LOVE TRAX: This Song Outshone the Movie

Today’s THROWBACK LOVE TRAX might surprise you!

Madonna’s hit song from 1985, “Crazy For You,” was her second No. 1 hit, earned her first Grammy nomination, and became the high school slow dance song of the 1980s.

Did you know it was written for a film? Called “Vision Quest?”

Here’s the story: Music director Phil Ramone was in charge of the soundtrack for the film. He asked John Bettis and Jon Lind to write a new song for the film. They came up with “Crazy For You” and decided to use it in a scene where actors Matthew Modine and Linda Fiorentino dance together for the first time. Ramone knew Madonna and asked her to record the song. It was a big shift for Madonna at the time. She had released dance-pop songs “Like a Virgin” and “Material Girl,” and this was her first ballad.

The movie producers and record producers reportedly battled over whether to even include the song on the soundtrack, and later, whether to release it as a single. Madonna’s label didn’t want to risk overexposing her with too many songs at one time. Obviously, they came to an agreement and “Crazy For You” was a big hit.

Can’t say the same for “Vision Quest.” It didn’t do much in theaters, although Roger Ebert gave it 3.5 stars. It’s since become a “cult classic,” according to some reviewers. It’s based on the 1979 novel by Terry Davis. Modine plays a Spokane high school wrestler who falls in love with an older woman, played by Fiorentino.

Madonna also appears in the film, portraying a singer at a local bar. She sings both “Crazy For You” and “Gambler.”

You can watch the official music video for the song, which is scenes from the movie. We also included the film’s official trailer, which is soooo ‘80s!