The classic tune seems to have had nine lives since its 1987 release. By Aly Semigran Dianna Agron and Chord Overstreet perform “Time of Your Life” on “Glee” Photo: FOX It is set to one of the most memorable dance sequences ever to hit the big screen. While the Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes duet “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” will forever be associated with Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey’s hip-shaking finale in the hit 1987 film “Dirty Dancing”, the timeless song has had something of a revival as of late. Not only is it sampled in the latest Black Eyed Peas track, “The Time (The Dirty Bit),” but it also has done a running sprint and lift into a new generation’s hearts thanks to the cast of “Glee” covering it in that show’s latest episode, “Special Education.” Chord Overstreet and Dianna Agron took over Medley and Warnes’ duties, while the rest of the cast provided backup, for an appropriate (not to mention winning) choice for the sectionals competition. While the cast opted not to replicate the memorable dance that pretty much goes hand-in-hand with the song — recent “Dancing With the Stars” champ Grey also chose not to mess with the original — they did pay homage to a tune that has stood the test of time and has become even more sentimental for “Dirty Dancing” fans over the past few years. “Dirty Dancing” hit theaters in the summer of 1987 — and was re-released in theaters in 1997 — and the story of summer romance between Frances “Baby” Houseman (Grey) and Johnny Castle (Swayze) struck a major chord with audiences. And while the film surely has earned a solid place in pop culture history (“Nobody puts Baby in a corner!”), its soundtrack may have had an even bigger impact. Released on August 21, 1987, the original edition of the soundtrack catapulted to the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart and found itself there for 18 weeks. (released by RCA) (a 20th anniversary album featured 27 songs compared to the original 12) despite being the film’s final song, The astounding success of the soundtrack — music-rights organization RIAA has certified it 11-times platinum — not only came from the reaction to the film itself, but from its track list, which included classics like the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby,” as well as more contemporary numbers such as Eric Carmen’s “Hungry Eyes” and Swayze’s “She’s Like the Wind.” But, those tunes were no match for the power of “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.” The cut, which was the album’s opening track and is even used as the tag line for its cover, was written by Franke Previte, John DeNicola, and Donald Markowitz. “The Time of My Life” not only had people, quite literally, dancing in the aisles, but handing over awards to Previte and crew, too. It reached the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in November 1987, and walked away with three of the industry’s most prestigious honors — an Oscar (Best Original Song, 1987), a Golden Globe (Best Original Song, 1987) and a Grammy (Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, 1988.) Previte, who also co-wrote “Hungry Eyes,” recently released a demo of “The Time of My Life” — it was originally sung by him and Rachele Cappelli and was played in the background while the classic scene was being filmed — as a digital download with all proceeds going to the Patrick Swayze Pancreas Cancer Research Fund. Swayze passed away on September 14, 2009, at the age of 57 after battling pancreatic cancer. For many, the downloads were a way to remember the beloved actor and donate money to his cause. As Previte explained it to NJ.com , “It’s like owning a piece of history, if you’re into the movie.” Of course, as Previte knows all too well, there is no shortage of people who are into the movie. He acknowledged in a statement , “Talk about being blessed. When I wrote ‘Time of My Life’ I never expected anything like this 23 years later. But the song has new legs and it’s running again — maybe even faster than the first time. The next generation has spoken and I love it.” The pop ballad has now spanned several generations, having been covered by the likes of Barry Manilow, sung on “American Idol” as a duet by 2006 winner Taylor Hicks and fellow contestant Katharine McPhee, and even featured in television ads for Sandals beach resorts. And, as it goes with any wildly popular song, it’s had its fair share of parodies, including a spoof during an episode of “Family Guy.” From its staggering late-1980s success in the states and abroad (it also reached #1 on both the Dutch Top 40 and the Australian ARIA Singles Chart) to its recent homages from the Black Eyed Peas and the “Glee,” the tune has gone from nostalgic soft-rock number to generational bridge gap. But, truly, more than anything else, for “Dirty Dancing” fans, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” is a tender reminder of Patrick Swayze. Related Photos What Other ‘Glee’ Music Videos Do We Want To See?
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‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’: From ‘Dirty Dancing’ To ‘Glee’
