Everyone gets songs stuck in their heads that just won’t go away. They sneak into your subconscious. They are epic earworms that you find yourself humming uncontrollably, singing in the shower, or tapping the beat to with your foot or ballpoint pen when you should be working. Sometimes they even keep you awake at night. Whether they are current hits, one-hit wonders, movie soundtrack gems, holiday favorites, or songs from your youth, their catchy vocals, riffs, hooks, and choruses seem to linger for days.
Here, those songs find a home, no matter the genre. Here, those epic earworms are revisited, explained, and celebrated. Here, you may find the song that haunts you tomorrow. Here is today’s unescapable song of the day…and the story behind it.
Today’s Epic Earworm: Kenny Loggins — “Danger Zone”
Kenny Loggins has come to be known as the “King of the Movie Soundtrack.” It all started with “I Believe in Love” from the movie “A Star is Born” in 1976. Next came “I’m Alright” in “Caddyshack” in 1980. Then came the title theme from “Footloose” in 1985. After those successes, all of which garnered Grammy nominations, it was no surprise when Loggins’ “Danger Zone” was a smash hit in 1986 on the “Top Gun” soundtrack.
Who Ya’ Gonna Call?
Producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, along with music supervisor Michael Dilbeck, had over 300 songs to choose from for the “Top Gun” soundtrack. After testing song after song in the opening scene on the aircraft carrier, nothing sounded right. So, they contacted famed Italian composer and record producer Giorgio Moroder to write something to fit the scene. Moroder sat down with songwriter Tom Whitlock, and the two came up with “Danger Zone.” They had singer Joe Pizzullo (famous for his work with Sérgio Mendes) record a demo.
The “Top Gun” producers loved the song, but Columbia Records, distributors of the soundtrack, wanted someone from their label to record the track. So, of course, the call was made to…Toto. That’s right, Toto was supposed to record the song for the soundtrack originally, not Loggins. Unfortunately, a legal dispute broke out between Toto and the lawyers for “Top Gun,” and the band pulled out. Loggins would later tell the tale of how Jefferson Starship turned down the song, as did Corey Hart and Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon.
By the time the song was finally offered to Loggins, he jumped on it without even listening to the demo. Doing the song proved to be a wise move, as Loggins turned the tune into another hit. The song reached Number Two on the Billboard Hot 100, and the song was certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in six countries. The song also earned the singer his ninth Grammy nomination. After receiving Grammy nominations for the previous three soundtrack songs, one would think Loggins would have been on speed dial…
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