1986

SONGS IN FILM: BERLIN- TAKE MY BREATH AWAY IN TOP GUN & GOING THE DISTANCE

I’m sure by now most people have seen the Tom Cruise movie, Top Gun. Or if you haven’t seen the movie, I’m sure you are familiar with a good chunk of the soundtrack. I mean we got Kenny Loggins “Danger Zone” out of it! But that’s not what this article is about. Of course there is “the scene” in Top Gun where the Berlin song “Take My Breath Away” plays and it’s so perfectly good. It’s one of those songs in film that is cemented forever. Now, the main reason for this article today wasn’t to share the Top Gun scene. Instead let’s go back to 2010 and the Drew Barrymore movie, Going The Distance. I’m a sucker for Drew Barrymore. Who isn’t? This movie is quite fun and charming. It stars Drew Barrymore and Justin Long as well as Christina Applegate, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis. There’s a part in the movie when Drew and Justin are about to make out and she notices a Top Gun poster in the room, and just as they start to make out… well you have to watch below. It’s utterly perfect and hilarious! Great use of the song and homage! Go watch the movie too!

Going The Distance- “Take My Breath Away” Top Gun Scene:

The Top Gun Scene:

Memorable TV Performances: The Replacements on SNL 1986
Inside the Replacements' Disastrous 'Saturday Night Live' Debut - Rolling Stone

Back in 1986, The Replacements performed on Saturday Night Live and it didn’t go well at all! There’s a really intersting story behind it all and I’ll tell you part of it. It all started when the bands label was trying to get The Replacements to shoot a music video. The band though had a hard stance of NO about making videos. So, the powers that be came up with a solution, one that would be beneficial for the band as well as fans. The idea was to get them to perform on live TV. So a letter was then sent to Saturday Night Live music booker Michele Galfas touting the group. Then the ‘Mats’ product manager, Steven Baker, and Warner A&R head Lenny Waronker pressed label chairman Mo Ostin to put in a call to the show’s creator/producer, Lorne Michaels. Based on Warner Bros.’s faith, Galfas put The Replacements on a shortlist of acts for the show — without having seen the band play live. See where this is going… Fast forward a few months and out of the blue, the bands gets the call that they will be appearing on SNL. Originally The Pointer Sisters were to perform on this night. Actor Harry Dean Stanton would be the host for the show on the now infamous January 18th airing. The episode would also feature controversial stand-up comic Sam Kinison as a special guest. The rest of the story is just as crazy as you think it is. From being drunk on stage, spouting “FUCK” on live TV, out of control antics and more. To say the people running SNL were pissed is an understatement. I highly recommend you taking some time and reading more about it this story.

The Replacements- Bastards Of Young: