Maniac (song)

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 hard 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.

Michael Sembello - "Maniac"

listen to a clip from the track.

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[edit] Charts and awards

Maniac reached number one in the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1983, and is one of the highest grossing songs ever written for a film. 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 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.

[edit] Cover versions

The song was covered by metalcore band Evergreen Terrace for their 2004 album Writer's Block.
The song was covered by Spanish singer Lorena for her 2008 album De película.
Maniac 2000, a dance version by Irish DJ Mark McCabe.
The song was covered by Greek power metal band Firewind for their 2008 album The Premonition.
The song was covered by French avant-garde metal band Carnival in Coal for their 2001 album French Cancan.

[edit] External links

Songfacts - Maniac by Michael Sembello

Preceded by "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by The Eurythmics	Billboard Hot 100 number one single September 10, 1983- September 17, 1983	Succeeded by "Tell Her About It" by Billy Joel