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Danger Zone (song)

{{short description|1986 single by Kenny Loggins}}

{{About|the Kenny Loggins song|other songs|Danger Zone (disambiguation)#Songs{{!}}Danger Zone § Songs}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Danger Zone

| cover = Loggins - Danger Zone single cover.png

| type = single

| artist = Kenny Loggins

| album = Top Gun

| B-side = I'm Gonna Do It Right

| released = April 24, 1986{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/FMQB-Album/1986/FMQB-1986-04-18.pdf|title=FMQB|page=36}}

| recorded = January 1986

| genre = Hard rock{{cite web|last1= Abercrombie|first1= Olivia|last2= Mitchell|first2= Matt|title= The 50 Best Original Songs Written for Films|website= Paste|date= March 10, 2024|url= https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/best-songs/the-50-best-original-songs-written-for-films|accessdate= March 11, 2024}}

| length = 3:36

| label = Columbia

| writer =

| composer = Giorgio Moroder

| lyricist = Tom Whitlock

| producer = Giorgio Moroder

| prev_title = I'll Be There

| prev_year = 1985

| next_title = Playing with the Boys

| next_year = 1986

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|siwpn14IE7E|"Danger Zone"}}}}

}}

"Danger Zone" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins in 1986, with music composed by Giorgio Moroder and lyrics written by Tom Whitlock. The song was one of the hit singles from the soundtrack to the 1986 American film Top Gun. It was the best-selling soundtrack of 1986 and one of the best-selling of all time.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KeDOCwAAQBAJ&q=best+selling+soundtracks+top+gun&pg=PT446|title=Risky Business: Rock in Film|last1=Denisoff|first1=R. Serge|last2=Romanowski|first2=William D.|date=2011-12-31|publisher=Transaction Publishers|isbn=9781412833370|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/top-gun-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000650897|title=Top Gun [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] - Original Soundtrack {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=2017-05-19}} According to Allmusic.com, the album "remains a quintessential artifact of the mid-'80s" and the album's hits "still define the bombastic, melodramatic sound that dominated the pop charts of the era". The song is also featured in the 2022 sequel film Top Gun: Maverick and its soundtrack, using the same original recording.

Background

File:Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins 1st chorus.mp3

Film producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, along with music supervisor Michael Dilbeck, had over 300 songs to employ on Top Gun. They tested compositions against the dailies of the opening scenes at the aircraft carrier. Nothing satisfied them and Bruckheimer asked soundtrack producer Giorgio Moroder to write something. With the help of songwriter Tom Whitlock, he composed "Danger Zone" and had Joe Pizzulo record a demo. With the approval of the producers, soundtrack distributor Columbia Records requested Moroder to have "Danger Zone" performed by an artist signed by the label.{{Cite web |url=http://oldschool.tblog.com/post/1971245511 |title=Back to the 80s: Interview with Tom Whitlock, co-writer of 'Take My Breath Away' & more – Kickin' it Old School |access-date=2016-01-19 |archive-date=2016-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412113705/http://oldschool.tblog.com/post/1971245511 |url-status=dead}} Pizzulo's original demo version would later make a partial appearance in the 1987 TV movie Cracked Up.

The band Toto was originally intended to perform the track, but legal conflicts between the producers of Top Gun and the band's lawyers prevented this.{{cite web |url=http://www.toto99.com/blog2010/index.php?/archives/785-TOP-GUN-soundtrack.html |title=Top Gun (Soundtrack) |publisher=Toto Official Website |date=April 29, 2007 |access-date=June 3, 2022}} According to Steve Lukather, they were told that only Joseph Williams' vocals would be used when the band sent their version to the producers. Toto deemed that decision unacceptable and pulled out.{{cite book | last1 = Lukather | first1 = Steve | author-link1 = Steve Lukather | title = The Gospel According to Luke | edition = 1st | publisher = Post Hill Press | year = 2019 | page = 179 | isbn = 978-1-64293-285-0}} In a 2022 interview with AXS TV, Kenny Loggins revealed that it was Jefferson Starship that was the first act to be offered the track, but the band withdrew from the project.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVeTzFE45u8 |title=Kenny Loggins Reveals How 'Danger Zone' from Top Gun Came to Life |author=AXS TV |publisher=YouTube |date=May 29, 2022 |access-date=June 3, 2022}}

