You're the One That I Want

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"You're the One That I Want"
Single by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
from the album Grease OST
B-side "Alone At The Drive-In Movie (Instrumental)"
Released May 1978
Genre Pop
Length 2:49
Label RSO
Writer(s) John Farrar
Producer(s) John Farrar
Certification Platinum (U.S.)[1]
Olivia Newton-John single chronology
"Jolene"
(1978)		 "You're the One That I Want"
(1978)		 "Summer Nights"
(1978)
John Travolta chronology
"Razzamatazz"
(1977)		 "You're the One That I Want"
(1978)		 "Summer Nights"
(1978)

"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. It is one of the best-selling singles of all time, having sold over 6 million copies among the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France alone. And estimated more than 15 million copies overall.[2][3][4]

Chart history

Upon its release in conjunction with the film (and its status as a potential blockbuster worldwide), the single became a huge international hit, reaching number 1 in several countries. In the U.S. the single reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in June 1978,[5] and was certified Platinum for shipments exceeding 2 million copies.[6] It also topped the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks in the summer of 1978[7] some months before the film had even been released in that country.

As of 2013, it is still the fifth best-selling single of all time in the U.K., where it has sold 2 million copies.[8]

The 1998 're-release'

A re-released dance version of the single by Almighty Records reached #4 in the UK in 1998, the twentieth anniversary of the film's debut.[9]

Charts and certifications

Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
June 10, 1978		 Succeeded by
"Shadow Dancing" by Andy Gibb
Preceded by UK Singles Chart number-one single
17 June 1978 - 12 August 1978		 Succeeded by
"Three Times a Lady" by The Commodores
Preceded by Irish Singles Chart number-one single
24 June 1978 - 12 August 1978
26 August 1978		 Succeeded by
"Substitute" by Clout"
Three Times a Lady" by Commodores
Preceded by
"Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty
"Rivers of Babylon" by Boney M.
 Australian Kent Music Report number-one single
June 26, 1978 - July 10, 1978
August 21, 1978 - October 9, 1978		 Succeeded by
"Rivers of Babylon" by Boney M.
"Are You Old Enough?" by Dragon
Preceded by Dutch Top 40 number-one single
July 1, 1978 - August 26, 1978		 Succeeded by
"You're the Greatest Lover" by Luv'

Notable cover versions

"You're the One That I Want"
File:Debbietheoneiwant.jpg
Single by Craig McLachlan and Deborah Gibson
from the album Grease - Original London Cast Recording
Released 1993
Length 3:27
Label Epic
Writer(s) John Farrar
Deborah Gibson single chronology
"Free Me"
(1993)		 "You're the One That I Want"
(1993)		 "For Better or Worse"
(1995)

In 1993, Epic Records released the London cast recording, Grease - Original London Cast Recording, and "You're the One That I Want" was issued as the lead single by Craig McLachlan and Deborah Gibson (Epic UK 659 522, released July 1993). In part due to a routine promotional push and huge box office success of the first major revival of Grease, this cover version scored big on the UK singles charts, peaking at number thirteen.[15]

British comedians Arthur Mullard and Hylda Baker 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 Pops; both Mullard and Baker sang out of tune, fluffed the lyrics and seemed utterly bemused. Their version reached No. 22 in the UK.[16]

In 1978, the German comedians Dieter Hallervorden and Helga Feddersen released a parody version under the title Du, die Wanne ist voll. The song reached position number four in the German charts.[17] Du, die Wanne ist voll literally means Hey, the bathtub is full, and the joke consists of using funny German wordings that sound vaguely similar to the English lyrics.

In 2001 or 2003, the song appeared on Bob the Builder: The Album.

In October 2004 a version recorded by British sophisti-pop band The Beautiful South was used as the first track on their album of cover songs, Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs.

The song serves as the source of the title of the American reality TV show Grease: You're the One that I Want!. This gritty rockabilly version replaced the original second-to-last song in its Broadway run, "All Choked Up," for the Broadway revival it would then give rise to, with its two winners, Max Crumm and Laura Osnes.

In 2012, a cover version by Angus & Julia Stone was used in commercials for Sky (UK and Ireland).

In 2014, Lo-Fang included a cover on his album Blue Film. This version included a much slower tempo with string instruments and ethereal vocals. Lo-Fang's cover was used in the 2014 Baz Luhrmann mini film advertisement for Chanel No. 5. It also charted in France, Spain, Belgium and Switzerland.[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of #1 Hits, 5th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 484.
  6. ↑ "You're the One That I Want" certifications RIAA - Gold and Platinum Searchable Database
  7. ↑ 1978 UK Singles Chart info Chartstats.com. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 1998 UK Singles Chart info Chartstats.com. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Enter You're the One That I Want in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select ' in the field By Award. Click Search
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ 1993 UK Singles Chart info Chartstats.com. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  16. ↑ 1978 parody UK Singles Chart info Chartstats.com. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  17. ↑ [1] Archived May 29, 2005 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ Lescharts.com Lo-Fang, "You're the One That I Want" song page
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