You're the One That I Want
Encyclopedia
"You're the One That I Want" is a song written by John Farrar
for the 1978
film version
of the musical Grease
. It was performed by John Travolta
and Olivia Newton-John
.
The single was a huge international hit, reaching no.1 in several countries. It was the only single from the Grease
soundtrack to top both the US and UK pop charts. It reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
for one week in June 1978, where it sold over 2 million copies. It also topped the UK Singles Chart
for nine weeks in the summer of 1978 and, as of 2008, is still the sixth best-selling single ever in the UK where it has sold over 2,015,000 copies. A re-released version of the single reached #4 in the UK in 1998, the twentieth anniversary of the film's debut.
released a soundtrack album in the UK, Grease - Original London Cast Recording, and "You're the One That I Want" was recorded as a duet by Craig McLachlan
and Deborah Gibson
(Epic UK 659 522, released July 1993). In part due to a routine promotional push, this cover version scored big on the UK singles charts, peaking at number thirteen.
Other cover versions and appearances in other media include:
John Farrar
John Farrar is a music producer, songwriter, music arranger, singer and guitarist who is best known for his work with Olivia Newton-John with whom he wrote and produced many hit songs....
for the 1978
1978 in film
The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 1 - Bob Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour premieres in Los Angeles, California....
film version
Grease (film)
Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway...
of the musical Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
. It was performed by John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
and Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
.
The single was a huge international hit, reaching no.1 in several countries. It was the only single from the Grease
Grease (soundtrack album)
Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture is the original motion picture soundtrack for the 1978 film Grease released by Polydor Records. The song "You're the One That I Want" was a US and UK #1 for stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John...
soundtrack to top both the US and UK pop charts. It reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for one week in June 1978, where it sold over 2 million copies. It also topped the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
for nine weeks in the summer of 1978 and, as of 2008, is still the sixth best-selling single ever in the UK where it has sold over 2,015,000 copies. A re-released version of the single reached #4 in the UK in 1998, the twentieth anniversary of the film's debut.
Charts
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
1 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 1 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| Japanese Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... Singles Chart |
25 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... Singles Chart |
1 |
| Norwegian VG-lista VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... Singles Chart |
1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
23 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
| Australian ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... Singles Chart |
32 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 15 |
| UK Singles Chart | 4 |
Notable cover versions
In 1993, Epic RecordsEpic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
released a soundtrack album in the UK, Grease - Original London Cast Recording, and "You're the One That I Want" was recorded as a duet by Craig McLachlan
Craig McLachlan
Craig McLachlan is an Australian actor and singer. He appeared in shows such as Sons and Daughters, Neighbours, Bugs and Home and Away.-Biography:...
and Deborah Gibson
Deborah Gibson
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. In 1987 she was pronounced the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, with her song "Foolish Beat" and she remains the youngest female to write, record, and...
(Epic UK 659 522, released July 1993). In part due to a routine promotional push, this cover version scored big on the UK singles charts, peaking at number thirteen.
Other cover versions and appearances in other media include:
- The song serves as the source of the title of the American reality TV show Grease: You're the One that I Want!.
- British comedians Arthur MullardArthur MullardArthur Ernest Mullard, original surname Mullord was an English comedy actor.- Early life :...
and Hylda BakerHylda BakerHylda Baker was a British comedienne, actress and music hall star.-Early life and career:Baker was born in Farnworth, near Bolton, Lancashire, the first of seven children. Her father, Harold Baker, was a painter and signwriter, who also worked part-time in the music halls as a comedian...
(both in their seventies at the time) also released a version of the song in 1978. This version is perhaps best remembered for an infamously bad live performance on the TV show Top of the PopsTop of the PopsTop of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
; both Mullard and Baker sang out of tune, fluffed the lyrics and seemed utterly bemused. Their version reached no.22 in the UK, but in stark contrast to the usual positive effect of a TOTP appearance, the record's sales plummeted after the broadcast.
- Also in 1978, the German comedians Dieter HallervordenDieter HallervordenDieter "Didi" Hallervorden is a German comedian, comic actor, singer and cabaret artist.-Biography:...
and Helga FeddersenHelga FeddersenHelga Feddersen was a popular German actress, comedienne, singer, author, and theater director....
released a parody under the title Du, die Wanne ist vollDu, die Wanne ist voll"Du, die Wanne ist voll" is a parody of the song, "You're the One That I Want", by German comedians Helga Feddersen and Dieter Hallervorden. It was released as a single in 1978. It is in German and English. The music video was produced from NDR...
