielecki Movie Collection/Getty Images)
Meat Loaf said Rizzuto was told he needed to be a bit more exciting.
"We had had pizza and so I took four pizza boxes, put them out in the studio, turned on all the lights, I started running the pizza boxes like bases and I’d slide into one every once in a while. And all of a sudden, he got it, and he nailed it," Meat Loaf said.
Even as Rizzuto claimed to be unaware of what the "bases" meant, Meat Loaf said the former Yankees star was very aware about the sexual innuendos.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Marvin Lee Aday, also known as Meat Loaf, died on Thursday night, a rep for the singer told Fox News.
"Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight with his wife Deborah by his side. Daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends have been with him throughout the last 24 hours," a rep said in a statement on his Facebook page.
Singer Marvin Lee Aday, who went by the stage name Meat Loaf, on Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man. We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time. From his heart to your souls…don’t ever stop rocking!"
Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report.