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"Chase"
Single by Giorgio Moroder
from the album Midnight Express: Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side
  • "Love's Theme"
  • "Istanbul Blues"
  • "(Theme From) Midnight Express"
Released1978
Recorded1978
Genre
Length
  • 13:06 (maxi single)
  • 8:26 (LP version)
  • 3:38 (single version)
LabelCasablanca Records
Songwriter(s)Giorgio Moroder
Producer(s)Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder singles chronology
"Let The Music Play"
(1977)
"Chase"
(1978)
"E=MC2"
(1979)

"Chase" (also known as "The Chase") is a 1978 instrumental composition by Italian music producer Giorgio Moroder. It was released as a single during 1978 from his Academy Award-winning soundtrack album Midnight Express (1978), and was a disco instrumental that was subsequently extended and released as a maxi single. It made the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1979, peaking at number 33, and the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 48.

Background[edit]

Created especially for the film Midnight Express, Alan Parker, the director of the film, explicitly asked Moroder for a song in the style of "I Feel Love", which Moroder composed for Donna Summer. It was Moroder's second time composing a movie soundtrack after his work on 1972's German softcore sex film "Sex Life in a Convent".[3][4][5] The song's main melody was played on a Roland SH-2000 synthesizer, while the bass lines were played on a Minimoog synthesizer. The track also has a flanging effect produced by the MXR Flanger, while other instruments used include an ARP/Solina String Ensemble, Fender Rhodes, Hohner Clavinet, and piano.[6]

Although a disco piece, "Chase", along with "I Feel Love", is more specifically considered the pioneering introduction of the hi-NRG genre, which came to prominence in the early 1980s. The music was arranged by Harold Faltermeyer under the leadership of Giorgio Moroder.

Reception[edit]

Pitchfork named it the 175th best song of the 1970s, saying, "Any time someone describes a piece of music as 'cinematic,' there’s a decent chance they’re thinking, consciously or subconsciously, of 'Chase'. It's impossible to overstate, let alone list, the amount of composers and films who've ripped off 'Chase'."[7]

Track listing[edit]

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Chase"13:06
Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Chase"3:38
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Love's Theme"3:20

Charts[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Giorgio Moroder". CMJ New Music. May 2000. Retrieved 28 August 2023. Giorgio Moroder's "The Chase" isn't necessarily a familiar name, but you'd recognize it if you heard it: it's the ur- Eurodisco instrumental, an interlocking set of minor-key patterns that's as classic as late-night get-up-and-boogie background music gets, created by the man who produced most of Donna Summer's hits.
  2. ^ a b Molanphy, Chris (September 15, 2023). "Insert Lyrics Here Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  3. ^ "Giorgio Moroder, Filmkomponist by Thomas Staedeli". www.cyranos.ch. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
  4. ^ Sex Life in a Convent (1972) - IMDb, retrieved 2021-08-30
  5. ^ "Giorgio Moroder: 'Sylvester Stallone wanted Bob Dylan to sing on a Rambo movie'", The Guardian, 31 October 2013.
  6. ^ Giorgio Moroder Gear Guide, Dolphin Music
  7. ^ Katherine St. Asaph (22 August 2016). "The 200 Best Songs of the 1970s". Pitchfork.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - March 31, 1979" (PDF).
  10. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 8 June 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli", then search with "Hold you" under "Titolo" and "Giorgio" under "Artista".
  11. ^ a b "Giorgio Moroder: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  12. ^ "Giorgio Moroder Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  13. ^ "RPM Top 30 Dance - May 29, 2000" (PDF).
  14. ^ "Giorgio Moroder vs. Jam & Spoon – The Chase" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  15. ^ "Giorgio Moroder vs. Jam & Spoon – The Chase". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  16. ^ "Giorgio Moroder vs. Jam & Spoon – The Chase" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  17. ^ "Giorgio Moroder vs. Jam & Spoon – The Chase". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 June 2016.

External links[edit]

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