. The song reached position number four in the German chartsMedia Control ChartsThe official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
. Du, die Wanne ist voll literally means You, the bathtub is full and the joke consists of using German words that sound similar to the English ones.
- In 1979, The ShadowsThe ShadowsThe Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
did an instrumental version of the song on the album String of HitsString of HitsString of Hits is the twelfth rock album by British instrumental group The Shadows, released in 1979 through Columbia .The album was certified Platinum on the 25th of January, 1980.-Track listing:-Personnel:...
.
- In the early 1980s singer Lesley GoreLesley GoreLesley Gore is an American singer. She is perhaps best known for her 1963 pop hit "It's My Party", which she recorded at the age of 16. Following the hit, she became one of the most recognized teen pop singers of the 1960s.- Biography :Gore was born in New York City, New York. She was raised in...
covered the song on her album The Canvas Can Do Miracles. In her rendition she altered the line "cause I need a man" to "cause I need a friend".
- In 1982, Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
featuring Charlene the ChipetteThe ChipettesThe Chipettes are a fictional group of anthropomorphic chipmunk singers first appearing on the cartoon series Alvin and the Chipmunks in 1983. In this and related materials, the Chipettes served as female featured characters in their own right, starring in numerous episodes...
covered the song for their The Chipmunks Go HollywoodThe Chipmunks Go HollywoodThe Chipmunks Go Hollywood is a 1982 album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, released by RCA Records.- Side one :#"Eye of the Tiger" #"Tomorrow"...
album.
- In 1993, Sandy & JuniorSandy & JuniorSandy & Junior was a Brazilian pop music duo consisting of siblings Sandy Leah Lima and her brother Durval de Lima Junior . They have one of the 10 best-selling albums ever in Brazil...
released a Portuguese version of the song, titled "Tô ligado em você".
- Tenacious DTenacious DTenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...
performed the song live as an acoustic duet with actor Andy SerkisAndy SerkisAndrew Clement G. "Andy" Serkis is an English actor, director and author. He is popularly known for playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he earned several award nominations, including the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Two Towers...
(in character as his Lord of the Rings role GollumGollumGollum is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He was introduced in the author's fantasy novel The Hobbit, and became an important supporting character in its sequel, The Lord of the Rings....
).
- The song has also been remixed by British recording label and remix production team Almighty RecordsAlmighty RecordsAlmighty Records is a British recording label and remix production team founded in 1989, releasing their first single in the same year. Producing mainly Dance-Pop and Hi-NRG music, the label is best known for releasing remakes and remixes of mainstream pop songs...
.
- The song has also been remixed with The Next EpisodeThe Next Episode"The Next Episode" is a single by Dr. Dre released in 2000 from his album 2001, which was released in 1999. It features Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, & Kurupt . It was the third single from 2001 and peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold 146,570 copies between 2001 and 2002 in the UK...
, a 2000 single by rappers Dr. DreDr. DreAndre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
and Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, and is entitled "You're The One That I Want In The Next Episode".
- The Beautiful SouthThe Beautiful SouthThe Beautiful South were an English alternative rock group formed at the end of the 1980s by two former members of Hull group The Housemartins, Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway. The duo were initially joined by Sean Welch , Dave Stead and Dave Rotheray , all of whom stayed with the group throughout...
also released an unusually arranged cover of the song, which featured on their Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk SongsGolddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk SongsGolddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs is the ninth and penultimate album by The Beautiful South released in 2004. It is almost entirely a covers album; the track "This Old Skin" was originally claimed to be by an obscure band called The Heppelbaums but was in fact the only original track on the...
album.
- In 2003, WestlifeWestlifeWestlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
covered the song live.
- American pop singers Chris TrousdaleChris TrousdaleChristopher Ryan Trousdale is an American pop singer, actor, dancer and former member of the band Dream Street.-Early life:Trousdale was born in New Port Richey, Florida to a Greek American father and an Irish American mother.-Career:...
and Nikki ClearyNikki ClearyBrittney Rose "Nikki" Cleary is a pop-rock singer who was born in Albany, New York.Cleary first hit the pop market with the catchy song "I.M. Me" while still using her given name. Her debut album, Everything I Wished For, was released independently under the Free Falls record label in 2002 after...
covered the song with slightly altered lyrics.
