# Fame (Irene Cara song)

"Fame" is a song written by Michael Gore (music) and Dean Pitchford (lyrics) and released in 1980, that achieved chart success as the theme song to the Fame film and TV series. The song was performed by Irene Cara, who played the role of Coco Hernandez in the original film. It was also her debut single as a recording artist. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1980, and the Golden Globe Award the same year. In 2004, it finished at number 51 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs survey of top tunes in American cinema.

## History

Irene Cara played the role of Coco Hernandez in the movie Fame and sang the vocals for the theme song. The music for the song was by Michael Gore and the lyrics were by Dean Pitchford. The song earned Cara a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The movie became an "overnight sensation". The song won an Oscar for best film theme song in 1981. In July 1982, it was re-released on the back of the successful TV series and topped the charts in several countries, including the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

## Fame theme song

The song was later used as the theme song for the Fame television series, which aired from 1982 to 1987. For seasons 1-4, the song was performed by Erica Gimpel who played Cara's character, Coco, on the show. For seasons 5-6, it was performed by Loretta Chandler. The song was also used in other TV shows related to Fame.

## Personnel

* Irene Cara – lead vocals, backing vocals
* Rob Mounsey – keyboards, piano
* Leon Pendarvis – keyboards, arrangements
* Kenneth Bichel – synthesizer
* Neil Jason – bass guitar
* Elliott Randall – guitar solo
* David Spinozza, Jeff Mironov – guitar
* Yogi Horton – drums
* Jimmy Maelen, Crusher Bennet – percussion
* Louise Bethune, Peggie Blue, Ivonne Lewis, Ullanda McCullough, Deborah McDuffie, Vicki Sue Robinson, Ann E. Sutton, Luther Vandross – backing vocals

## Music video

The original promotional music video was the scene from the film. Cara only has a very short part in that scene.
To promote the re-release of the single Cara appeared in a new video shot in mid-June 1982 in New York City, mainly on and around Broadway. It includes Cara sitting on one of New York's Yellow Cabs and dancing at the entrance to the School Of Performing Arts.

## Charts

"Fame" rose to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1980. It also reached number one on the Billboard dance chart for one week. The song was re-released in the United Kingdom in July 1982, where it peaked at the top of the UK Singles Chart for three weeks following the debut of the Fame TV series on the British television network BBC One the previous month, becoming Britain's third best-selling song of 1982 behind "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor and "Come On Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express, the latter of which dethroned "Fame" from the top of the UK Singles Chart. It has over sold 1.07 million copies in Britain. as of September 2017. The song also reached number one in Flanders (Belgium), Ireland, the Netherlands and New Zealand, and number three in Australia and Sweden.

## Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Gold | 50,000$^^$ |
| France | — | 500,000 |
| Netherlands (NVPI) | Gold | 100,000$^^$ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 1,079,222 |
| $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||