Take My Breath Away

"Take My Breath Away" is a song written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for the 1986 film Top Gun, performed by American new wave band Berlin.[2] It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song,[2] as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1986.

This article is about the Berlin song. For other uses, see Take My Breath Away (disambiguation).

"Take My Breath Away"
Single by Berlin
from the album Top Gun and Count Three & Pray
B-side	"Radar Radio"
Released	June 15, 1986 (1986-06-15)
Recorded	1986
Genre	Synth-pop[1]
Length	4:13
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Giorgio Moroder Tom Whitlock[2]
Producer(s)	Giorgio Moroder
Berlin singles chronology
"Dancing in Berlin" (1984) "Take My Breath Away" (1986) "Like Flames" (1987)

Background

Once Giorgio Moroder wrote the musical backing to what would become "Take My Breath Away", lyricist Tom Whitlock wrote the lyrics while driving home from the studio, and then spent a few hours at home polishing them. A demo of the song, sung by a background singer, impressed director Tony Scott and producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, who decided to film more romantic scenes between Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis to feature the song.[3]

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).[4] Columbia Records suggested some of their signed artists, but eventually Moroder thought of the band Berlin, whose song "No More Words" he had produced. Whitlock made a few changes to the lyrics before Terri Nunn recorded the vocals.[3] Moroder has said that of all the songs he has produced in his career, he is most proud of this song.[5]

Releases and performances

"Take My Breath Away" was the second single from the Top Gun soundtrack album, following Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone", and was released in 1986 as a split single alongside the song "Radar Radio", performed by Moroder featuring Joe Pizzulo.

The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and also topped the charts in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ireland and Belgium.[2]

"Take My Breath Away" is available on both the original Top Gun soundtrack album and the expanded edition. The song was also featured on Berlin's fourth studio album, Count Three & Pray, and on several of the band's compilation albums: Best of Berlin 1979–1988, Master Series, Greatest Hits Remixed (which includes a "Mission UK Remix" version), Live: Sacred & Profane, and Metro Greatest Hits. "Take My Breath Away" was one of the only songs not written by Berlin's John Crawford that they had performed on any album up to that point.

"Take My Breath Away" was re-released in the United Kingdom in October 1990 to coincide with the first television showing of Top Gun (by ITV, on the evening of October 6, 1990), as well as Peugeot's new television advertising campaign for the 405 model range. The re-release reached number three on the UK Singles Chart.[6]

In 2017, ShortList's Dave Fawbert listed the song as containing "one of the greatest key changes in music history".[7]

Music video

The music video features scenes from the film Top Gun intermingled with Berlin's singer Terri Nunn performing the song in blue coveralls, walking between parts of planes in a windy aircraft boneyard (part of the Mojave Air & Space Port) at night. Bandmates John Crawford and Rob Brill are shown relaxing in the yard and then following Nunn.[8] The video can be seen occasionally on VH1 Europe's Top 10 Movie Soundtracks program. It was later included on the 2004 Top Gun collector's edition DVD.

Track listings

• 7-inch single

A. "Take My Breath Away" – 4:13

B. "Radar Radio" (performed by Giorgio Moroder featuring Joe Pizzulo) – 3:40

• UK 12-inch single

A. "Take My Breath Away" – 4:13

B1. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (performed by The Righteous Brothers)

B2. "Radar Radio" (performed by Giorgio Moroder featuring Joe Pizzulo) – 3:40

• UK 7-inch single (1990)

A. "Take My Breath Away" – 4:11

AA. "Danger Zone" (performed by Kenny Loggins) – 3:35

• UK CD single (1990)

1. "Take My Breath Away" – 4:11
2. "Danger Zone" (performed by Kenny Loggins) – 3:35
3. "Hot Summer Nights" (performed by Miami Sound Machine) – 3:34
4. "Top Gun Anthem" (performed by Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens) – 4:02

• UK cassette single (1990)

A1. "Take My Breath Away" – 4:11

A2. "Danger Zone" (performed by Kenny Loggins) – 3:35

B1. "Take My Breath Away" – 4:11

B2. "Danger Zone" (performed by Kenny Loggins) – 3:35

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1986) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 2 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 4 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[13] 1 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[14] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[15] 13 France (SNEP)[16] 2 Ireland (IRMA)[17] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[19] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 4 Norway (VG-lista)[21] 4 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[22] 2 Spain (AFYVE)[23] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 2 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[27] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[28] 3 US Cash Box Top 100[29] 1 West Germany (Official German Charts)[30] 3 Chart (1988) Peak position UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 52 Chart (1990) Peak position Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[31] 11 Ireland (IRMA)[17] 7 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1986) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[32] 6 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[33] 7 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[34] 23 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[35] 32 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[36] 16 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[37] 8 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[38] 8 US Billboard Hot 100[39] 27 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[40] 28 US Cash Box Top 100[41] 21 West Germany (Official German Charts)[42] 43 Chart (1987) Position Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[43] 67

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[44]	Gold	50,000^^
France (SNEP)[45]	Gold	500,000^*
Portugal (AFP)[46]	Gold	30,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[47]	Gold	500,000^^
United States (RIAA)[48]	Gold	500,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Jessica Simpson cover version

"Take My Breath Away"
Single by Jessica Simpson
from the album In This Skin
Released	March 7, 2004[49]
Recorded	2004
Genre	Pop R&B
Length	3:15
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Giorgio Moroder Tom Whitlock
Producer(s)	Billy Mann
Jessica Simpson singles chronology
"With You" (2003) "Take My Breath Away" (2004) "Angels" (2004)
Audio sample
file help
Music video
"Take My Breath Away" on Youtube.com

American singer Jessica Simpson covered "Take My Breath Away" and released it as the third single from the album In This Skin in 2004. Her version was produced by Billy Mann. Simpson chose to cover this song because she thought that it was the theme song of her relationship with her then-husband, Nick Lachey.

