Take My Breath Away

Infobox Single
Name = Take My Breath Away

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Artist = Berlin
from Album = Top Gun soundtrack
B-side = "Radar Radio"
Released = 1986
Format = 7", 12"
Recorded = 1985
Genre = New Wave
Length = 4:11
Label = Columbia Records
Writer = Giorgio Moroder, Tom Whitlock
Producer = Giorgio Moroder
Certification = Gold (US)
Last single = "Dancing in Berlin" (1984)
This single = "Take My Breath Away"
(1986)
Next single = "Like Flames" (1986)"Take My Breath Away" is the name of a love song from the film "Top Gun", written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock, performed by the band Berlin. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1987.

Releases and performances

"Take My Breath Away" was the first single from the "Top Gun" soundtrack album and was released in 1986 as a split single alongside the song "Radar Radio":
# "Take My Breath Away (Love Theme from "Top Gun")" (performed by Berlin)
# "Radar Radio" (performed by Giorgio Moroder featuring Joe Pizzulo, written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock)

The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 13, 1986 and became number 1 in the UK for four weeks in November 1986.

"Take My Breath Away" is available on both the original "Top Gun" soundtrack album and the expanded edition, and was also released on Berlin's "Count Three and Pray" album in 1986 and featured in several of the band's best-of and remix albums: "Best of Berlin 1979-1988", "Master Series", "Greatest Hits Remixed" (which includes a "Mission UK Remix" version), "Live: Sacred & Profane" and "Metro Greatest Hits". "Take My Breath Away" was one of the only songs not written by Berlin's John Crawford that they had performed on any album up to that point.

"Take My Breath Away" was re-released in October 1990 to coincide with the first television showing of "Top Gun" (by ITV, on the evening of October 6) as well as Peugeot's new television advertising campaign for the 405 model range. The re-release reached number three in the UK singles charts. [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g4F6FMJkiw YouTube - peugeot 405 ] ]

Music video

The music video features scenes from the movie "Top Gun" intermingled with Berlin's singer Terri Nunn performing the song in blue coveralls walking between pieces of planes in a windy junk yard or aircraft boneyard at night. Bandmates John Crawford and Rob Brill are shown relaxing in the yard and then following Terri. ["Top Gun Soundtrack: Take My Breath Away Video" http://www.topgunsoundtrack.com/Take_My_Breath_Away.html#Video] This video clip can be seen occasionally in VH1 Europe's Top 10 Movie Soundtracks program. This video was re-released within the 2004 Top Gun DVD Collector's Edition.

Uses in the media

*This song was used by Ford Motor Company in advertisements for the Mercury Cougar in 1989.
*This song was used on a Peugeot 405 advertisement for United Kingdom market at the end of eighties. The adverts opening sequence (featuring an unknown man dowsing a corn field with petrol, prior to it being 'ignited' by the car driving past) was cut due to concerns arsonists would be tempted to 'copycat' the advert.
*This song was used by GE Transportation Systems in an advertisement for the GE Evolution Series diesel locomotive.
*The song was used on a Daewoo Espero advertisement in early nineties for the Korean market.
*The song was also played in an episode of "The King of Queens".
*A little fragment of the song was performed in a scene of "Ocean's Eleven".
*The song plays during a clip from "Baywatch" watched by Borat in the 2006 film of the same name.
*The popular Canadian teen drama "" named an episode after this song.
*The song is featured prominently in Wong Kar-Wei's 1988 Movie "As Tears Go By"
*This song was used in the Season 3 finale of "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" as Charlie's winning dance song against Dennis in a dance competition.
*The song appears in the video game Karaoke Revolution Volume 3.

Track listings

; 12"
# "Take My Breath Away" — 4:13
# "Radar Radio" by Giorgio Moroder featuring Joe Pizzulo — 3:40

Certifications

Other cover verisons

The song has been performed by other artists, such as Jessica Simpson, who included it on the special edition of her album "In This Skin", the band Copeland on their album of cover songs, "Know Nothing Stays the Same", and was translated into Cantonese and covered by Sandy Lam.

The Christian rock band Relient K also covered it as part of their "Top Gun Medley" on a few of their tours.

Originally Martha Davis of The Motels was asked by Giorgio Moroder to make a demo of the song. Her demo version is available on The Motels' "Anthologyland" CD.

Also to be found on YouTube under the listing for a Romanian band by the name of Activ, [Youtube|4LT4Oum135A|Activ-8 - Take My Breath Away (Dance Version)] but unsure as to its validity due to not finding it on their website [http://activmusic.ro/ Activmusic.ro] .

References

* [http://www.berlinpage.com/ The Berlin Fan Page]
* Top Gun Soundtrack Extended Edition Booklet

ee also

*You Take My Breath Away