Maniac (song)
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| "Maniac" | |||||||||||
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| Single by Michael Sembello | |||||||||||
| from the album Bossa Nova Hotel and Flashdance | |||||||||||
| Released | June 5, 1983 | ||||||||||
| Format | 7" | ||||||||||
| Recorded | 1983 | ||||||||||
| Genre | Hi-NRG, New Wave, synthpop | ||||||||||
| Length | 4:12 4:21 (album version) 5:57 (12" version) |
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| Label | EMI, Casablanca | ||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Dennis Matkosky and Michael Sembello | ||||||||||
| Producer | Phil Ramone | ||||||||||
| Michael Sembello singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"Maniac" is a synthpop song performed by Michael Sembello. The song was used in the 1983 film Flashdance.
"Maniac" appears during an early scene in Flashdance and is used as the backing track of a montage sequence showing Alex (Jennifer Beals) training strenuously in her converted warehouse.
The song was included in Flashdance after Sembello's wife sent a tape to executives at Paramount Pictures who were looking for music to use in the film.[1]
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Charts and awards[edit]
"Maniac" reached number one in the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks beginning on September 10, 1983 and is one of the highest-grossing songs ever written for a film. In addition to producing "Maniac", Phil Ramone produced the song that would dethrone it from the top spot, Billy Joel's "Tell Her About It". The Original Soundtrack of Flashdance won the 1984 Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score Written for A Motion Picture or a Television Special.
The song was nominated for an Academy Award, but it was disqualified since the original version had not been written for the film.[1] Michael Sembello states on the website Songfacts that the decision "pisses me off to this day".[1] Another song from the film, "Flashdance... What a Feeling" performed by Irene Cara, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1984.
Cover versions[edit]
- 1984 - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (On the album "Bullish")
- 1995 - Sargant Fury (On the album "Turn the page")
- 1999 - Carnival In Coal (On the album "French Cancan")
- 2002 - L5 (On the album "Retiens-moi")
- 2004 - Sexydeath (On the album "The Damiana Error")
- 2004 - Evergreen Terrace (On the album Writer's Block)
- 2007 - Måns Zelmerlöw (On the album Stand By For...)
- 2008 - Firewind (On the album The Premonition)
- 2011 - Eric Speed[2]
- 2011 - Jacob Karlzon (On the album "The Big Picture")[3]
- 2012 - Moullinex feat. Peaches [4]
- 2012 - OV7 & Gloria Trevi (On the album "Forever 7") Nada es imposible
Other Appearances[edit]
The song was featured in the 2003 comedy American Wedding, where Stifler dances to it in a dance-off competition in a gay nightlub.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "''Maniac'' by Michael Sembello". Songfacts. Retrieved 2012-06-07.
- ^ "Eric Speed Maniac". YouTube. 2011-09-18. Retrieved 2012-06-07.
- ^ "Jacob Karlzon 3 - Maniac". YouTube. 2011-02-15. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
- ^ "Moullinex & Peaches - Maniac". YouTube. 2012-01-02. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
External links[edit]
| Preceded by "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single September 10, 1983 – September 17, 1983 |
Succeeded by "Tell Her About It" by Billy Joel |
| Preceded by "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics |
Canadian RPM Singles Chart number-one single September 24, 1983 – October 8, 1983 |
Succeeded by "King of Pain" by The Police |
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