You Sexy Thing

"You Sexy Thing" is a song recorded by the British group Hot Chocolate. It was written by Hot Chocolate's lead singer Errol Brown and bass guitarist Tony Wilson, and was produced by Mickie Most. The song was released in October 1975 and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in 1975, as well as number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 a year later. Billboard ranked it the number-twenty-two song for 1976. It went on to gain notability by being featured in films, such as The Full Monty (1997).

"You Sexy Thing"
Artwork for 1987 vinyl single remix release
Single by Hot Chocolate
from the album Hot Chocolate
B-side"Amazing Skin Song"
ReleasedOctober 1975
Recorded1975
Genre
Length
  • 4:04
  • 3:32 (7-inch version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mickie Most
Hot Chocolate singles chronology
"A Child's Prayer"
(1975)		 "You Sexy Thing"
(1975)		 "Don't Stop It Now"
(1976)

Overview

The song was originally a 1975 B-side. Not yet convinced that the song could be a hit, producer Most put it on the flip-side of the Hot Chocolate single "Blue Night". The song was later remixed by Most, who re-released it as an A-side some months later on his RAK label. The song was a hit and ultimately became the group's best-known song. In the UK the song was poised for the number-one spot, but was beaten to it by "Bohemian Rhapsody", when on November 29, 1975 the Queen single leaped above it from number nine.[3]

A 1987 remix by Ben Liebrand hit number 10,[4] in turn reinvigorating public interest in the band, and prompted the release of the compilation album The Very Best of Hot Chocolate (featuring the Liebrand remix) which subsequently reached number one on the UK Albums Chart in February 1987. Ten years later, when it was featured in the film, The Full Monty in 1997, it went to number six in the chart.[4] In one of the most memorable scenes in the film, the male lead, Gaz (played by Robert Carlyle) performs a "striptease" to the music of "You Sexy Thing". Another US resurgence in 1999 can be credited to a Burger King television commercial in which the song played while the camera examined a Double Whopper. In addition, it is the only song to enter the UK top ten in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.[5]

Structure

"You Sexy Thing" has a simple structure, with most of the song alternating between two major chords (F and Bb). It has a chorus-verse form. One of the song's most memorable aspects is its distinctive six note riff which is repeated intermittently throughout, played on a mildly overdriven electric guitar on a high treble setting and with noticeable vibrato. In addition to a traditional rock drum kit, the song uses hand drums, played in a style reminiscent of tabla. A number of violins accompany the rhythm section. Brown's vocals are sung in an energetic soul fashion, accentuated by the occasional high-pitched, Isley Brothers-style scream. The 1987 remix added a pizzicato-style brass section to the track.

Media uses

"You Sexy Thing" has also been heard in other films including 1990s films Reservoir Dogs, Heavyweights, Boogie Nights, Sexo, pudor y lágrimas, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, and Bicentennial Man; 2000s films Dude, Where's My Car, Rat Race, About Schmidt, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist; and 2010s films Grown Ups, and Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son.

The song was featured the Season 1 episode of That '70s Show called Thanksgiving.

The song was featured in the pilot episode of the series Malcolm in the Middle and in the original "Tales of the City".

In 2010, the song was featured in television advertisements for the series Hot in Cleveland on TV Land,[6] and for the Swiffer Dusters cleaning product.

The song is later heard over the closing credits and is also included in the 2013 play version of The Full Monty.

It was featured in a TV commercial for the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado that aired during Fox's coverage of Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2, 2014.

In a season 2 episode of the American version of The Office titled "The Dundies", the song is played as Ryan the Temp is presented with the "Hottest in the Office" award.

It appears in a 2018 ad for LG's V40 ThinQ camera.[7]

It was featured in the Brazilian soap opera O Tempo não Para (2018).

Charts and certifications

1997 cover versions

Two covers were released at almost the same time as the 1997 re-issue of the Hot Chocolate original. One cover was by English pop/dance act Clock, while the other version was by pop duo T-Shirt, featuring actress Chloé Treend and songwriter Miranda Cooper. Both were re-workings with the original music and lyrics but with new additional rap/vocal segments.

