Break The Ice

Album: Rad Soundtrack (1986)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • If you want to know what action movies sounded like in the 1980s, check out "Break The Ice." It's all there: drum machine, synthesizer, a smattering of guitar, and, most importantly, and overwrought lyric delivered with righteous passion. "Eye of the Tiger" did it best, but there were many more songs that fit the bill from movies that didn't exactly pack the multiplex. One of those was Rad, a 1986 movie about BMX racing that starred Bill Allen, Lori Loughlin, and Talia Shire (also in Rocky!).

    The song sounds like it would go with a climactic scene during a big race, but it's used in the opening credits when we see some random rider just tooling around on their bikes - like what you're see if you went to your local skatepark. It's a waste of awesome lyrics like:

    Feels like time is standing still
    Aiming right for you heart
    Ready to take another spill
    Only you can make it right
  • "Break The Ice" is sung by the Australian John Farnham, most famous for his song "You're The Voice," also from 1986. It was written by Bob Marlette and Sue Shifrin. Marlette's other co-writes include "I've Got A Lot To Learn About Love" by The Storm and "Flesh & Blood" by Wilson Phillips; Shifrin also co-wrote "How Can I Live Without Her" by Christopher Atkins and "Show Some Respect" by Tina Turner.
  • Looking for more obscure '80s songs from movies that capture the essence of that era? Check out "The Touch" from The Transformers: The Movie (not the Michael Bay blockbuster... this was waaaay earlier). Also try "You're The Best" from The Karate Kid. The movie is far from obscure but the song has everything you could hope for.
  • "Break The Ice" is featured in the "Kick Of Destiny" commercial for FanDuel that aired during the Super Bowl in 2023. In the spot, former kicker Adam Vinatieri trains his ex-teammate Rob Gronkowski, who triggers it by calling for a "training montage." We see Gronk getting ready for his big kick in a series of '80s movie tropes: the dojo, running up stairs, and the scene where he gets mad at his teacher.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Evolution Of The Prince Symbol

Evolution Of The Prince SymbolSong Writing

The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.