Silvestri grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey and attended Teaneck High School. He went to Berklee College of Music for 2 years and is of Italian descent.
Silvestri started his film/television composing career in 1972 at age 21, composing the score for the low-budget action film The Doberman Gang.
From 1977 to 1983, Silvestri served as the main composer for the TV show CHiPs, writing music for 109 of the show's 139 episodes.
Silvestri met director Robert Zemeckis when the two worked together on Zemeckis's 1984 film Romancing the Stone. Since then, Silvestri has composed the music for all of Zemeckis's movies, including the Back to the Future trilogy (1985, 1989, 1990), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Death Becomes Her (1992), Forrest Gump (1994), Contact (1997), Cast Away (2000), The Polar Express (2004), Beowulf (2007), A Christmas Carol (2009), and Flight (2012).
Silvestri is also known for his work on Predator (1987) and Predator 2 (1990), both of which are considered preeminent examples of action/science fiction film scores. Since 2001, Silvestri has also collaborated regularly with director Stephen Sommers, scoring the films The Mummy Returns in 2001, Van Helsing in 2004, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra in 2009. His most recent work includes Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011, The Avengers in 2012 and The Croods in 2013.
Silvestri has also composed music for television shows, including T.J. Hooker (one episode), Starsky & Hutch (three episodes), Tales From The Crypt (seven episodes) and Manimal (five episodes).
In 2013, the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps used portions of the theme from The Abyss as the ballad in their 2013 Drum Corps International World Championship-winning show "E=MC2".
On 31 January 2014, it was announced that a stage musical adaptation of Back to the Future was in production. The show, which is being co-written by original writers Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, is expected to be performed in 2015, on the 30th anniversary year of the film. Silvestri will team up with Glen Ballard to compose a new score, with the addition of original songs from the film, including "The Power of Love", "Johnny B. Goode", "Earth Angel" and "Mr. Sandman".
Silvestri owns a vineyard, Silvestri Vineyards, located in Carmel Valley, California.
Silvestri has received two Academy Award nominations, one for Best Original Score for Forrest Gump (1994) and one for Best Original Song for "Believe" on The Polar Express soundtrack. He also received two Golden Globe nominations: Best Score for Forrest Gump and Best Song for The Polar Express.
He has also received four Grammy Award nominations, winning two awards – Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, for "Believe" from The Polar Express in 2004 and Best Instrumental Composition, for "Cast Away End Credits" from Cast Away in 2002. His other nomination was for Best Soundtrack Album, for Back to the Future. During the 2005 Grammys, Josh Groban performed "Believe."
He has won the Saturn Award for Best Music three times, for his scores for Predator (1987), Back to the Future Part III (1989/90) and Van Helsing (2004).
On September 23, 2011, he was awarded with the Max Steiner Film Music Achievement Award by the City of Vienna at the yearly film music gala concert Hollywood in Vienna.
Safety Dance
Alan Silvestri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Safety-dance!
Ah we can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind
Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're are no friends of mine
I say, we can go where we want to, A place where they will never find
And we can act like we come from out of this world
And we can dance
We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind
Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're are no friends of mine
I say, we can go where we want to a place where they will never find
And we can act like we come from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind
And we can dance.
Francois!
Ah we can go when we want to the night is young and so am I
And we can dress real neat from our hats to our feet
And surprise 'em with the victory cry
I Say we can act if want to if we don't nobody will
And you can act real rude and totally removed
And I can act like an imbecile
I say we can dance, we can dance everything out control
We can dance, we can dance we're doing it wall to wall
We can dance, we can dance everybody look at your hands
We can dance, we can dance everybody takin' the chance
Safety dance
Oh well the safety dance
Ah yes the safety dance
Ss-aa-ff-ee-tt-yy
Safety-Dance
We can dance if we want to, we've got all your life and mine
As long as we abuse it, never gonna lose it
Everything'll work out right
I say, we can dance if we want to we can leave your friends behind
Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're are no friends of mine
I say we can dance, we can dance everything out control
We can dance, we can dance we're doing it wall to wall
We can dance, we can dance everybody look at your hands
We can dance, we can dance everybody's takin' the chance
Oh Well the safety dance
Ah yes the safety dance
Oh well the safety dance
Oh well the safety dance
Oh yes the safety dance
Oh the safety dance yeah
Oh it's the safety dance
It's the safety dance
Well it's the safety dance
Oh it's the safety dance
Oh it's the safety dance
Oh it's the safety dance
Oh it's the safety dance
The song "Safety Dance" by Alan Silvestri is an upbeat and catchy tune that encourages listeners to dance and let loose. The lyrics express a desire to escape the mundanity and limitations of normal life, and to "act like we come from out of this world" and "leave the real one far behind." The refrain of "we can dance if we want to" reinforces this idea, suggesting that the power to break free and have fun is within our control.
