You Got Big Dreams? You Want Fame?

One of the television shows I was most obsessed with during my childhood was Fame. On the air from 1982-1987, the show followed many of the same characters from the 1980 movie, who were students at New York's renowned High School for the Performing Arts.

As someone who always dreamed of a career on the stage or screen, watching the ups and downs of aspiring actors, musicians and dancers really appealed to me. I often wished that my own high school's drama and choir programs could be as amazingly dynamic as those I saw on television.

But the high point of the show each week was the amazing musical numbers. Many of the songs were made available on two record albums (remember those?), and excitedly, I was able to find one of the two on CD yesterday through Amazon.

Sometimes simple, sometimes flashy, sometimes quirky and sometimes dramatic, it's amazing how many of the songs I still know by heart. (Well, it would be amazing if this post was written by someone other than me, savant that I am.) Many of these videos can be seen on YouTube, but some of the highlights are below.

Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane as much as I do!

The opening credits, which features Debbie Allen's infamous "You got big dreams...you want fame" speech:


The school's musical adaptation of Othello included this amazing song, "Desdemona," featuring the immense talent of the late Gene Anthony Ray, who played Leroy in both the movie and the tv show:


A more tender moment, "Be My Music" featured Lee Curreri as sensitive keyboard player/pianist Bruno, who serenaded a love interest. Great song...just ignore the fact that they speak Italian after the song is over!