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Length
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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.
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. 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.
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.
In 2007, Måns Zelmerlöw recorded a cover for his album Standing By For…
In 2008, Italian nu metal band Biosystem55 covered the song.
In 2008, Belgian dance group Milk Inc. covered this song.
In 2008, German hi-NRG dance group Topmodelz covered the song.
In 2008, Greek power metal band Firewind covered the song on their album The Premonition.
Sampling/Dubs
Italian electro duo The Bloody Beetroots remixed the song in 2008.
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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