On this day in 1985: ‘We Are The World’ won Best Group Video and the Viewer’s Choice at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. Don Henley’s ‘The Boys Of Summer’ video won four VMAs, including Best Video. Bruce Springsteen’s ‘I’m On Fire’ won for Best Male Video and Tina Turner won Best Female Video for ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’.
On this day in 1986: Berlin went to #1 on the U.S. singles chart with the Giorgio Moroder written and produced ‘Take My Breath Away’ featured in the movie “Top Gun.” ‘Take My Breath Away’ would win an Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
The song was first offered to The Motels, who much later released their original demo, which is fairly similar to Berlin’s released version, on their compilation album ‘Anthologyland’ (2001). Columbia Records suggested some of their signed artists, but eventually Moroder thought of the band Berlin, whose song “No More Words” he had produced. A few changes were made to the lyrics before Terri Nunn recorded the vocals. Moroder has said that of all the songs he has produced in his career, he is most proud of this song.
Let’s take a look at the complete Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1986:
1 2 TAKE MY BREATH AWAY –•– Berlin (Columbia)-13 (1 Week at #1) (1)
2 4 DANCING ON THE CEILING –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-9 (2)
3 6 STUCK WITH YOU –•– Huey Lewis & The News (Chrysalis)-7 (3)
4 5 FRIENDS AND LOVERS –•– Gloria Loring & Carl Anderson (USA Carrere)-11 (4)
5 1 VENUS –•– Bananarama (London)-12 (1)
6 3 HIGHER LOVE –•– Steve Winwood (Island)-14 (1)
7 7 SWEET FREEDOM –•– Michael McDonald (MCA)-14 (7)
8 8 WORDS GET IN THE WAY –•– Miami Sound Machine featuring Gloria Estefan (Epic)-14 (8)
9 10 WALK THIS WAY –•– Run-D.M.C. & Aerosmith (Profile)-8 (9)
10 11 BABY LOVE –•– Regina (Atlantic)-13 (10)
11 13 DON’T FORGET ME (When I’m Gone) –Glass Tiger (Manhattan)-10 (11)
12 14 DREAMTIME –•– Daryl Hall (RCA)-7 (12)
13 15 LOVE ZONE –•– Billy Ocean (Jive)-8 (13)
14 9 PAPA DON’T PREACH –•– Madonna (Sire)-12 (1)
15 16 MAN SIZE LOVE –•– Klymaxx (MCA)-11 (15)
16 17 THE CAPTAIN OF HER HEART –•– Double (A&M)-12 (16)
17 22 TWO OF HEARTS –•– Stacey Q (Atlantic)-10 (17)
18 24 WHEN I THINK OF YOU –•– Janet Jackson (A&M)-6 (18)
19 12 RUMORS –•– Timex Social Club (Jay)-14 (8)
20 25 THROWING IT ALL AWAY –•– Genesis (Atlantic)-5 (20)
