While researching Mountains for my review site something clicked.

The closing songs on his first two movies are lyrically similar to two previous Academy Award winners for Best Original Song.

Up Where We Belong (winner 1982): There are mountains in our way, but we climb a step every day, love lift us up where we belong... no time to cry, life's you and I, alive today

Mountains: Seventeen mountains stood so high... the only thing that ever made you cry.. but I say it's only mountains and the sea, love will conquer if you just believe... there's nothing greater than you and me

Opening line of Fame (winner 1980): Baby you look at me and tell me what you see

Opening line of Baby I'm a Star: Hey, look me over, tell me do you like what you see?

I believe he had his eyes on that Oscar and deliberately modelled those two songs on previous winners.

Agree/disagree?

btw there's many more things about Mountains I've noticed but I'll let you read the review

Hard to say. Both of those lines/subjects are sorta expected subjects. When people talk of mountains, it's either the real physical part of nature or something that is either 'in your way or something you need to get over ie a trial, trouble, tribulation, test etc

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Being a star has always being about 'being seen' 'look at me' , even the celestial star is about being seen in the dark, shining, different degrees of glory etc

Mountains was my fav on Parade. Yes even ahead of Kiss. Which BTW I see you have this one ranked higher.

Nice site! Only gripe is where are the vault releases? EDIT: Wait scratch that. As I read more of the list I see you have some in there! Could argue that some could be higher. Maybe thats out of the scope of your list but would be nice to see a vault list too. This is the same gripe I have with the Prince sxm channel. Those are gems that don't get enough attention.

Anyway you've done some good homework and enjoying your wret up and reflections. Very insightful.

-SROD

[Edited 7/17/21 16:55pm]

srodaz said:

Mountains was my fav on Parade. Yes even ahead of Kiss. Which BTW I see you have this one ranked higher.

Nice site! Only gripe is where are the vault releases? EDIT: Wait scratch that. As I read more of the list I see you have some in there! Could argue that some could be higher. Maybe thats out of the scope of your list but would be nice to see a vault list too. This is the same gripe I have with the Prince sxm channel. Those are gems that don't get enough attention.

Anyway you've done some good homework and enjoying your wret up and reflections. Very insightful.

-SROD

[Edited 7/17/21 16:55pm]

Thanks for reading. There's plenty of vaultage in there although, as you say, they kinda thin out towards the business end. There's one coming up in the top 25 though.

RODSERLING said:

Trollin', trollin', you could have fun just trollin'...

Cute. But it's hardly controversial to suggest he's been influenced by other songs' lyrics. All those Joni Mitchell references ("ice cream castle", "we're dancing close and slow", "your extra time" etc.) weren't some strange coincidence.

Also Dance Electric and Body Electric always made me curious.

[Edited 7/19/21 13:14pm]

Genesia said:

I think your examples are nonsense. The ideas of mountains as emotional (or other) obstacles and the nature of fame are pretty well-trod paths. Now, if you want to discuss the band America using the phrase “purple rain” in their 1972 hit song Ventura Highway (“Sorry, boy - but I’ve been hit by purple rain”), you know where to find me.

It's not just the theme on Baby I'm a Star though – the opening line is almost identical.

Mountains, no I doubt it;

Baby I'm a Star though, maybe, it could have started as a direct answer to Fame - Here is what Fame is on Prince's terms kind of thing. It could also be a coincidence or subliminal.

jaawwnn said:

Mountains, no I doubt it;

Baby I'm a Star though, maybe, it could have started as a direct answer to Fame - Here is what Fame is on Prince's terms kind of thing. It could also be a coincidence or subliminal.

Except when he wrote BIAS, he wasn't the megastar yet. He had one hit album and lots of critical acclaim.
To me, it's a youthful boast of what he predicted for his future.

laytonian said:

jaawwnn said:

Mountains, no I doubt it;

Baby I'm a Star though, maybe, it could have started as a direct answer to Fame - Here is what Fame is on Prince's terms kind of thing. It could also be a coincidence or subliminal.

Except when he wrote BIAS, he wasn't the megastar yet. He had one hit album and lots of critical acclaim.
To me, it's a youthful boast of what he predicted for his future.

What difference does that make? Fame is an aspirational song as well.