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 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.
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.A 1987 remix by Ben Liebrand hit number 10, in turn reinvigorating public interest in the band, and prompted the release of the compilation album The Very Best of Hot Chocolate 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. In one of the most memorable scenes in the film, the male lead, Gaz 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.
Structure
"You Sexy Thing" has a simple structure, with most of the song alternating between two major chords. 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, ', 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 '.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, 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.
It was featured in the Brazilian soap opera O Tempo não Para.
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
| Chart | Peak position |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 2 |
| UK Singles | 10 |
| Chart | Peak position |
| Europe | 38 |
| Scotland | 16 |
| UK Singles | 6 |
Year-end charts
| Chart | Rank |
| Australia | 33 |
| Canada | 71 |
| New Zealand | 14 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 22 |
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
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
Charts
Weekly charts
T-Shirt version
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
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Year-end charts
| Chart | Position |
| Australia | 49 |