The line "cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance, well they're no friends of mine" may seem exclusionary at first, but it can also be interpreted as a call to reject social expectations and pressures. The singer encourages listeners to dance and be themselves, rather than conforming to others' expectations of what is acceptable behavior. This theme of individuality and self-expression is common in many pop songs, but "Safety Dance" takes it to a new level by promoting dancing as a form of rebellion and subversion.
Overall, "Safety Dance" is a fun and upbeat song that encourages listeners to let loose, be themselves, and reject social constraints. The catchy melody, memorable lyrics, and energetic instrumental accompaniment make it a classic dance anthem that remains popular to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah we can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind
We have the freedom to dance and enjoy ourselves without worrying about what others think
Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're are no friends of mine
If our friends don't share our love of dancing and fun, we don't want to be around them
I say, we can go where we want to, A place where they will never find
And we can act like we come from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind,
And we can dance
We can escape to a place where we can be free to be ourselves and dance like nobody's watching
Ah we can go when we want to the night is young and so am I
And we can dress real neat from our hats to our feet
And surprise 'em with the victory cry
We can go out at any time, looking sharp and stylish, and celebrate our freedom with a triumphant shout
I Say we can act if want to if we don't nobody will
And you can act real rude and totally removed
And I can act like an imbecile
We can act however we want, expressing ourselves freely and without fear of judgement
I say we can dance, we can dance everything out control
We can dance, we can dance we're doing it wall to wall
We can dance, we can dance everybody look at your hands
We can dance, we can dance everybody takin' the chance
Safety dance
Oh well the safety dance
Ah yes the safety dance
Ss-aa-ff-ee-tt-yy
Safety-Dance
The safety dance is all about letting loose, dancing without shame or restraint, and enjoying the kind of freedom we can only find on the dance floor
We can dance if we want to, we've got all your life and mine
As long as we abuse it, never gonna lose it
Everything'll work out right
We only get one shot at life, so we might as well dance and enjoy every moment while we can
Oh Well the safety dance
Ah yes the safety dance
Oh well the safety dance
Oh well the safety dance
Oh yes the safety dance
Oh the safety dance yeah
Oh it's the safety dance
It's the safety dance
Well it's the safety dance
Oh it's the safety dance
Oh it's the safety dance
Oh it's the safety dance
The safety dance is a celebration of life, freedom, and the power of music and dance to lift our spirits and connect us with others
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IVAN DOROSCHUK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Max Behymer
As a mallet percussionist, I am glad that arrangers are finally making proper use of the keyboard instruments. However, HOLY HELL
linkinparkislife 2500
@Noah Reynolds same XD
Noah Reynolds
😂 I feel you
brenoldt
We can arrange this song together
We can leave your band behind
Cuz your band dont arrange
And if They dont arrange
They ain't no friends with mine
WICK3D x Gaming
Freshman year memories when I played trumpet. We played this with only two trumpet players and still did well. Now I'm a trombonist :)
Tim C
As someone who played bells in high school marching band: This arrangement rocks. :-D
Sharky on Xbox
Percussion part in this song is so amazing I play base drums on this for pep band and it’s so much fun playing super fast
Carmeno_TheMellow
Killin' it trombones.
Molly W. Douthett
It was a bit wonky at first and then the brass and bells took over and WHOA! I think this is better than the original Men Without Talent, er Hats version!
cyberhat
Way to go. Great job