Maniac (4:00)
245,558 plays (65,212 listeners)
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.
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.
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Michael Sembello - Maniac
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Awesome 80's (disc 1)
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And the Road Goes on Forever (disc 2)
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Billboard Top Hits: 1983
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Shouts
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kevogerbil wrote:
yes brill
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crazykaz02 wrote:
brill moves brill song
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JamisonCollins wrote:
Better the Maniac I know.
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BLKYNITE77 wrote:
I USED TO LUV THIS SONG WHEN I WAS KID AND STILL LUV IT AS AN ADULT
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micktosin wrote:
she's a maniac
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retroguy wrote:
Is this the Holiday Inn houseband lounge version? Am I stuck on an elevator somewhere? Did I get sucked into Bizarro world ?!?!? In the name of all things holy, make it stop.................it burns........IT BURNS!!!
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sionborg wrote:
Love that scene in Flashdance where Jennifer Biels is dancing to this song !!!
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sionborg wrote:
Great Song !!!
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xxsmoothopexx wrote:
wtf? what is this?? a slow version?? i like the fast one :P:P [2] I was very confused. It's called 'Manic' for a reason, it should be fast!
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tanecznica wrote:
love it:)
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opeth99 wrote:
Oh no haha!!!!!
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foxmusicbox wrote:
she's a maniac, maa-niaac...! :-D
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D4VEBID0 wrote:
Sheee's a mayyyneee-ak, mayynee-ak...
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geezerbird121 wrote:
Its. a. bit. sloooowwww..........
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caliboy1956 wrote:
And she's dancing like she's never danced before She's a maniac, maniac on the floor .......................Oh Yeah that girl had Leggs all the way up to her ASS....... I loved that movie and Dancing scenes!.
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keks4e wrote:
wtf? what is this?? a slow version?? i like the fast one :P:P
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Nagafen1029 wrote:
Do you remember what it was like? Do you remember the thrill? Do you feel it again? Now you're a maniac too...
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Rissacakes wrote:
Oh, shit. This song is going to be stuck in my head all night now. :)
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renatolpb9 wrote:
Great song.
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steamboat58 wrote:
I'm in.
Michael Sembello
Maniac
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