The Touch

Album: The Transformers The Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Stan Bush is an American singer-songwriter who is best known for this power ballad, which was prominently featured in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie. Bush originally penned it for the Sylvester Stallone movie Cobra, however his record label ended up getting the song in Transformers. He told Total Sci-Fi: "I remember initially thinking it was just some cartoon movie, but little did I know it would become such a phenomenon."
  • The song also featured in the 1997 film Boogie Nights in a scene where Mark Wahlberg's character Dirk Diggler performs the song in an attempt to get his music career going. Unfortunately, Diggler turns out to be a comically bad singer and his musical ambitions come to an end. In real life, Wahlberg had a very successful music career as the rapper Marky Mark.
  • The track appeared on a 2008 episode of NBC's Chuck, "Chuck Versus Tom Sawyer," during a video game competition to save the world. It also showed up in a 2013 episode of The Goldbergs.
  • Bush recorded an updated version subtitled "Sam's Theme," for possible inclusion in the 2009 sequel Revenge of the Fallen. However, to the singer's disappointment, it wasn't included. He told Total Sci-Fi: "It was a bit of a bummer that 'The Touch' wasn't in the live action film. It was going to be, but a couple weeks before the movie came out, Michael Bay pulled the song. I never really found out why. A lot of fans were disappointed as well."

Comments: 2

  • AnonymousI love this song
  • William from West Union, OhIf ths site had a category for inspirational songs, this would definitely be there.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

The End Of The Rock Era

The End Of The Rock EraSong Writing

There are no more rock stars - the last one died in 1994.

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went Mainstream

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went MainstreamSong Writing

These overtly religious songs crossed over to the pop charts, despite resistance from fans, and in many cases, churches.

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.

John Kay of Steppenwolf

John Kay of SteppenwolfSongwriter Interviews

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay talks about "Magic Carpet Ride," "Born To Be Wild," and what he values more than awards and accolades.

Vanessa Carlton

Vanessa CarltonSongwriter Interviews

The "A Thousand Miles" singer on what she thinks of her song being used in White Chicks and how she captured a song from a dream.