While “Danger Zone” will forever be known as the jewel of Top Gun's soundtrack, a different rock song was almost chosen for the theme tune to ace pilot Maverick's story. British rock legends Judas Priest actually opted out of the but their song “Reckless” would have actually been an even better encapsulation of that story than the Kenny Loggins classic. In short, it told a more fitting take on the rogue pilot's attitude to life.
Released in 1986, the original Top Gun was a classic piece of action cinema whose campy charms and genuinely awe-inspiring stunt sequences saw the movie make an outsized effect on the real-life Navy and flight school. The tale of Tom Cruise’s reckless but undeniably talented Maverick and his unquenchable need for speed, Top Gun was a classic cinematic parable about the dangers of obsession. Sure, the original movie had many moments of camaraderie and macho conflict between Maverick and his colleagues, Iceman and Goose, but Top Gun’s story of an intense desire to be the greatest and fastest pilot alive was so laser-focused that the sequel was able to remove Maverick's original love interest Charlie without affecting the narrative of the series.
The soundtrack of Top Gun had almost as much of a cultural impact as the movie itself, becoming a massive hit upon release and prompting a string of successful singles. Amongst the most successful was Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone,” a track that became inextricably associated with Top Gun. But rock legends Judas Priest were originally approached about including their song “Reckless” on the soundtrack, and a look at the song’s lyrics reveal that this song about unthinking aggression and obsessive excess would be an even better fit for the 1986 cult classic. Priest was approached about offering the Turbo track “Reckless” for the Top Gun soundtrack but balked at the producer’s demands that the band offers them exclusive rights to the song.
The band members couldn't picture the movie succeeding, so they politely declined the offer and opted to keep the track on Turbo (although credit where it’s due, they did offer the producers three alternative songs for the soundtrack), which wouldn't have been possible if it had been used on the soundtrack. Ultimately, that decision somewhat backfired as the soundtrack tidily outsold Turbo, but what’s more unfortunate is that the song would have been a far better fit for Top Gun’s themes of Maverick’s (eventually tragic) obsession with speed. With lyrics like “I’m young and lethal, I’m going from here until eternity,” and “Solid as rock no wonder, I am indestructible, First placed in everything I do,” "Reckless" perfectly encapsulates both Maverick’s bone-deep desire to outpace everyone else and the self-destructive streak inherent in this mindset.
It takes the death of Goose for Maverick to look back on his actions with anything resembling a critical eye, as the young pilot is initially a reckless, feckless recruit who couldn't care less about the lives he endangers and the potential damage he could do himself. The lyrics of "Reckless: tell a darker tale of thoughtless obsession and relentless zeal than "Danger Zone", and the Judas Priest track would have been a perfect fit for a movie that viewers often forget is as much about Maverick’s lethally obsessive one-track mind as his eventual success. Hopefully, the upcoming Top Gun sequel Top Gun: Maverick will feature a nod to this track, given how fitting it is for Maverick’s character evolution.
- Top Gun: Maverick/Top Gun 2 (2021)Release date: Jul 02, 2021
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January 17, 2021
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Top Gun's Original Rejected Theme Song Told Maverick's Story Even Better - Screen Rant
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