Song:Take My Breath Away
Album:20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best Of Berlin
Because most folks are mainly familiar with this monster hit from the 1986 hit film Top Gun, the synth pop group Berlin are perceived as a one hit wonder. It didn't help that they split up soon afterwards. But some of their other songs charted especially on the dance charts. Group leader, primary songwriter and bassist John Crawford started The Toys in 1977 while still in high school in Los Angeles. He was influenced by punk rock but mainly by synthesizer dominated groups like Kraftwerk and Ultravox. He changed the name to Berlin in 1980 and signed with I.R.S. Records. Crawford was having trouble finding a lead vocalist. Meanwhile, Terri Nunn couldn't decide if she wanted to be singer or an actor. She pursued acting after working with Crawford in 1978 and returned in 1981. Other members were Ric Olsen on guitar, David Diamond on synthesizer and guitar, Matt Reid on synthesizer and Rob Brill on drums. Berlin released their 1982 EP Pleasure Victim on Enigma Records and charted with Sex (I'm A...). It did very well on the dance charts. They signed with Geffen Records and their 1984 album Love Life did very well and they had a top 30 hit with the single No More Words. Take My Breath Away was on Berlin's 1986 CD Count Three And Pray. But it wasn't really part of the album. It was written by Georgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for the 1986 film Top Gun. Of course Moroder composed a lot of soundtracks of that era. Whitlock was Moroder's car mechanic before he started writing songs with him. The song topped the charts worldwide. Crawford wrote most of Berlin's songs so that had to bother him. Not to mention that only Terri was in the Take My Breath Away video. It was almost as if the song was recorded to launch Terri as a solo artist. She had already recorded the song Dancing In Isolation for the 1985 film Better Off Dead as a solo artist. Maybe Crawford objected to that. The result was the Top Gun soundtrack was a huge seller and Count Three And Pray didn't sell. That led to Terri leaving to go solo and Berlin splitting up in 1987. You get all Berlin's hits on this budget comp. Terri Nunn's solo career wasn't very successful. So when she acquired the rights to the name Berlin in 1996, she created a new group with that name and still tours today. Crawford formed The Big F with Brill in 1988. They were not successful and disbanded in 1993. Crawford has become a born again Christian and has recorded Contemporary Christian Music in recent years. Here's the video for Take My Breath Away by Berlin.
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