Film producers
Jerry Bruckheimer and
Don Simpson, along with music supervisor Michael Dilbeck, had over 300 songs to employ on
Top Gun. They tested compositions against the
dailies of the opening scenes at the aircraft carrier. Nothing satisfied them and Bruckheimer asked soundtrack producer
Giorgio Moroder to write something. With the help of songwriter
Tom Whitlock, he composed "Danger Zone" and had
Joe Pizzulo record a demo. With the approval of the producers, soundtrack distributor
Columbia Records requested Moroder to have "Danger Zone" performed by an artist signed by the label. Pizzulo's original demo version would later make a partial appearance in the 1987 TV movie
Cracked Up. The band
Toto was originally intended to perform the track, but legal conflicts between the producers of
Top Gun and the band's lawyers prevented this. According to
Steve Lukather, they were told that only
Joseph Williams' vocals would be used when the band sent their version to the producers. Toto deemed that decision unacceptable and pulled out. In a 2022 interview with
AXS TV,
Kenny Loggins revealed that it was
Jefferson Starship that was the first act to be offered the track, but the band withdrew from the project.
Corey Hart was also approached to perform "Danger Zone". He declined, preferring to write and perform his own compositions. According to Loggins in the 2022 interview,
Kevin Cronin from
REO Speedwagon also declined the offer for the soundtrack, because the notes were too high for him. Eventually the film producers offered the song to Loggins who would recall his assent to recording "Danger Zone" as "a very snap judgement". After Whitlock went to Loggins, the singer added his own improvisations Ultimately the original recording was used instead. Loggins stated that Cruise wanted to invoke the same feelings listening to the song as with the original
Top Gun. == Composition ==