On the Dark Side

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"On the Dark Side"
Single by John Cafferty
from the album Eddie and the Cruisers
ReleasedSeptember 1983
Recorded1982
GenreHard rock
Length2:54
LabelScotti Bros.
Songwriter(s)Vince DiCola
Producer(s)Vince DiCola, Ed Fruge
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band singles chronology
"On the Dark Side"
(1983)
"Tender Years"
(1984)
Music video
"On the Dark Side" on YouTube

"On the Dark Side" is a song by fictional American rock band Eddie and the Cruisers, released as a tie-in to the 1983 film of the same name. When initially released in September 1983, the song peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard, while the film itself was pulled after three weeks in the theaters. When the film was released to home video and pay cable outlets in early 1984, the film as well as the song received renewed interest and the single was re-released.[1] This time, the song reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 19 on Canada's RPM 100. It also spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Rock Tracks chart.

John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band served as the real-life, officially uncredited stand-ins for the fictional Cruisers on the recording (as they did for the rest of the soundtrack album); only one member of the band, saxophonist Michael Antunes, appeared in the film, and none of the other actors playing Eddie and the Cruisers were musicians. The band performed the songs in the style of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.[2]

Chart performance[]

First US release (1983)[]

Chart (1983-1984) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[3] 64
US Cash Box Top 100[4] 64

References[]

  1. ^ Edgers, Geoff (April 24, 2015). "'Eddie and the Cruisers' was a massive '80s flop. How did it become a beloved cult film?". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  2. ^ Muir, John Kenneth. The Rock and Roll Film Encyclopedia. Applause Books, 2007. p.86
  3. ^ "Music: Top 100 Songs". Billboard. November 19, 1983. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  4. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 19, 1983". Cash Box Magazine. November 19, 1983. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  5. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  6. ^ "Chart History". Billboard. October 27, 1984. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  7. ^ "Music: Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. September 22, 1984. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  8. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 3, 1984". Cash Box Magazine. November 3, 1984. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  9. ^ http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1984.htm
  10. ^ "Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. December 31, 1984. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
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