Exceptional soundtracks can make good movies great. They can also take on a life of their own, becoming a greater highlight than their respective films. In this series, I’m selecting some of my favorite soundtrack songs. While quite a few are well-known recordings, I’m also including a few that have flown under the radar over the years.

Those who grew up in the 80’s often wonder why their minds are filled with such useless song lyrics and movie lines. They have taken up permanent residence in our heads. The decade had numerous expressions of synth pop. It had countless ballads. And it had Top Gun. At the intersection of all of these was Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away”.

This was a song that made hearts race in the lovemaking scene far more than the fighter jet scenes. You fell for it whether you had reached puberty or not. Maybe only bested by The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” or U2’s “With or Without You”, “Take My Breath Away” is one of the 80’s greatest and most memorable ballads. The synth sounds were era-defining. The key change delivered gravitas. And the melody still stands as an icon of the decade.

“Haunted by the notion somewhere there's a love in flames.”