Movie Hits from the Seventies and Eighties Quiz

Answer: Top Gun

"Take My Breath Away" was written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for the soundtrack of "Top Gun". It won the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1987. It is the first song released from the "Top Gun" soundtrack and hit the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 13, 1986. Berlin was formed in Orange County, California, in the seventies.

Their first single was "A Matter of Time". Terri Nunn temporarily left the band to pursue an acting career. She auditioned for the role of Princess Leia in the movie "Star Wars". "A Matter of Time" was sung by replacement vocalist Virginia Macolino. Aside from Nunn the core members of the band were founding members John Crawford and David Diamond. Berlin officially disbanded in 1987, the same year "Dirty Dancing" was released. "Platoon" and "Pretty in Pink" are both 1986 releases.

Answer: "A View to a Kill" Duran Duran

"A View to a Kill" is the last track that the original five members of Duran Duran recorded together until their 2001 reunion. It was a single created for the James Bond movie of the same name. As of 2008 it is the only James Bond theme to make number one.
"Goldfinger" is the title song from the 1964 James Bond film of the same name. Composed by John Barry, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, the song was performed by Shirley Bassey. The single release peaked at number eight. The recording was produced by George Martin.
"Live and Let Die" was recorded by Paul McCartney and Wings. It was written specifically for the soundtrack of "Live and Let Die" and recorded during the sessions for the "Red Rose Speedway" album. The single reached number two in the US. "Live and Let Die" is the first James Bond theme song to be nominated for an Academy Award. It lost to "The Way We Were".
Initially Eric Clapton and Vic Flick were asked to write and perform the theme song for "License to Kill". The project fell apart and Gladys Knight's song and performance was chosen.

Answer: American Gigolo

The original choice to sing "Call Me" was Stevie Nicks. Paul Schrader had directed "Hardcore" in 1979 and was in final editing for "American Gigolo" when he asked Nicks to sing the film's main song. She turned him down. Georgio Morodor was scoring the soundtrack for the film and gave Debbie Harry a call.

She promptly agreed and also wrote the lyrics for the tune. The instrumental track had already been recorded, so Debby only required a couple of hours to lay down her vocals. Roxette's hit, "It Must Have Been Love", from "Pretty Woman" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in June of 1990. Brian May of Queen did the music for the 1980 film "Mad Max".

The soundtrack album from 1980's "Urban Cowboy" has sold more than 4 million copies to date.

Answer: Jennifer Warnes

Jennifer Warnes is no stranger to film soundtracks. In 1979 she sang the Academy Award winner for Best Original Song, "It Goes Like It Goes", from "Norma Rae". Two years later Warnes' song from "Ragtime", "One More Hour", was nominated for an Academy Award.

The following year she teamed with Joe Cocker to sing "Up Where We Belong." It was written by Buffy Sainte-Marie, Will Jennings and Jack Nitzsche. In 1983 she and Cocker won the Grammy for Best Vocal Pop Performance by a Duo. In 1988 her duet with Bill Medley, "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", from "Dirty Dancing" reached number one.

The song won the 1988 Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group and the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Warnes teamed up with B. J. Thomas to sing "As Long As We've Got Each Other", the theme for television's "Growing Pains". Patti Austin and James Ingram took "Baby, Come to Me" to number one in 1983. Deniece Williams recorded a number one duet with Johnny Mathis in 1978 titled "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late". Olivia Newton-John had a number one in 1980 with "Magic", from "Xanadu".

Answer: White Nights

Phil had composed and recorded the theme for the Taylor Hackford film, "Against All Odds". Stephen Bishop wrote "Separate Lives" a few years earlier for "White Nights" and was originally asked to record it, but the film repeatedly got turned down. Bishop lost interest and gave the song to Collins. Bishop did end up getting a Grammy nomination for writing "Separate Lives", but ironically lost to "Say You, Say Me", a Lionel Richie song from the same movie. "White Nights" is the sixth movie that has yielded two number one hits. Bishop had previously written songs for "Animal House" and "Tootsie". Carole King did the soundtrack for "Murphy's Romance". James Garner received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Madonna recorded a song for the movie titled "Desperately Seeking Susan" but it wasn't used in the film.

