"Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride)" is a song by

Eagles Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...

guitarist

Don Felder Donald William Felder (born September 21, 1947) is an American musician who was the lead guitarist of the rock band Eagles from 1974 to 2001. He is known for co-writing several of the band's songs, most notably "Hotel California". Felder was in ...

with lead vocals sung by Felder and backing vocals sung by Timothy B. Schmit and

Don Henley Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician who is a founding member of the rock band the Eagles, for whom he is the drummer and co-lead vocalist, as well as its sole continuous member. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles ...

. It is the theme song of the animated film '' Heavy Metal'', not to be confused with the song of the same title by

Sammy Hagar Sam Roy Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose before launching a ...

, also included on the same

movie soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured ...

. The B-side, "All of You", is also a track on the film's soundtrack album. "Heavy Metal" was Felder's only solo chart hit. The song charted in the United States, reaching No. 43 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990''. . and number 42 on ''Cash Box''."Cash Box Top 100 Singles", October 24, 1981
/ref> It spent four months on the pop charts. On the

Mainstream Rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada. Format background Mainstream rock stations represent a cross between classic rock, active rock and alternativ ...

chart, "Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride)" peaked at number five.''Billboard'' "Mainstream Rock songs", September 19, 1981
/ref>

Personnel

- vocals, guitar * Timothy B. Schmit - bass, backing vocals *

- drums, backing vocals

Chart history

References

1981 songs 1981 debut singles Film theme songs Animated series theme songs Asylum Records singles American hard rock songs {{1980s-song-stub