Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes "(I've Had) The Time of My Life"

Uptempo love songs are staples in adult contemporary. They aren't cool enough for young audiences, slow enough for R&B, or heavy enough for rock.

Perhaps, the ultimate Hot AC song is "(I've Had) The Time of My Life."

Sung by Medley, half of The Righteous Brothers, and Warnes, one of the most prolific soundtrack writers and singers of all time, it was impossible to get away from this song for at least a year after its release -- in part because it was on the soundtrack to one of the most popular movies of the 1980s, Dirty Dancing.

Medley shines throughout the song, giving his usual croon before lifting his voice and the song's emotional center over and over.

When I DJed, this was in my rotation of closing songs, and the reaction was usually the same: Guys would hear the opening line and go, "Psssh." Then, every woman in the building would grab her girlfriends and rush the dancefloor, making the guys rethink their dismissive response.

Not only is the song still a crowd-pleaser, it was part of an Owlkitty video.

Location: Michigan, USA

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