Getting a Drag

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"Getting a Drag" was the second single released by Lynsey de Paul. The song was co-written with David Jordan, [1] and featured the de Paul penned b-side "Brandy". Released in November 1972 on MAM Records, the single entered the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 18 and was still in the charts in early 1973. [2] The single also reached number 46 on the German Singles Chart [3] and had a four week run on the Dutch Single Tip chart where it peaked at number 7. [4] It reached number 1 on the Israeli Galei Tzahal chart, [5] No. 2 on the Radio Northsea International chart, [6] and No. 12 in January 1973 on the Turkish singles chart as published in Milliyet. [7]

Contents

Chart performance

Chart (1973)Peak
position
Israel1
Turkey12
UK18
Germany46


Reviews for the single from the music were positive, with the American magazine, Record World, writing "Ms De Paul, who scored quite a hit in England with "Sugar Me", returns with a "Lola" like story of sexual identity confusion. The rocking beat and expertly produced by Gordon Mills keeps this clever song a winner. [8] Commenting on her song, De Paul later said "This was my comment on the times and is about a girl who finds her boyfriend wearing her clothes and is angry, not because he is wearing them, but because he looks better than she does. It was tongue-in-cheek. I did it on Top Of The Pops when Marc Bolan was on set and was waiting to perform his song immediately afterwards". [9] In his article "‘Children of the Revolution’: Glam Rock and the 70s" published in the New Socialist, Toby Manning wrote "‘Getting a Drag’ cleverly using gender performativity to queer gender roles (“I thought you were a brother but you turned out like my mother”)". [10] [11]

Cover versions

The song has also been covered by Franz Lambert, Excelsior on the album Música Em Sua Vida, [12] and most recently by a group named Grease Jar. [13] A Japanese language version by Kuko & Angels was released as their debut single in 1973. [14] The B-side was also covered by Miki Asakura with new lyrics as "Friday Night" [15] on her 1981 album Sexy Elegance. [16] In 1994, De Paul released a re-recorded and radically different version of the song on her Just a Little Time CD, as well as a remixed club version of the updated song. [17] [18]

Awards

De Paul's performance of "Getting a Drag" was a prize winning song at the second International Contest of the Tokyo Music Festival in 1973. [19] The song title was translated as "Sigh of Love" and De Paul was presented with the top singer performer award. [20] She was competing against other international artists such as Olivia Newton-John, Paul Williams, Lauren Copley and Mickey Newbury. [21]

Mentions in books

The song is mentioned in a number or recently published books, such as In Perfect Harmony Singalong Pop in '70s Britain, by Will Hodgkinson [22] and Mixing Pop and Politics: A Marxist History of Popular Music. [23]

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References

  1. ↑ "Getting a Drag". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  2. ↑ "getting+a+drag | full Official Chart History". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  3. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  4. ↑ "Dutch Charts". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  5. ↑ "Lynsey De Paul - Getting A Drag at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2016-12-09. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  6. ↑ "Radio Northsea International Top 30 – 1972 – Hitnoteringen". Hitnoteringen.nl. 2016-12-14. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  7. ↑ "World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries: TURKEY". Artisteschartsventes.blogspot.com. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "Record World". Worldradiohistory.com. 1972-12-23. p. 18. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  9. ↑ "Getting A Drag (re-recording) - From the Album 'Hit Singles Album' - LdP Music Store". Lynseydepaul.com. 2010-07-15. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  10. ↑ "'Children of the Revolution': Glam Rock and the 70s". Newsocialist.org.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  11. ↑ ‘Children of the Revolution’: Glam Rock and the 70s by Toby Manning, New Socialist, 16 October 2021
  12. ↑ "Excelsior : Musica Em Sua Vida". Discogs.com. 1973. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  13. ↑ "Grease Jar : Getting a Drag : 70's Rock Flashback, 2m 54sec". Iheart.com. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  14. ↑ "クーコ&エンジェルス* – 愛のときめき". Discogs.com. 1973. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
  15. ↑ "Song "Friday Night"". Musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  16. ↑ "Miki Asakura = 麻倉未稀* – Sexy Elegance = セクシーエレガンス". Discogs.com. 21 November 1981. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  17. ↑ "Lynsey De Paul – Just A Little Time". Discogs.com. 1994. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  18. ↑ "Lynsey De Paul – Lynsey De Paul". Discogs.com. 1994. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  19. ↑ Billboard , 12 May 1973
  20. ↑ Record Mirror , 5 May 1973, p. 5
  21. ↑ Billboard, 17 March 1973, pp. 51/2
  22. ↑ In Perfect Harmony Singalong Pop in '70s Britain, Will Hodgkinson, Publisher: AbeBooks, September 2022, ISBN   9781788705639
  23. ↑ Mixing Pop and Politics: A Marxist History of Popular Music, Toby Manning, Publisher: Repeater, 14 May 2024, ISBN   9781913462673
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