Commercial performance

"Take My Breath Away" reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the top 10 on the Top 40 Tracks and Top 40 Mainstream charts. It also became another number-one single for Simpson on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. On November 7, 2005, the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In Canadian Singles Chart, the single stayed on the top 50 for 39 weeks.[50]

Track listings

• Original 2-track release

1. "Take My Breath Away"
2. "Fly"

• Australian CD single

1. "Take My Breath Away"
2. "With You" (acoustic version)
3. "Take My Breath Away" (Eddie Baez Late Night Club Mix)
4. "Take My Breath Away" (Passengerz Hourglass Mix)
5. "Take My Breath Away" (music video)

• Brazilian promotional CD single

1. "Take My Breath Away"
2. "Take My Breath Away" (Eddie Baez Late Night Club Mix)
3. "Take My Breath Away" (Eddie Baez Late Night Dub Mix)
4. "Take My Breath Away" (Passengerz Hourglass Mix)

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
2004	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Music: Love Song	"Take My Breath Away"	Nominated[51]
2005	People's Choice Awards	Favorite Remake	"Take My Breath Away"	Nominated[52]
	Groovevolt Music and Fashion Awards	Best Song Performance – Female	"Take My Breath Away"	Nominated[53]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2004) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[54] 15 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[55] 32 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[56] 16 Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)[57] 10 France (SNEP)[58] 18 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[59] 43 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[60] 159 US Billboard Hot 100[61] 20 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[62] 23 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[63] 29 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[64] 10 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[65] 8 Venezuela Pop Rock (Record Report)[66] 16

Year-end charts Chart (2004) Position Australia (ARIA)[67] 99 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[68] 58

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[69]	Gold	35,000^^
United States (RIAA)[70]	Gold	500,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

• List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1986
• List of European number-one hits of 1986
• List of number-one singles of 1986 (Ireland)
• List of number-one singles from the 1980s (UK)
• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1986 (U.S.)

References

1. Crawford, Robert (November 10, 2016). "See Craig Campbell's Gripping Cover of Berlin's 'Take My Breath Away'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 136. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
3. "Back to the 80s: Interview with Tom Whitlock, co-writer of 'Take My Breath Away' & more". Kickin' it Old School. March 19, 2014. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
4. "Liner notes of Martha Davis and The Motels: Anthologyland". Archived from the original on 2016-01-25. Retrieved 2014-12-14.
5. "He felt love with Donna Summer, now its Deja Vu for Giorgio Moroder". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. June 11, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
6. 1 maart 2007. "peugeot 405". YouTube. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
7. "The 19 greatest key changes in music history". ShortList. October 1, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
8. Top Gun Soundtrack: Take My Breath Away Video http://www.topgunsoundtrack.com/Take_My_Breath_Away.html#Video
9. "Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
10. "Austriancharts.at – Berlin – Take My Breath Away" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
11. "Ultratop.be – Berlin – Take My Breath Away" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
12. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0731." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
13. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8219." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
14. "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3 no. 44. November 8, 1986. p. 18. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved March 6, 2020 – via American Radio History.
15. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
16. "Lescharts.com – Berlin – Take My Breath Away" (in French). Les classement single.
17. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Take My Breath Away". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
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23. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
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28. "Berlin Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
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30. "Offiziellecharts.de – Berlin – Take My Breath Away". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
31. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7 no. 45. November 10, 1990. p. IV. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved March 6, 2020 – via American Radio History.
32. "National Top 100 Singles for 1986". Kent Music Report (650). December 29, 1986. Retrieved March 6, 2020 – via Imgur.
33. "Jaaroverzichten 1986 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
34. "Top 100 Singles of '86". RPM. Vol. 45 no. 14. December 27, 1986. p. 5. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved December 26, 2016 – via Library and Archives Canada.
35. "European Hot 100 Singles – Hot 100 of the Year 1986" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3 no. 51/52. December 27, 1986. p. 28. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved March 6, 2020 – via American Radio History.
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39. "1986 The Year in Music & Video – Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98 no. 52. December 27, 1986. p. Y-21. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved March 6, 2020 – via Google Books.
40. "1986 The Year in Music & Video – Top Adult Contemporary Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98 no. 52. December 27, 1986. p. Y-27. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved March 7, 2020 – via Google Books.
41. "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1986 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. December 27, 1986. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
42. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1986" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
43. "European Charts of the Year 1987 – Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 51/52. December 26, 1987. p. 34. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved March 7, 2020 – via American Radio History.
44. "Canadian single certifications – Berlin – Take My Breath Away". Music Canada. October 31, 1986.
45. "French single certifications – Berlin – Take My Breath Away" (in French). InfoDisc. Select BERLIN and click OK. 
46. "Gold & Platinum Awards 1987" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 51/52. December 26, 1987. p. 44. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved March 22, 2020 – via American Radio History.
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48. "American single certifications – Berlin – Take My Breath Away". Recording Industry Association of America. May 5, 1992. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
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50. https://archive.vn/DJKpA#selection-1977.0-2011.12
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53. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-11-15. Retrieved 2014-11-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
54. "Australian-charts.com – Jessica Simpson – Take My Breath Away". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 19, 2010.
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External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics