Today’s song comes from a guy better known for his acting. In fact this song is from the movie that launched him into superstardom in 1987. The movie was not expected to be a hit, it was low budget and expected to go to video after one week in theaters.
He was also a talented dancer. As the son of a dance instructor who went on to be classically trained in New York, he often talked about how it wasn’t easy for a kid like him growing up in Texas.
This wasn't written for the movie. The actor/singer wrote the song for a movie he was shooting in 1984 called Grandview, U.S.A. He later played the demo of the song for the producers of the more famous movie, who gave it the green light. They recorded a proper version and the song became a big part of the film’s soundtrack, which sold over 30 million copies and spent 18 weeks at #1 in the US.
The singer’s name has become a commonly used term in hip hop songs by everyone from Notorious BIG & 2pac, and Sir Mix Alot to Ja Rule.
This guy was big into music, but there was far more demand for his acting than his singing.This song was his only hit, making him one of the more high-profile one-hit wonders.