Take My Breath Away

"Take My Breath Away" is a synth-pop ballad by the American new wave band Berlin, released in 1986 as the lead single from the soundtrack of the blockbuster film Top Gun. The track was written and composed by Giorgio Moroder with lyrics by Tom Whitlock, and it serves as the love theme for the movie, which starred Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis. The song was officially released as a single to capitalize on the film's summer premiere, later appearing on Berlin's album Count Three & Pray. Produced by Moroder, the track runs for approximately 4 minutes and 13 seconds.

Musically, the song is defined by its lush, atmospheric production, featuring sweeping synthesizers, a driving drum machine beat, and soaring vocals by lead singer Terri Nunn. This style epitomizes the mid-1980s power ballad genre, blending new wave elements with orchestral grandeur. Upon its release, "Take My Breath Away" achieved massive commercial success, topping the US Billboard Hot 100 and becoming Berlin's only number-one hit. The song also reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and performed strongly internationally. In the United States, the single was certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales exceeding one million copies.

Critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with the song frequently cited as one of the greatest movie themes of all time. It won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1987, and was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television. The official music video, directed by Brian Grant, features footage from the film interspersed with scenes of Terri Nunn singing against a backdrop of clouds and light, mirroring the aerial dogfights and romantic tension of Top Gun. As of recent data, the official video on YouTube has accumulated hundreds of millions of views, solidifying its place in music video history. [edit]