A demo she had just finished at the time called "Into the Groove" was used instead. "Out of Africa" won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay Adaptation.

Answer: "Shakedown" Bob Seger

"Shakedown" is from "Beverly Hills Cop II". Bob Seger recorded the song when Glen Frey was unable to meet the recording schedule because of laryngitis. Seger was between tours and cut the track. "Missing You" is a 1984 number one by John Waite. He wrote the song because he was in America and missed his English wife. "At This Moment" was first recorded by Billy Vera & The Beaters in 1981.

When it was originally released it only reached number 79. Later the song was on an episode of "Family Ties". "At This Moment" then began a new chart run, peaking at number one. Billy Vera and the Beaters were in the Bruce Willis film "Blind Date", but the music for the film was done by Henry Mancini. Falco admittedly derived inspiration for "Rock Me Amadeus" from the movie "Amadeus", but the song is not from the film.

Answer: I Just Called To Say I Love You

Stevie Wonder's soundtrack album for "The Woman in Red" was released in 1984. The soundtrack was composed by Stevie Wonder and features performances by Wonder and Dionne Warwick. The lead single, "I Just Called to Say I Love You", became a number one pop and R&B hit in both the US and the UK.

It went on to win an Academy Award for Best Song in 1985. The movie was the first to receive the newly introduced "PG-13" rating. "Part-Time Lover" is a 1985 single by Stevie Wonder from his "In Square Circle" album.

The song also reached number one. "Ribbon in the Sky" is a 1982 release by Stevie Wonder. The ballad was featured on the compilation, "Original Musiquarium" and hit number 54 on the pop charts when it was released. "That Girl" is a 1982 Stevie Wonder release.

The song is also on "Original Musiquarium". It spent nine weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B singles chart and reached number four on the pop charts.

Answer: The Power of Love

"The Power of Love", by Huey Lewis and The News, is from the movie "Back to the Future". It topped the charts in August, 1985. "Hungry Eyes" was composed by Franke Previte and John deNicolais and is performed by Eric Carmen for the soundtrack of "Dirty Dancing".

The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts in 1988. "She's Like the Wind" was written by Swayze and Stacy Widelitz and performed by Patrick Swayze. It was originally written for the soundtrack of "Grandview, U.S.A" but was not used in the film.

The producers of "Dirty Dancing" were impressed with the song and re-recorded it for the movie. It reached number three on the Billboard charts in March, 1988. "Where Are You Tonight?" by Doobie Brothers member Tom Johnston was written by him for the soundtrack. Johnston wrote many of the Doobie Brothers' hits including "Listen to the Music," "Rockin' Down the Highway," "China Grove," and "Long Train Runnin'".

Answer: A Night in Heaven

"Heaven" was recorded two years before "A Night in Heaven" was produced. It was re-released when it was included in the soundtrack and became Bryan Adams' first US Billboard Number One hit. "Obsession" is also from the same film soundtrack and become the biggest hit for the band Animotion.

In 1991 Bryan's single "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" was used in the film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", starring Kevin Costner and Alan Rickman. Adams won a Grammy in 1991 for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture. Adams wrote "Never Let Go" which was featured in 2006 film "The Guardian".

It became known as the theme to the movie. Adams also co-wrote the song "Never Gonna Break My Faith" for the 2006 film "Bobby". It was sung by Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige.

The song earned him a Golden Globe Nomination in 2007 and won a Grammy in 2008. Adams' music has either been written for or has been used on the soundtrack of 42 movies.

Answer: Maniac

"Maniac" was written by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky and used in the film "Flashdance". "Almost Paradise" was sung in "Footloose" by Mike Reno of Loverboy and Ann Wilson from Heart. It was written by singer/songwriter Eric Carmen. It peaked at number seven and is one of three Top Ten hits on the Billboard chart from the "Footloose" soundtrack. "Holding Out for a Hero" is sung by Bonnie Tyler.

It appears on her "Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire" album. It was written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford and hit number 34. Tyler had a number one with "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in 1983. "The Girl Gets Around" by Sammy Hagar is also on the soundtrack.

The Kenny Loggins theme song, "Footloose" and "Let's Hear it for the Boy" by Deniece Williams are both featured on the soundtrack and both songs reached number one.