IRENE CARA - FAME

Estrena: maig de 1980

Llistes: Regne Unit: #1 (3 setmanes)   EUA: #4 

"Fame" és una cançó escrita per Michael Gore (música) i Dean Pitchford (lletra), llançada el 1980 com a cançó principal de la pel·lícula i sèrie de televisió Fame. Irene Cara, que va interpretar Coco Hernandez a la pel·lícula original, va ser la cantant, marcant el seu debut com a artista d'enregistrament. "Fame" va assolir èxit a les llistes de música i va guanyar tant l'Oscar a la Millor Cançó Original com el Globus d'Or el 1980.

"Fame" va capturar l'esperit dels estudiants de la High School Fiorello LaGuardia, també coneguda com a High School de Nova York per a les Arts Escèniques, com es mostra a la pel·lícula. Tot i ser una obra de ficció, la pel·lícula va retratar les aspiracions i les lluites dels estudiants que buscaven l'estrellatge a la indústria de les arts escèniques. La High School Fiorello LaGuardia compta amb una notable llista d'alumnes, entre els quals es troben Robert De Niro, Jennifer Aniston, Liza Minnelli i Nicki Minaj, entre d'altres.

Michael Gore i Dean Pitchford van col·laborar en la música i les lletres de la pel·lícula. Michael Gore, germà de la cantant Lesley Gore, va ser el supervisor musical del film. Va ser responsable de crear les cançons que capturarien l'essència de la història i les aspiracions dels estudiants de la High School de Nova York per a les Arts Escèniques. Dean Pitchford, un actor i lletrista amb formació en literatura anglesa a Yale, va treballar estretament amb Gore en el projecte. Pitchford va contribuir a diverses cançons de la pel·lícula, incloent la cançó principal "Fame", així com "I Sing the Body Electric" i "Red Light".

La inspiració de Dean Pitchford per la frase "I'm gonna live forever" a la cançó "Fame" va sorgir de la seva familiaritat amb una obra anomenada "Dylan", que retratava la vida del poeta gal·lès Dylan Thomas. A l'institut, Pitchford competia en tornejos d'eloqüència i feia interpretacions dramàtiques, sovint recitant un discurs de Dylan Thomas sobre el do que rep un poeta: viure per sempre a través de les seves obres, tot i no tenir una llarga vida.

Quan Michael Gore va tocat a Pitchford la melodia que havia compost per a la tornada de "Fame", Pitchford immediatament la va connectar amb el sentiment de fama eterna expressat en el discurs de Thomas. La frase "Fame! I'm gonna live forever" va sorgir espontàniament de la boca de Pitchford mentre escoltava la música. Gore va quedar tan impressionat per la frase que va insistir a escriure-la immediatament, per por que se li oblidés.

Les veus de fons que segueixen la paraula "remember" després de la frase "baby, remember my name" a la cançó van ser concebudes per Luther Vandross. En aquell moment, Vandross encara no era una estrella, però era molt buscat com a cantant de suport. Ell, juntament amb les cantants Vivian Cherry i Vicki Sue Robinson, van contribuir a aquest icònic arranjament vocal.

IRENE CARA - FAME 

Released: May 1980

Charted:  UK: #1 (3 weeks)   US: #4 

"Fame" is a song written by Michael Gore (music) and Dean Pitchford (lyrics), released in 1980 as the theme song for the Fame film and TV series. Irene Cara, who portrayed Coco Hernandez in the original film, performed the song, marking her debut single as a recording artist. "Fame" achieved chart success and won both the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award in 1980.

"Fame" captured the spirit of the students at Fiorello LaGuardia High School, also known as the New York City High School for the Performing Arts, as depicted in the 1980 movie of the same name. The film, although fictional, portrayed the aspirations and struggles of students aiming for stardom in the performing arts industry. Fiorello LaGuardia High School boasts a notable list of alumni, including Robert De Niro, Jennifer Aniston, Liza Minnelli, and Nicki Minaj, among others.

Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford collaborated on the music and lyrics for the film "Fame." Michael Gore, the brother of singer Lesley Gore, served as the musical supervisor for the movie. He was responsible for crafting the songs that would capture the essence of the story and the aspirations of the students at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Dean Pitchford, an actor and lyricist with a background in English literature from Yale, worked closely with Gore on the project. Pitchford contributed to several songs for the film, including the title track "Fame," as well as "I Sing the Body Electric" and "Red Light."

Dean Pitchford's inspiration for the line "I'm gonna live forever" in the song "Fame" stemmed from his familiarity with a play called "Dylan," which depicted the life of the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas. In high school, Pitchford competed in speech tournaments and performed dramatic interpretations, often reciting a speech from Dylan Thomas about the gift a poet receives: to live forever through their works, despite not having a long life.

When Michael Gore played Pitchford the melody he had composed for the chorus of "Fame," Pitchford immediately connected it with the sentiment of eternal fame expressed in Thomas's speech. The line "Fame! I'm gonna live forever" spontaneously emerged from Pitchford's mouth as he listened to the melody. Gore was so struck by the line that he insisted on writing it down immediately, fearing he might forget it.

The distinctive background vocals that trail out the word "remember" after the line "baby, remember my name" in the song "Fame" were conceived by Luther Vandross. At the time, Vandross was not yet a solo star but was highly sought after as a backup vocalist. He, along with backup singers Vivian Cherry and Vicki Sue Robinson, contributed to this iconic vocal arrangement.