Corey Hart was also approached to perform "Danger Zone". He declined, preferring to write and perform his own compositions.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/corey-hart-emc |title=Corey Hart |work=Encyclopedia of Music in Canada |date=December 16, 2013|access-date=August 26, 2019}} According to Loggins in the 2022 interview, Kevin Cronin from REO Speedwagon also declined the offer for the soundtrack, because the notes were too high for him.{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-05-26/kenny-loggins-danger-zone-top-gun-maverick-tom-cruise |title=Loggins Rides into 'Danger Zone' Once More |last=Wood |first=Mikael |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=May 26, 2022}}

Eventually the film producers offered the song to Loggins who would recall his assent to recording "Danger Zone" as "a very snap judgement".Springfield News-Sun. "Kenny Loggins Will Cut Footloose at Kuss: singer's adaptability has kept career going since '70s". October 9, 2008. p. B1. After Whitlock went to Loggins, the singer added his own improvisations and reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Danger Zone" was kept out of the number 1 spot by Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer". It became Loggins' second-highest chart hit after his 1984 number 1 hit "Footloose". In a 2008 interview, Loggins said that "Danger Zone" does not represent him as an artist.

In 2018, Loggins told TMZ that he was having discussions with the film's lead actor Tom Cruise about having a new version of the song featured in the then-upcoming film Top Gun: Maverick.{{Cite web |url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/06/kenny-loggins-top-gun-2-danger-zone/ |title=Kenny Loggins is recording a new version of 'Danger Zone' for Top Gun: Maverick |website=Consequence of Sound |date=June 7, 2018 |access-date=August 22, 2018 |language=en-US}} Ultimately the original recording was used instead. Loggins stated that Cruise wanted to invoke the same feelings listening to the song as with the original Top Gun.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kenny-loggins-top-gun-maverick-danger-zone-1235281681/|title=Kenny Loggins Re-Recorded 'Danger Zone' for 'Top Gun: Maverick' — Why the Sequel Passed On It|website=Variety|date=May 31, 2022|access-date=June 6, 2022|language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/movies/kenny-loggins-recorded-new-danger-zone-top-gun-maverick/|title=Kenny Loggins recorded a new version of 'Danger Zone' that wasn't used in Top Gun: Maverick|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|first=Maureen Lee|last=Lenker|date=May 31, 2022|access-date=June 6, 2022|language=en-US}}

Composition

The song is written in Eb minor in common time signature with a fast tempo of 157 beats per minute.

Overview

Dann Huff, singer and guitarist of the 1980s hard rock group Giant, played guitar on the song. The bass line is performed on a Yamaha DX7 synthesizer. A tenor saxophone is added near the end of the song.

The song peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 for a week in July 1986.

Music video

A music video was released in May 1986 to promote the single. The video was directed by Tony Scott and featured footage of Loggins singing, as well as clips from the film Top Gun, which Scott also directed.

