"I feel the need ..." "... the need for speed!" Quiz

Answer: Written specifically for "Top Gun"

After weeding through hundreds of potential songs, the producers of "Top Gun" commissioned Italian composer Giorgio Moroder and American songwriter-musician Tom Whitlock to come up with something that would fit the opening carrier scenes. The duo came up with "Danger Zone". There were rumors that the song was offered to other artists on the Columbia Records label, but eventually Kenny Loggins accepted an offer to record it. The song reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Co-Producer Jerry Bruckheimer was so pleased with Moroder and Whitlock's efforts on "Danger Zone", he asked for a song to fit the romantic scenes. "Take My Breath Away" became that tune. Moroder asked the band Berlin to record it. "Take My Breath Away" hit number one on the US Billboard Top 100 plus topped the charts in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The song won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1987.

Jaknginger strummed this question into the Red Crew's team quiz.

Answer: George Jackson

George Jackson and fellow The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section" member Thomas E. Jones III suggested that Seger record the song. Seger rewrote the verse lyrics, recorded it, but refused to take song-writing credit. In 2006 he admitted during an interview that he hadn't liked the song and didn't think it would be a hit. It wasn't popular with Seger's touring group, The Silver Bullet Band, either, but they played it at concerts across Europe and found it was a very popular song.

After it was featured on "Risky Business", the song became Seger's signature tune.

Phoenix Rising's leith90 might admit to liking this song but would never do anything as risky as dancing sans pants.

Answer: Ry Cooder

The song "All Shook Up" is credited to Elvis Presley and Otis Blackwell; Elvis performed it in the 1957 movie "Loving You". The "Cocktail" version features Ry Cooder's signature slide guitar and a stronger beat. Tom Cruise, as bartender Brian Flanagan, leads the bar crowd in chanting "I'm all shook up" along with the song while juggling cocktail shakers with partner Doug Coughlin (portrayed by Bryan Brown).

Ry Cooder also composed the music for the movie "Primary Colors". He is blind in one eye and took up guitar as a form of solace while becoming a bit isolated due to his partial loss of sight. His long career includes recording with the Rolling Stones, notably contributing slide guitar to "Sister Morphine". "Buena Vista Social Club", released in 1997, captures Cuban musicians playing the style of music popular in Havana in the 1940s; it was a worldwide hit.

Player pusdoc of Phoenix Rising's Red Crew speaks little Spanish but sings along with "Buena Vista Social Club" anyway.

Answer: Audrey Hepburn

This song was specifically written for Audrey Hepburn to sing in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961) which she performed with great aplomb and a ukulele. The music itself played by an orchestra was played over the opening scene which gave the movie its name. The same song was used in one of the few tender scenes in the brutal later movie.

Henry Mancini wrote the music and Johnny Mercer the lyrics. It reflects the childhood of Mercer whose childhood house overlooked the Back River in Georgia (later renamed Moon River in honour of the song).

In this song, the river acts as a metaphor for a lover. The lyrics describe both a dream maker and a heartbreaker in the same line which emphasises the risks of romantic relationships. There is an incongruous (for a romantic ballad) line in the song, "my huckleberry friend". This is a reference to his childhood friend. They picked huckleberries near Back River together.

Andy Williams sang the song at the 1962 Academy Awards where the movie won two Academy Awards: Best Original Score and Best Original Song for "Moon River". It became his signature song though it was never released as a single.

This song also featured in another Tom Cruise movie, "Days of Thunder" (1990).

This question was written by Phoenix Rising Team member 1nn1 who was probably more taken with Audrey Hepburn's ukulele-playing skills. The song contains 10 chords.

Answer: Steve Winwood

Steve Winwood was 14 years old when, in 1963, he formed the Spencer Davis Group with guitarist Spencer Davis, drummer Pete York, and his brother, bassist Muff Winwood. Written by Davis and the Winwood brothers, "Gimme Some Lovin'" was released as a single in October 1966. The song, which reached number two in the UK charts, and number seven in the Billboard Hot 100, is a prime example of that "blue-eyed soul" that was so popular in Britain at the time - showcasing Winwood's raw, soulful voice and his skill as an organ player.

Winwood would leave the band the following year, and form Traffic; in 1969, he formed the supergroup Blind Faith with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker of Cream and Ric Grech (also a member of Traffic for a time). After the demise of Traffic in 1974, he embarked on a successful solo career.

"Gimme Some Lovin'" has been covered by a number of artists: the song's best-known cover, however, is the one performed by The Blues Brothers in the eponymous 1980 musical comedy film, which replaces Winwood's organ with a horn section. On the soundtrack to Tony Scott's "Days of Thunder", the song is credited to Terry Reid (who also covered it), though the version heard in the movie is the original by the Spencer Davis Group.

The singers/multi-instrumentalists listed as wrong answers achieved fame and fortune as members of Procol Harum (Brooker), Electric Light Orchestra (Lynne), and Genesis (Collins).

LadyNym of Phoenix Rising's Red Crew wrote this question about one of her favourite classic rock musicians - who happens to be one of her husband's favourites as well.

