Recalling Tom Whitlock |

So, here’s a question for those of us who are least 40 years old.

What do you first think of when “Top Gun” is mentioned? In my case, it has always been the songs “Danger Zone” and “Take My Breath Away”. And, then Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis.

Kelly McGilis and tom CRuise

Those two songs managed to evoke vivid images in our brain of motorcycles, speed demons (jets, motorcycles, and cars). To this moment when I hear- or consider the song- those visions suffuse my soul.

Supndtrack- Top Gun

Well, it’s those great tunes that is the subject of the blog today. Tom Whitlock was the lyricist (song-writer) for those two tunes. And, he just passed away just shy of a month ago. (This blog has been moved a lot due to exigent circumstances.) At the relatively young age of 68. Since he was in a memory care facility, it seems that Alzheimer’s took yet another one of us.

It’s not hard to recall that Top Gun was the best selling movie that year. But, the soundtrack featuring Kenny Loggins- the singer/guitarist who performed Danger Zone and the new wave musical group Berlin who provided us with Take My Breath Away- was also the best selling soundtrack album (with some 9 million copies sold). Oh, yeah- Take My Breath Away cornered the Oscar for Best Original Movie Tune of 1986.

Interestingly, Tom and his partner (Giorgio Moroder) wrote the theme song for the 1988 Summer Olympics Seoul) and the 1990 World Cup (Italy). Obviously these talented folks were not two hit wonders.

But, we cqn add more to their repertoire. Beverly Hills Cop II, Rambo II, and the Top (this one reprised Loggins singing their tune “Meet Me Half Way”.)

What you may not know is that the vocals for Danger Zone weren’t first offered to Kenny Loggins. It was passed around to REO Speedwagon, Toto, Rod Stewart, and even to the Jefferson Starship’s Mickey Thomas. (Kenny Loggins ticked off Whitlock by adjusting some of the chords and lyrics, but the changes stuck- and Danger Zone had it’s reprise in “Top Gun: Maverick” the sequel.)

So, even you “young-uns” have the chance to be touched by Danger Zone!

Sorry if you are now plagued by an earworm…