'Dirty Dancing' Tune to Raise $$ for Cancer Research
The original demo that gave the movie "Dirty Dancing" its signature, and other songs, is available to the public for the first time as a digital download.
KYW's Cheryl Elias reports that it's being done in memory of Patrick Swayze, who died of pancreatic cancer a year ago, and to raise money for pancreatic cancer research.
There are versions of the song "I've Had The Time Of My Life" -- one that became the hit by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes and the original sung by co-writer Franke Previte (right) and Rachelle Capelli that beat out 146 other songs for the "Dirty Dancing" finale:
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Franke Previte was down on his own luck when inspiration struck on the Garden State Parkway:
"I have to find the melody first before I can write a lyric. And so I'm sitting going, 'na -na-na.. I've had the time of my life' scribbling 'time of my life ' on an envelope."
That scribble was a life changing moment. It brought Previte an Academy Award.
Now he hopes money from sales of the original demo will help pancreatic cancer researchers give patients their life.
(photo by KYW's Ed Fischer)
