The Foote Files: Irene Cara

(CBS 11) - If you were living the life in the early 1980s as a young man or lady, you will remember singer Irene Cara.

Born Irene Escalera on March 18, 1959 in the Bronx NY, she is a successful singer/songwriter/dancer and actress, and has been active for over 50 years. Of the six songs she charted on Billboard, five of them were in motion pictures: Fame, Flashdance and D.C. Cab, of which Cara appeared in Fame and D.C. Cab. "Flashdance... What A Feeling" was her only #1 song in 1983. Yet she had another good song that year.

Singer Irene Cara performs during the pre-match entertainment before the AFL Grand Final match between the Sydney Swans and the West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 30, 2006 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)

"Why Me?" was recorded and released in the fall of 1983 which was her next song to chart after "Flashdance" Written by Giorgio Moroder, Cara and Keith Forsey, produced by Moroder, running 3:55 on the Geffen label, the lyrics go like this:

Life felt so right
I was drowned in your light
With the world so in tune
'Til you made me out for a fool

Left with nothing to do
Can't forget about you
With my heart in my hands
Pack my bags

Leave my memories with you
You gave me nothing but misery
I found so much more
You used me oh so helplessly
I don't want your sympathy

Why me
Why me
Why me when I was the one
Who could set your heart free

Why me
Why me
Why me
You took all the love
I gave up selfishly
Why me

The song reached #13 on Billboard but #4 in Switzerland and #5 in Norway and Australia.

You can hear this song on SIRIUS XM 80s On 8 with Nina Blackwood, Alan Hunter and Mark Goodman.

Irene Cara - Why Me? by mistertechnoir on YouTube