Maniac by Michael Sembello
Artist: Michael Sembello Weeks at #1: 2 weeks Chart dates: September 10, 1983 – September 17, 1983
About
One of the most notable songs made famous by a movie. Phil Ramone was not only the producer of the track but the music supervisor for 1983 movie Flashdance, which would launch it into success. Sembello wrote this along with his friend and partner, Dennis Matkosky, who was inspired by he saw William Lustig’s 1980 serial killer thriller Maniac. Note from Sembello: Matkosky came up with the original kernel of inspiration and to me with the basic idea and groove and I believe the temporary lyrics for the chorus he had were: “He’s a maniac, maniac that’s for sure He will kill your cat and nail him to the door” Phil Ramone (seeing the potential in the song) asked Sembello and Matkosky to change it to the present concept of a girl possessed with the passion of a gift for dance. This change, however, would cost them an Academy Award for Best Original Song. “Maniac” topped the charts in the US and Canada in late summer 1983, and reached the top 10 in several countries overseas. Billboard ranked it as the #9 biggest song of the year. The person you see dancing in the movie and video is Marine Jahan, the body double for Jennifer Beals. The video would lead to a new found music promotion trailers for films like Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, Footloose and more.