Clock version
"U Sexy Thing"
Single by Clock
from the album About Time 2
Released1997
GenreEurodance
Length3:39
Label
  • Power Station Recordings
  • Media Records
Songwriter(s)
Clock singles chronology
"Oh What a Night"
(1996)		 "U Sexy Thing"
(1997)		 "That's the Way"
(1998)
Music video
"You Sexy Thing" on YouTube

British pop/dance act Clock released a successful cover of "You Sexy Thing" as "U Sexy Thing" in 1997. It peaked at number eight in Ireland, number 11 in the United Kingdom and number 100 in Australia.

Track listing
CD single (CD1), UK (1997)
No.TitleLength
1."U Sexy Thing" (Radio Mix)3:41
2."Don't Go Away" (Mediterranean Radio Mix)3:33
3."U Sexy Thing" (Extended Mix)4:28
4."Don't Go Away" (Ten To Two Mix)5:59
CD single (CD2), UK (1997)
No.TitleLength
1."U Sexy Thing" (Radio Mix)3:40
2."U Sexy Thing" ('78 Revisited Mix)4:39
3."Don't Go Away" (Mediterranean Mix)5:19
4."Exclusive interview with the band"5:05
5."U Sexy Thing" (Video)3:46

Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Charts)[31] 100
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[32] 31
scope="row"Ireland (IRMA)[33] 8
scope="row"Scotland (Official Charts Company)[34] 12
scope="row"UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[35] 11

T-Shirt version
"You Sexy Thing"
Single by T-Shirt
Released1997
Length3:59
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Metro
Music video
"You Sexy Thing" on YouTube

Actress Chloé Treend and songwriter Miranda Cooper collaborated under the name T-Shirt to release another successful cover of "You Sexy Thing" in 1997. This version reached number 63 in the United Kingdom, number five in New Zealand and number six in Australia, where it stayed on the chart for 32 weeks. In Australia and New Zealand it earned Platinum certifications. Hot Chocolate lead singer Errol Brown appears in the music video.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1997–1998) Peak
position
scope="row"Australia (ARIA)[36] 6
scope="row"Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[37] 10
scope="row"New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[38] 5
scope="row"Scotland (Official Charts Company)[39] 69
scope="row"UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[40] 63

Year-end charts

Chart (1997) Position
Australia (ARIA)[41] 49
Chart (1998) Position
Australia (ARIA)[42] 30

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[43] Platinum 70,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[44] Platinum 10,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. "RIP: Hot Chocolate singer Errol Brown, of 'You Sexy Thing' fame, dies aged 71". Vanyaland.
  2. "Errol Brown, 71, Dies; Wrote and Sang Disco Hit 'You Sexy Thing'". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  3. "Official Singles Chart Top 75 – Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  4. "Hot Chocolate – Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 259/260. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. "The Official Hot in Cleveland Site starring Betty White, Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick : Hot in Cleveland". Tvland.com. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  7. "5-Camera LQ V40 ThinQ TV Commercial, Song By Hot Chocolate". ispot.tv. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  8. "Top 100 Singles: Every AMR Top 100 Single in 1976". Top100singles.blogspot.com.au. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  9. Steffen Hung. "Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing". Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  10. "RPM Top Singles". Library and Archives Canada. 31 January 1976. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  11. Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved August 23, 2008)
  12. Steffen Hung. "Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  13. Steffen Hung. "Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing". charts.nz. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  14. Steffen Hung. "Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing". Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  15. Steffen Hung. "Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  16. "Hot Chocolate: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  17. "Hot Chocolate – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  18. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 261.
  19. "Cash Box Top 100 2/14/76". Tropicalglen.com. 14 February 1976. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  20. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 24 May 1987. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  21. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  23. "Britain's best selling records of '75". Record Mirror. London: Billboard. 10 January 1976. p. 12. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  24. "Australian Chart Book". Austchartbook.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  25. "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  26. "Top Selling Singles of 1976 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 8 December 1963. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  27. "Top 100 Hits of 1976/Top 100 Songs of 1976". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  28. "Top Selling Singles of 1987 | The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. 31 December 1987. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  29. "British single certifications – Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  30. "American single certifications – Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 18 March 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  31. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  32. "Music & Media: Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media.
  33. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – U Sexy Thing". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  34. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  35. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  36. "Australian-charts.com – T-Shirt – You Sexy Thing". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  37. "Ultratop.be – T-Shirt – You Sexy Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  38. "Charts.nz – T-Shirt – You Sexy Thing". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  39. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  40. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  41. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 1997". ARIA. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  42. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 1998". ARIA. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  43. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1998 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  44. "New Zealand single certifications – T Shirt – You Sexy Thing". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
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