Just a small town girl
On a Saturday night
Looking for the fight of her life
In the real time world
No one sees her at all
They all say she's crazy
Locking rhythms to the beat of her heart
Changing movement into light
She has danced into the danger zone
When the dancer becomes the dance
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On the wire between will
And what will be
She's a maniac
Maniac on the floor
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac
Maniac on the floor
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
On the ice blue line of insanity
Is a place most never see
It's a hard won place of mystery
Touch it but can't hold it
You work all your life
For that moment in time
It could come or pass you by
It's a push, shove world
But there's always a chance
If the hunger stays the night
There's a cold kinetic heat
Struggling, stretching for the peak
Never stopping with her head against the wind
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
[Instrumental Interlude]
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On the wire between will
And what will be
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
Maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
Maniac Video (MV)
"Maniac" is a song from the 1983 film Flashdance that was written by Dennis Matkosky and its performer, Michael Sembello. The original idea for the song came to Matkosky while watching a news report on a serial killer, which inspired gruesome lyrics that he and Sembello expanded upon after finding a 1980 horror film with the same name.
When Flashdance director Adrian Lyne grew attached to the demo of the song used during filming, his music supervisor Phil Ramone requested lyrics more appropriate for their story of a dancer and worked with Sembello to produce a new version for the soundtrack. The new recording was used for a scene in which protagonist Alexandra Owens trains rigorously at home.
After the film became a surprise success, a music video was made using scenes from the film and began airing on the cable channel MTV in May 1983, coinciding with the release of the single. The song spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and performed well in several countries. Because its video was shown extensively on MTV and Flashdance became the third highest-grossing film of 1983 in the U.S., Hollywood began to see music videos as a profitable way to market films.
The song thrust Sembello into the spotlight for the first time with personal appearances to promote it and even won Matkosky and him a Grammy for their composition. He included "Maniac" on his debut album but made it clear that he would not be putting out a similar song just to capitalize on its success and that he wanted people to forget his hit record and focus on his latest material.
Cover versions of the song cropped up in the UK, however, and one recording of a DJ rapping over a remix spent 10 weeks at number 1 in Ireland in 2000 and became the country's fifth biggest-selling single of all time.
Performed By:
Michael SembelloWhen Flashdance director Adrian Lyne grew attached to the demo of the song used during filming, his music supervisor Phil Ramone requested lyrics more appropriate for their story of a dancer and worked with Sembello to produce a new version for the soundtrack. The new recording was used for a scene in which protagonist Alexandra Owens trains rigorously at home.
After the film became a surprise success, a music video was made using scenes from the film and began airing on the cable channel MTV in May 1983, coinciding with the release of the single. The song spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and performed well in several countries. Because its video was shown extensively on MTV and Flashdance became the third highest-grossing film of 1983 in the U.S., Hollywood began to see music videos as a profitable way to market films.
The song thrust Sembello into the spotlight for the first time with personal appearances to promote it and even won Matkosky and him a Grammy for their composition. He included "Maniac" on his debut album but made it clear that he would not be putting out a similar song just to capitalize on its success and that he wanted people to forget his hit record and focus on his latest material.
Cover versions of the song cropped up in the UK, however, and one recording of a DJ rapping over a remix spent 10 weeks at number 1 in Ireland in 2000 and became the country's fifth biggest-selling single of all time.
Genre(s): Synth-pop, dance-pop, One Hit Wonder
Language: English
Length: 4:00
Written by: Dennis Joseph Matkosky, Michael Andrew Sembello
Released: May 1st, 1983
Year: 1983
Michael Sembello - Maniac Lyrics
We currently do not have these lyrics.
If you would like to submit them, please use the form below.
We currently do not have these lyrics.
If you would like to submit them, please use the form below.
English
Just a small town girl
On a Saturday night
Looking for the fight of her life
In the real time world
No one sees her at all
They all say she's crazy
Locking rhythms to the beat of her heart
Changing movement into light
She has danced into the danger zone
When the dancer becomes the dance
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On the wire between will
And what will be
She's a maniac
Maniac on the floor
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac
Maniac on the floor
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
On the ice blue line of insanity
Is a place most never see
It's a hard won place of mystery
Touch it but can't hold it
You work all your life
For that moment in time
It could come or pass you by
It's a push, shove world
But there's always a chance
If the hunger stays the night
There's a cold kinetic heat
Struggling, stretching for the peak
Never stopping with her head against the wind
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
[Instrumental Interlude]
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On the wire between will
And what will be
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
Maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
On a Saturday night
Looking for the fight of her life
In the real time world
No one sees her at all
They all say she's crazy
Locking rhythms to the beat of her heart
Changing movement into light
She has danced into the danger zone
When the dancer becomes the dance
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On the wire between will
And what will be
She's a maniac
Maniac on the floor
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac
Maniac on the floor
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
On the ice blue line of insanity
Is a place most never see
It's a hard won place of mystery
Touch it but can't hold it
You work all your life
For that moment in time
It could come or pass you by
It's a push, shove world
But there's always a chance
If the hunger stays the night
There's a cold kinetic heat
Struggling, stretching for the peak
Never stopping with her head against the wind
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
[Instrumental Interlude]
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On the wire between will
And what will be
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
She's a maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
Maniac, maniac
I sure know
And she's dancing
Like she's never danced before
Writer: Dennis Joseph Matkosky, Michael Andrew Sembello
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc., SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc., SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.