- In 2007, McFly covered the song in the album Over the RainbowOver the Rainbow (2007 album)Over the Rainbow - Show Tunes in Aid of the Association of Children's Hospices is a charity album of show tunes, recorded by various artists and released in 2007. It is in aid of...
, which also contains cover versions by other artists.
- A cover of the song was used for the video games Karaoke RevolutionKaraoke RevolutionKaraoke Revolution and its many sequels are video games for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo GameCube, Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360, developed by Harmonix Music Systems and Blitz Games and published by Konami in its Bemani line of music games. The Original Concept for Karaoke Revolution was...
and Karaoke Revolution Volume 3.
- A memorable interpretation of the song was featured on Late Show With David LettermanLate Show with David LettermanLate Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
, sung by the show's announcer Alan KalterAlan KalterAlan Kalter is an American television announcer from New York City. He is best knownas the announcer for the Late Show with David Letterman since September 5, 1995.-Career:...
as part of his segment "Alan Kalter: Tackling the Tough Issues".
- Also, Johnny VegasJohnny VegasJohnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence...
and his 'stage-mother' performed this song in the British sitcom, BenidormBenidorm (TV series)Benidorm is an award-winning British television comedy-drama that is produced by Tiger Aspect for ITV and written by Derren Litten, co-writer of The Catherine Tate Show, exploiting the working-class stereotype of this popular tourist destination....
, on a karaoke night.
- A version of this was sung by Heather Graham in the BollywoodBollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film The Guru.
- In 1986 the tune was heard in Flight of the NavigatorFlight of the NavigatorFlight of the Navigator is a 1986 Disney science fiction film directed by Randal Kleiser and written by Mark H. Baker and Michael Burton, about a 12-year-old boy named David who is abducted by an alien space craft and finds himself caught in a world which has changed around him...
, which was directed by Randal KleiserRandal KleiserJohn Randal Kleiser is an American film director and producer, perhaps best known for directing the 1978 musical film Grease.-Life and career:...
, who had also directed Grease.
- In 1995, Noel Edmonds and Vicki Michelle did a cover on the popular light entertainment show "Noel's House Party"
- GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
has covered it twice.
- In an episode of That '70s ShowThat '70s ShowThat '70s Show is an American television period sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 17, 1976, to December 31, 1979...
Jackie BurkhartJackie BurkhartJacqueline "Jackie" Beulah Burkhart is a fictional character and one of the two female leads on the Fox Network sitcom That '70s Show, portrayed by Mila Kunis.-Personality:...
daydreamed that she and Steven HydeSteven HydeSteven James Hyde III, known as Hyde by his friends, is a fictional character from the Fox sitcom That '70s Show, portrayed by Danny Masterson. He is Eric Forman's best friend and by the end of season one, his de facto adopted brother...
did a cover of this song from Grease.
- Joe McElderryJoe McElderryJoseph "Joe" McElderry is an English singer and model. He won the sixth series of the ITV show The X Factor in 2009. His first single "The Climb" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Charts. He was also crowned the winner of the second series of Popstar to Operastar, two...
and Lucie Jones of The X FactorThe X Factor (UK)The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
covered the song. It can be found on Youtube.
- A 2005 cover of the song performed by Pauline CrozePauline CrozePauline Croze is a French pop/folk singer and musician.She started to sing and play the guitar when she was 14 and 6 years later she made her first demos with Quito of the group Señor Holmes. At this time she made her very first appearance on stage.In 2003, she collaborated with Anne Claverie and...
on her self-titled album.
- Angus & Julia StoneAngus & Julia StoneAngus & Julia Stone are an Australian brother-sister duo from Newport on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Forming in 2005, their parents are both musical and played as a folk duo before Angus and Julia were born. At very young ages, their father introduced them to music and encouraged them to join...
performed an acoustic version of the song for Radar RadioRadar (radio)Radar Radio is an Australian national Digital Radio station. It is run by Austereo and was launched on 11 December 2008.-History:Radar started broadcasting online before Digital Radio launched in Australia on 11 December 2008...
in Australia.
- In The GoodiesThe GoodiesThe Goodies are a trio of British comedians who created, wrote, and starred in a surreal British television comedy series called The Goodies during the 1970s and early 1980s combining sketches and situation comedy.-Honours:All three Goodies now have OBEs...
episode Saturday Night Grease Tim and Graeme sings that song.
See also
- Grease: You're the One that I Want! – a reality game show where contestants competed to star on a Broadway-style revival of the musical
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1978 (U.S.)