Irene Cara Has Died

[Angela Channing]

Irene Cara, best known for sing the title songs from the films Fame and Flashdance, and also for starring in the film Fame, has died age 63.

Irene Cara: Fame singer and actress dies aged 63

The American singer and actress won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1984.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Jimmy Todd]

R.I.P.
Her album "What a Feeling," with the singles "Why Me, "Breakdance," and "The Dream" is very underrated.

 

[Barbara Fan]

So sad to hear this news - RIP Irene Cara - such a big part of the 80s

This was my fav song and when i was a student and out on a placement in some other city in Scotland, i used to sing this to myslef and skip down the platform ( with my bag of dirty washing for my mum lol)as i got the train HOME, it was a lovely feeling

Also loved this one at the end of Fame with her costars

 

[Jimmy Todd]

And,of course, this lovely song:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Di4mkRwkQRoQ&ved=2ahUKEwivqK67xsz7AhUVFVkFHQOVBO8QwqsBegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw1Ktnrm2FJ0duIh7bzeVl7V

 

[tommie]

R.I.P.
Her album "What a Feeling," with the singles "Why Me, "Breakdance," and "The Dream" is very underrated.

She was massively screwed over by the record company - she sued them and they ruined her reputation, which is why it took so long for her to get anything else out and of course all momentum had passed by then. She really should've had a big ole' 80s music career - both Fame and Flashdance (What A Feeling) were huge of course, but Breakdance, Why Me, Out Here On My Own and The Dream were all moderate hits and she had something to build on.

RIP.

 

[Jimmy Todd]

How was she screwed over? I thought I had read that somewhere.
Such a shame. She was a beautiful and multi-talented woman.

 

[Karin Schill]

Sad news. 63 years is too young.
Love "Fame" and also "What a Feeling". Great 80s songs.
I don't remember the song you shared BF. But it's beautiful.

My sympanties to Irene Cara's family and friends.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Irene Cara, best known for sing the title songs from the films Fame and Flashdance, and also for starring in the film Fame, has died age 63.

Fame is a terrific film and it's a really nice performance from Irene. I had the single, of course, and it was no doubt my most-played record of the early Eighties.

Hot Lunch Jam is also a great track.

And from her Anyone Can See album I've really enjoyed her covers of Reach Out I'll Be There and Thunder In My Heart.

​

She had a great voice. Just the right amount of smokey-huskiness to give the tracks a real edge.

 

[James from London]

https://www.stereogum.com/2091350/the-number-ones-irene-caras-flashdance-what-a-feeling/columns/the-number-ones/

 

[Willie Oleson]

I like her English lyrics version of Matia Bazar's Ti Sento.

 

[Payton Cross]

Very sad to hear that another 80's icon has passed away, and 63 years is not really old, I also wonder what caused her death?. I used to be a fan of the movie Fame and the soundtrack was great, but also Irene's solo albums are great, but for me she will definitely be remembered as an artist who scored great hits in the 80's that we all went dancing to and used her music to exercise to, she sure will be missed.


Irene Cara


Here are wo of my favorite Irene Cara songs.

"The Dream"

"Now That's It's Over"

 

[Payton Cross]

R.I.P.
Her album "What a Feeling," with the singles "Why Me, "Breakdance," and "The Dream" is very underrated.

I agree, that song is very underated but it's one of my favorites from Irene, the extended version is even better.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

https://www.stereogum.com/2091350/the-number-ones-irene-caras-flashdance-what-a-feeling/columns/the-number-ones/

What a great piece. The number bonus beats and #2s were fun as well.

Stereogum accurately pointing out that Irene sings Flashdance (What A Feeling) exactly as Donna Summer would have and made me think I've underrated it and could do with revisiting it*. I do hear a lot of Donna in Irene's voice, but for whatever reason I've never really had that association with this particular song. It's been there with Fame, of course, ever since Alan Parker revealed that, because the title song had yet to be recorded at the time of filming that street scene, the dancers were actually choreographed to Hot Stuff with its identical tempo.




*In fact I stopped mid-post to buy the soundtrack.

 

[James from London]

Alan Parker revealed that, because the title song had yet to be recorded at the time of filming that street scene, the dancers were actually choreographed to Hot Stuff with its identical tempo.

Wow, I had no idea!

 

[Karin Schill]

She had a great voice even as a child:

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

63 is no age. I just hope she didn't suffer.

Rest In Peace.

 

[Englishboy]

I loved Fame when I was a kid In the 1980s. It’s a pity she was only ever in the film and never the television series.

Fame!! People will remember HER name!!

RIP

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I've been caught in a bit of an Irene wormhole today, which has been both nostalgic and informative. I had no idea she'd appeared in a significant role as Alex Haley's mother in Roots: The Next Generations (primarily because I shamefully haven't yet got round to watching Roots at all).




A couple of live Oscars performances...

Some familiar tunes sung in a new way:

And a new tune written for Irene to accompany some very familiar films:

What a voice!!​

Were Fame and Flashdance (What A Feeling) both examples of title songs that were even bigger than hugely successful films, I wonder?

Certainly in my case, I was over-playing the Fame single many years before I was even permitted to watch the film. And I'd put it out there the popularity of the song was the main inspiration for the TV series (which feels more like a PG interpretation of the film's bubbly title track, rather than the film itself). And I still haven't watched Flashdance, while the title track is unforgettable.

 

[Payton Cross]

I've been caught in a bit of an Irene wormhole today, which has been both nostalgic and informative. I had no idea she'd appeared in a significant role as Alex Haley's mother in Roots: The Next Generations (primarily because I shamefully haven't yet got round to watching Roots at all).




A couple of live Oscars performances...

Some familiar tunes sung in a new way:

And a new tune written for Irene to accompany some very familiar films:

What a voice!!​

Were Fame and Flashdance (What A Feeling) both examples of title songs that were even bigger than hugely successful films, I wonder?

Certainly in my case, I was over-playing the Fame single many years before I was even permitted to watch the film. And I'd put it out there the popularity of the song was the main inspiration for the TV series (which feels more like a PG interpretation of the film's bubbly title track, rather than the film itself). And I still haven't watched Flashdance, while the title track is unforgettable.

Great video's of Irene Cara, I never seen these she sings very good live.

I have seen Fame and Flashdance many time and you really should watch "Flashdance" too, even though Irene Cara doesn't play in this movie @Mel O'Kalikimaka. but the soundtrack is really amazng, even Donna Summer's song "Romeo" belongs to this soundtrack.