Maniac

The song was used in the 1983 film Flashdance and was inspired by the 1980 horror film Maniac. The film Maniac was about a serial killer who stalks his victims in New York City. The song's performer and co-writer Michael Sembello recalls that an early version of the chorus was: He's a maniac, maniac that's for sure, He will kill your cat and nail him to the door. At the suggestion of the record's producer Phil Ramone, the lyrics were rewritten to describe a girl with a passion for dancing. The lyrics became: She's a maniac, maniac on the floor And she's dancing like she's never danced before. "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. [edit] Charts and awards "Maniac" reached number one in the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in September 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[citation needed]. Michael Sembello states on the website Songfacts that the decision "pisses me off to this day." Another song from the film, "Flashdance... What a Feeling" performed by Irene Cara, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1984. [edit] Cover versions In 1999. French experimental metal band Carnival in Coal covered the song on their album French Cancan. In 2000, Italian power metal band Sigma covered the song in their eponymous album. In 2004, American metalcore band Evergreen Terrace covered the song for their album Writer's Block. Norwegian heavy metal band Street Legal covered the song.[1] In 2007, Måns Zelmerlöw recorded a cover for his album Standing By For... In 2008, Italian nu metal band Biosystem55 covered the song.[2] In 2008, Belgian dance group Milk Inc. covered this song. In 2008, German hi-NRG dance group Topmodelz covered the song.[3] In 2008, Greek power metal band Firewind covered the song on their album The Premonition.[4] Sampling/Dubs Italian electro duo The Bloody Beetroots remixed the song in 2008. [5] References ^ Street Legal - "Maniac" ^ Biosystem55 - "Maniac" ^ Topmodelz - "Maniac" ^ Firewind - Releases ^ http://redthreat.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/be-like-water-my-friend/ External links Maniac Songfacts

[Verse 1] Just a steel town girl on a Saturday night Lookin' for the fight of her life In the real-time world, no one sees her at all They all say she's crazy Locking rhythms to the beat of her heart Changing movement into light She has danced into the danger zone When the dancer becomes the dance [Pre-Chorus 1] It can cut you like a knife If the gift becomes the fire On a wire between will and what will be [Chorus 1] She's a maniac, maniac on the floor And she's dancing like she's never danced before She's a maniac, maniac on the floor And she's dancing like she's never danced before [Verse 2] On the ice-blue line of insanity Is a place most never see It's a hard-won place of mystery Touch it, but can't hold it You work all your life for that moment in time It could come or pass you by It's a push-shove world, but there's always a chance If the hunger stays the night [Pre-Chorus 2] There's a cold kinetic heat Struggling, stretching for the peak Never stopping with her head against the wind [Chorus 2] She's a maniac, maniac, I sure know And she's dancing like she's never danced before She's a maniac, maniac, I sure know And she's dancing like she's never danced before [Bridge] Ooh, oh Oh [Pre-Chorus 1] It can cut you like a knife If the gift becomes the fire On a wire between will and what will be [Chorus 2] She's a maniac, maniac, I sure know And she's dancing like she's never danced before She's a maniac, maniac, I sure know And she's dancing like she's never danced before Maniac, maniac, I sure know And she's dancing like she's never danced before