

The inspiration for the song came from the infamous 1980 William Lustig slasher film of the same name. It’s still one of the highest grossing songs from a film soundtrack, and was nominated for an Academy Award. Though it was a year in which the Billboard charts were crowded with newly minted MTV megastars, “Maniac” was able to stand out for a couple of reasons: its innovative video (it was among the very first to use footage from a film) and its driving, propulsive, slightly dark arrangement. “Maniac,” the lead single from the soundtrack to the ridiculously huge smash hit film Flashdance, was a ubiquitous #1 hit in of 1983. Songwriter Michael Sembello has achieved exactly one hit song as a recording artist, but it’s likely a song that’s paid some bills for him for a few decades now.

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The song’s success shifted Williams’ career into high gear in addition to the aforementioned honors, he was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2001, and in 2009, he was elected President of ASCAP, the largest professional songwriters’ organization.
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In July of 1970, the Carpenters had their first #1 hit with their signature song, “(They Long To Be) Close To You,” and three months later, Williams’ reworked bank jingle became their second major hit, peaking at #2. We’d like to help you get there.” Williams’ optimistic jingle was pretty much the first minute of the song he would eventually write (with a male lead vocal) fledgling brother-sister act Richard and Karen Carpenter saw the commercial, loved the tune, and requested that Williams write a full-length version for them to record. The spot was a wedding-themed piece with the tagline, “You’ve got a long way to go. But his breakthrough hit, written for the Carpenters in 1970, had “all the romantic beginnings of a bank commercial.”Īs a relative unknown in the business, Williams had co-written a minute-long jingle for Crocker Bank. He’s the guy who wrote “The Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie, and dozens of artists have recorded his songs. Paul Williams is the quintessential songwriter and one of very few to have won a Grammy, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award for his songwriting.
