Song:Shakedown
Album:Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets
The 1987 single Shakedown was the only number one hit for Bob Seger. It appeared on the soundtrack of the 1987 film Beverly Hills Cop II. So it's also what I call an orphan as it wasn't part of Seger's standard recorded output. By the late 80s, Seger had faded from his peak in the late 70s. His 1986 single Like A Rock was a hit mainly because it was used in Seger's Chevy commercials. It appears that Seger planned to take a break from recording. He didn't record another album until 1991. The 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop was a huge success so it's not surprising that Paramount Pictures produced a sequel. The soundtrack album was also a huge success and composer Harold Faltermeyer and producer Keith Forsey wanted to repeat that success. The big hit from the first film was The Heat Is On sung by Glenn Frey. Faltermeyer and Forsey wanted Frey to sing Shakedown. Apparently Frey didn't like the song and supposedly he came down with laryngitis. He recommended his fellow Michigan native Seger. Shakedown topped the Billboard Hot 100 and the song was nominated for an Oscar. Frey called Seger to congratulate him and said "At least we kept the money in Michigan." The soundtrack CD is still available. But Shakedown never appeared on a Seger album. Capitol included it on Greatest Hits Vol. 2 but that is out of print. This 2CD comp was released in 2011. It's mostly a recap of Seger's Silver Bullet Band days. But it contains a few odds and ends including Shakedown and the mono version of the 1968 Seger classic Ramblin' Gamblin' Man. The comp is definitive for Seger's 70s heyday. Here's the video for Shakedown by Bob Seger.
I liked a lot of Bob Seger's stuff back in the 70's and used to listen to a lot of his music. I still like to listen to Ramblin, Gamblin Man, now and then. I am glad he is a Michigan native like me. I did not know about Glen Frey being a Michigan man. I am glad to here that and glad for Bob Seger and his award and success with the song Shakedown. Good for him. Thanks again Frank. David.
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