Answer: The Master and Margarita

In "Crossfire Hurricane" (2012) Mick Jagger told how Marianne Faithfull gifted him with a copy of "The Master and Margarita" and it became his inspiration for the track. He also has stated that French author Baudelaire also added some flavour. The lyrics tell the story of the trail of evil caused by the Devil through history and sometimes mirrors the happenings in "Master and Margarita". It references the death of Jesus, religious wars, the Russian Revolution and World War II.

The music was a change in direction for The Rolling Stones, involving some unusual instruments such as maracas and congas, adding a South American vibe, finally settling on a samba rhythm that jibes with the content giving a jarring feel. The backing track of 'woo woos' elevate the sound and make it a standout track.

Jean-Luc Godard features the making of the song in his 1968 film "One Plus One", charting the process of its recording.

The song has been covered by several people, notably Guns N' Roses for the film "Interview with a Vampire", Motorhead, and Ozzy Osbourne.

Red Crew's smpdit is pleased to meet you, and hopes you can guess her name.

Answer: Fleetwood Mac

Peter Green, who sadly passed away in 2020, was a legendary figure on the British blues-rock scene of the 1960s. In 1967, he co-founded Fleetwood Mac (named after two of the band's original members, drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie), and wrote some of their best-known early songs - such as "Black Magic Woman", which was later covered by Santana. Unfortunately, mental illness (worsened by drug use) led him to leave the band in 1970 and sabotaged the rest of his career. "Oh Well" was first released as a single in September 1969 - featuring the bluesy "Part 1" (with vocals also by Green) as A-side, and the psychedelic instrumental "Part 2" as B-side. The song later appeared on the revised US version of Fleetwood Mac's third album, "Then Play On" (released in November 1969).

After Green's departure, Fleetwood Mac went through different incarnations. The band's true commercial breakthrough, however, came with the addition of two American artists, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, in 1975. Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" (1976), inspired by the breakup of the band members' romantic relationships, is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Cameron Crowe, who directed "Jerry Maguire", is a former music journalist and rock aficionado, who was married to Heart's guitarist Nancy Wilson for 24 years. Most of his movie soundtracks feature classic rock songs, and "Jerry Maguire" is no exception - with songs by the likes of Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and The Who.

This question was written by LadyNym of Phoenix Rising's Red Crew, who loves classic rock, and has a soft spot for Fleetwood Mac.

Answer: Peter Gabriel

Released in March 1977, "Solsbury Hill" was Peter Gabriel's debut solo single. Gabriel wrote the song about a spiritual experience he had on top of Little Solsbury Hill in Somerset (England), near the city of Bath. Gabriel has described the song as inspired by his departure from progressive rock band Genesis, and the idea of letting go of something familiar to face the unknown. Written in an unusual time signature (7/4), the song first appeared in a slightly longer version on Gabriel's self-titled debut solo album, commonly known as "Car", released in February 1977.

One of Gabriel's most popular songs, "Solsbury Hill" was a Top 20 hit in the UK. It has also been covered by various other artists (such as Erasure, Sarah McLachlan and Lou Reed), and used in a number of movies and TV shows. The eclectic soundtrack to "Vanilla Sky" also includes songs by Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, REM, Radiohead, and Jeff Buckley.

This question was written by LadyNym of Phoenix Rising's Red Crew, who is a big Peter Gabriel fan.

Answer: Slade

Quiet Riot obtained permission from Slade after they recorded it. Coupled with a clever film clip that MTV played on high rotation, the song went all the way to number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. It was their only Top 20 hit.

Slade's Noddy Holder and Jim Lea wrote the song in 1973 as a response to crowd reaction to their concerts. It debuted at number one on the UK Singles chart and was their fourth consecutive number one. If you listen to the live version of this song on the "Sladest" (1973) album, you can hear the audience foot-stomping on the record.

Question written by Phoenix Rising's 1nn1 who was at Slade's Brisbane 1974 concert, foot-stomping to the song along with 4000 other BrisVegas Slade fans.

Answer: The Red Shoes

The title track of his 1983 album "Let's Dance" was one of his best selling songs. Written by Bowie and produced by Nile Rodgers, it initially had a folk song feel, Bowie laying it out on an acoustic guitar, but with Rodgers' influence, a key change and inverted chords increased the funk aspect and made it more appealing to the disco crowd whilst not alienating the anti-disco movement.

The music video was made in location in Australia and featured students from the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre, and it was filmed in public with the Aboriginal couple dancing to the "song they're playing on the radio". Red shoes are mentioned in the lyrics, and they are featured in the video where the leading lady dons the shoes and immediately starts to dance whilst a nuclear explosion is seen in the distance. A business woman also appears in red shoes interrupting the aboriginal couple doing manual tasks, after which the couple stamp on the shoes, rejecting what they represent, and walk off into the Bush.

The red shoes are thought to be Bowie referencing the Hans Christian Anderson tale of "The Red Shoes" where the little girl finds red shoes and ends up dancing herself to death.

The 2022 film "Top Gun: Maverick" used "Let's Dance" to transport you back to the 80s in a scene where Maverick (Tom Cruise) enters a pub and sets eyes on Penny (Jennifer Connolly).

Phoenix Rising's smpdit has been known to have donned red shoes and danced the blues.