Maniac - Music
Maniac by Michael Sembello
Michael Sembello
Artist Biography For Michael Sembello
Michael Sembello Born April 17 1954 In Philadelphia Pennsylvania Is An American Singer-Songwriter Best Known For His Iconic 80s Pop Hit "Maniac". He Began His Career As A Professional Musician By Becoming A Studio Guitarist And His Credits Include Working With Or Writing For A 'Who's Who' Of Popular Music. He Has Collaborated With Stevie Wonder The Temptations Michael Jackson Diana Ross Chaka Khan Barbra Streisand Stanley Clarke And Donna Summer. Influenced By Contemporary Electropop And The Flashy New Wave Scene Sembello Released His Debut Solo Album In 1983 Picking Up Some Commercial Success. The Song "Maniac" Was Selected For Inclusion In The Blockbuster Movie 'Flashdance'. Rumored To Have Been First Based On A Serial Killer From A Slasher Film It Had A Tense Nervy Sound With A Darker Energy Than Most Pop Tunes. The Track Went On To Become The Third Highest Grossing Song From A Film Soundtrack In History At That Point. His Contribution To That Soundtrack Was Rewarded With A Grammy In 1983 When Said Soundtrack Won For 'Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special'. Sembello Has Done Considerable Soundtrack Work Since Including Such Movies As 'Cocoon' 'Gremlins' And 'Independence Day'. As Well His Later Career Has Been Often Focused On Eastern Music And Spirituality. Sembello Has Recorded His Vocals In Six Languages And Released Several Albums Over His Long Career. His Latest Work Is 2003's Soft Rock Inspired 'Lost Years'.
Frogtoon Music - Song Info: Maniac
Michael-Sembello - Bossa Nova Hotel
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
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Biography - Michael Sembello
Michael Sembello Born April 17 1954 In Philadelphia Pennsylvania Is An American Singer-Songwriter Best Known For His Iconic 80s Pop Hit "Maniac". He Began His Career As A Professional Musician By Becoming A Studio Guitarist And His Credits Include Working With Or Writing For A 'Who's Who' Of Popular Music. He Has Collaborated With Stevie Wonder The Temptations Michael Jackson Diana Ross Chaka Khan Barbra Streisand Stanley Clarke And Donna Summer. Influenced By Contemporary Electropop And The Flashy New Wave Scene Sembello Released His Debut Solo Album In 1983 Picking Up Some Commercial Success. The Song "Maniac" Was Selected For Inclusion In The Blockbuster Movie 'Flashdance'. Rumored To Have Been First Based On A Serial Killer From A Slasher Film It Had A Tense Nervy Sound With A Darker Energy Than Most Pop Tunes. The Track Went On To Become The Third Highest Grossing Song From A Film Soundtrack In History At That Point. His Contribution To That Soundtrack Was Rewarded With A Grammy In 1983 When Said Soundtrack Won For 'Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special'. Sembello Has Done Considerable Soundtrack Work Since Including Such Movies As 'Cocoon' 'Gremlins' And 'Independence Day'. As Well His Later Career Has Been Often Focused On Eastern Music And Spirituality. Sembello Has Recorded His Vocals In Six Languages And Released Several Albums Over His Long Career. His Latest Work Is 2003's Soft Rock Inspired 'Lost Years'.
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16 Similar Artists To Michael Sembello - Frogtoon Music
Irene Cara Laura Branigan Cutting Crew Paul Engemann Lipps, Inc. Kenny Loggins Matthew Wilder Rockwell Limahl Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes Katrina And The Waves Baltimora Berlin Starship Johnny Hates Jazz Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart.
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 Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.