Personnel

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+Weekly chart performance for "Danger Zone"

!Chart (1986–1987)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=180}} N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA from mid-1983 until June 12, 1988.

| 14

scope="row"|Canada (RPM)

| 7

scope="row"|Germany (GfK Entertainment Charts){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-1493|title=Kenny Loggins – Danger Zone (song)|language=de|publisher=GfK Entertainment|access-date=December 10, 2019}}

| 12

{{singlechart|New Zealand|12|artist=Kenny Loggins|song=Danger Zone|rowheader=true|access-date=December 10, 2019}}
{{singlechart|Swiss|6|artist=Kenny Loggins|song=Danger Zone|rowheader=true|access-date=December 10, 2019}}
{{singlechart|United Kingdom|45|date=19861207|rowheader=true|access-date=December 10, 2019}}
scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kenny-loggins/chart-history/hsi/|title=Billboard > Kenny Loggins Chart History > Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 10, 2019}}

| 2

scope="row"|US Cashbox Top 100

| 4

scope="row"|US Billboard Album Rock Tracks{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kenny-loggins/chart-history/rtt/|title=Billboard > Kenny Loggins Chart History > Mainstream Rock Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 10, 2019}}

| 7

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+2022 weekly chart performance for "Danger Zone"

!Chart (2022)

!Peak
position

scope="row"| Australia (ARIA){{cite magazine|title=The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 13 June 2022|magazine=The ARIA Report|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|issue=1684|page=4|date=June 13, 2022}}

| 79

scope="row"|Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard){{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kenny-loggins/chart-history/cns/|title=Kenny Loggins Chart History (Canadian Digital Song Sales)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 12, 2022}}

| 16

{{single chart|Billboardglobal200|130|artist=Kenny Loggins|rowheader=true|access-date=June 14, 2022}}
{{single chart|Hungarysingle|13|year=2022|week=22|rowheader=true|access-date=June 9, 2022}}
scope="row"| Ireland (IRMA){{cite web|url=http://irma.ie/index.cfm?page=irish-charts&chart=Singles|title=IRMA – Irish Charts|publisher=Irish Recorded Music Association|access-date=June 4, 2022}}

| 90

scope="row"| Japan (Japan Hot 100){{cite web|url=https://billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2022&month=06&day=13|title=Billboard Japan Hot 100: Week of June 8, 2022|website=Billboard Japan|language=ja|access-date=June 8, 2022}}

| 100

scope="row"| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2022-06-03|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=June 6, 2022|access-date=June 4, 2022}}

| 13

scope="row"|US Digital Song Sales (Billboard){{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kenny-loggins/chart-history/HDS/|title=Kenny Loggins Chart History (Digital Song Sales)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 12, 2022}}

| 7

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+ Year-end chart performance for "Danger Zone"

!scope="col"|Chart (1986)

!scope="col"|Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/F7ais40.jpg|title=Kent Music Report No 650 – 29 December 1986 > National Top 100 Singles for 1986|publisher=Kent Music Report, via Imgur.com|access-date=December 10, 2019}}

| style="text-align:center;"|62

scope="row"|US Top Pop Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine |date=December 27, 1986 |title=1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles |page=Y-21 |magazine=Billboard |volume=98 |issue=52}}

| style="text-align:center;"|42

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Danger Zone"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|title=Danger Zone|artist=Kenny Loggins|award=Platinum|number=4|type=single|relyear=1986|certyear=2022|access-date=August 1, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|title=Danger Zone|artist=Kenny Loggins|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=1986|certyear=2025|id=15218|access-date=April 2, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|title=Danger Zone|artist=Kenny Loggins|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1986|certyear=2024|access-date=May 10, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan|title=Danger Zone|artist=Kenny Loggins|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2004|certyear=2016|digital=true|certmonth=4|note=Digital single|access-date=December 27, 2016}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|title=Danger Zone|artist=Kenny Loggins|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2024|relyear=1986|source=radioscope|access-date=January 4, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Danger Zone|artist=Kenny Loggins|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2004|certyear=2021|id=13711-3970-1|access-date=November 16, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Top Gun soundtrack}}

{{Top Gun}}

{{Kenny Loggins}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1986 songs

Category:1986 singles

Category:American hard rock songs

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:Kenny Loggins songs

Category:Songs about the military

Category:Songs from Top Gun

Category:Songs written by Giorgio Moroder

Category:Songs written by Tom Whitlock

Category:Songs written for films