Throwing back to the week of August 27, 1983, we find two songs dominating the top of the chart that basically occupied that space all summer — The Police’s ‘Every Breath You Take’ and Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).’
In the third spot was the second single from the Flashdance soundtrack. A couple of months earlier, the movie’s title track topped the charts, and now Michael Sembello’s ‘Maniac’ was on its way to the same accomplishment.
‘Maniac’ started its life as a very different song. Co-writer Dennis Matkosky was penning a tune about a serial killer, including the over-the-top lines “He’s a maniac, he just moved in next door… he’ll kill your cat and nail it to the floor.” That’s a far cry from the eventual tale of a pretty steel town welder who dreams of becoming a dancer.
Producer Phil Ramone was assembling tracks for the Flashdance soundtrack when he came across the tune and asked Matkosky and Sembello if they could rewrite it with the film’s plot in mind. And so the murderous maniac became a “maniac on the floor.”
The song was a big hit, becoming the second single from the soundtrack to reach #1 (a few weeks after this #3 placement). It was nominated for Best Song at the following year’s Oscars, losing to — what else? — Irene Cara’s ‘Flashdance… What a Feeling.’
Just a steel town girl on a Saturday night
Lookin’ for the fight of her life
In the real-time world, no one sees her at all
They all say she’s crazy
Locking rhythms to the beat of her heart
Changing movement into light
She has danced into the danger zone
When the dancer becomes the dance
[Pre-Chorus 1]
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On the wire between will and what will be
[Chorus 1]
She’s a maniac, maniac on the floor
And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before
She’s a maniac, maniac on the floor
And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before
[Verse 2]
On the ice-blue line of insanity
Is a place most never see
It’s a hard-won place of mystery
Touch it, but can’t hold it
You work all your life for that moment in time
It could come or pass you by
It’s a push-shove world, but there’s always a chance
If the hunger stays the night
Taylor Swift
[Pre-Chorus 2]
There’s a cold kinetic heat
Struggling, stretching for the peak
Never stopping with her head against the wind
[Chorus 2]
She’s a maniac, maniac at your door
And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before
She’s a maniac, maniac at your door
And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before
[Bridge]
Ooh, oh
Oh
[Guitar Solo]
[Pre-Chorus 1]
It can cut you like a knife
If the gift becomes the fire
On the wire between will and what will be
[Chorus 2]
She’s a maniac, maniac at your door
And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before
She’s a maniac, maniac at your door
And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before
Maniac, maniac at your door
And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before
Meet Me In Montauk 
As always, great background info. I had no idea about those original lyrics.
Wow what an amazing lineup of my favorite songs! I remember exercising to this song in my aerobics class. Loved dancing to it. Loved the movie too.