Songoftheday 1/12/14 - And the beat's so loud deep inside, the pressure's high just to stay alive...

Glenn Frey - "The Heat Is On"
from the album Beverly Hills Cop (Original Soundtrack) (1985)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2 (one week)
Weeks in the Top-40: 13

Today's Song of the Day is by Glenn Frey, who by 1985 had already released two moderately successful albums after the break-up of the iconic 70s rock band Eagles. In 1984, his single "Sexy Girl" became his second top-20 pop hit. At that time, Glenn contributed a song to the Eddie Murphy movie Beverly Hills Cop, "The Heat Is On". Written by Harold Faltermayer (whose own "Axel F" is on the album) with Keith Forsey and produced by the artist, "The Heat Is On" was built around an infectious saxophone riff....

"The Heat Is On" became Glenn's first top-10 solo hit in March of 1985, while also making it to #4 on the rock radio format chart in Billboard. The single also made the top-10 in Canada and Australia, and topped out at #12 in the UK. The track even made an appearance on the dance club play chart at #35.

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...and here's Glenn live on the Arsenio Hall Show...

A year later, disco singer Gloria Gaynor covered the song for her The Power album...

Up tomorrow: a man with creedence finds a senior citizen.