Harold Faltermeyer - Axel F
[purchase]
The Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack won a Grammy for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special in 1986 largely because of the popularity of Axel F.
Written and performed by Harold Faltermeyer, the title comes from Eddie Murphy's character's name in the film, Axel Foley. It topped musical charts in 1985 and remains a popular remix track to this day (Crazy Frog anyone?). In addition to the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, the song also appears on Faltermeyer's 1988 album Harold F. as a bonus track. Reportedly, Faltermeyer was against including it, but MCA insisted, as it was his most recognizable track.
Faltermeyer recorded the song using three synthesizers: a Roland Jupiter-8, a Roland JX-3P, and a Yamaha DX-7. The drum part was created with a LinnDrum drum machine.