The Real Story Behind the Flashdance Song 'Maniac'

"Maniac" was one of the biggest hits of the early '80s and featured in the movie "Flashdance" to the familiar sight of Jennifer Beals or her dancing double running in place to the strains of the song with lyrics that match perfectly with the story of a small town girl dancing into the danger zone. What a different movie altogether would have been the result had the original lyrics of Michael Sembello's "Maniac" been used.

The slasher film was at the height of its popularity when Michael Sembello and his writing partner Dennis Matkosky were struck with the idea of writing a song that could serve as an alternative to the sickly sweet love songs populating the airways. The two thought back to a 1980 slasher film about a crazed Vietnam vet spending his nights in New York among the lowlifes and disturbed. Few are more disturbed than the main character: a serial killer who scalps women and then places their hair on mannequins with which he has an unwholesome relationship. Sounds like the perfect inspiration for a hit song, no?

Not really. The original lyrics of "Maniac" were much more akin to the title than those refashioned for "Flashdance." What a feeling it must have been for Sembello and Matkosky to dream of writing a hit song with lyrics suggesting the titular character enjoyed killing cats and then attaching them to the owners' door. The original "Maniac" represented a leap from those treacly love songs that were worming their own way into the heads of Sembello and Matkosky.

The song was recorded at home and recorded onto cassette tape. The tape was sent off to Paramount by Sembello's wife and both were unaware of the inclusion of a song about a maniacal serial killer. Imagine the surprise when a representative called to say they were interested in using the song about the crazy guy. Of such mistakes is the history of pop culture made. The music totally fit this totally awesome montage of the flashdancing main character dancing her heart out. Those lyrics, however, well -- they just didn't fit.

This is a Hollywood dream story and few end with an artist refusing to make changes asked for by studio execs. Sembello contributed a song that retained the same music, but now told that story about the small town girl dancing like she's never danced before.

Note: The "Maniac" movie in question was made available for instant viewing on Netflix on August 5, 2011.

Sources:

Songfacts: Maniac

For more articles by Timothy Sexton, check out:

Maniac: The Worst Movie Ever Made

A Fervent Appeal to Jerry Bruckheimer: Stop Making Movies!

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