Greased Lightnin' (song)

Last updated

"Greased Lightnin'"
Greased Lightnin by John Travolta (US single).png
US single picture sleeve
Single by John Travolta
from the album Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture
B-side
Released1978
1999 (re-release)
Recorded1977
Genre Rock and roll
Length3:13
Label RSO
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
John Travolta singles chronology
"Sandy"
(1978)		"Greased Lightnin'"
(1978)		"Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"
(1980)

"Greased Lightnin'" is a song from the 1971 musical Grease which was also adapted into the 1978 film Grease . A soundtrack recording from the film version, with John Travolta on lead vocals, peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.

Contents

Synopsis

Kenickie, a member of the greaser gang at the center of the musical, has purchased a used car with the savings from his summer job, giving it the nickname "Greased Lightnin'." While the other greasers are skeptical of the car because it is in such poor shape, he is able to win them over with a rousing rock and roll number describing the modifications needed to transform it into a hot rod capable of arousing the ladies. The lyrics portray Kenickie (in the film, Danny) as more of a dreamer or even poseur than a real gearhead because some of the features he describes are mutually exclusive with others: a car with an "automatic ... Hydramatic" transmission therefore could not have "a four speed on the floor" i.e. manual transmission, and "four-barrel quads" are carburetors inconsistent with true "Fuel injection cut off". [1] (In the film, despite the contradictions in the lyrics, the greasers along with a shop teacher succeed in rebuilding the car into racing condition.) Both the musical and the film imply that at least some of the parts Kenickie uses are stolen.

In the original recording, as was in the case with the stage musical on which it was based, several unairable profanities of a sexual nature are peppered throughout the lyrics, which deterred a number of stations from playing the song and possibly prevented it from reaching the top 40 in the United States. It was one of the few songs from the original Chicago-centric version of Grease to transition, uncut, from Chicago to Broadway and to film. Jim Jacobs later released a revised set of lyrics suitable for school performances that remove the sexual references (this "clean" version was also used in Fox's live television production of Grease), and most televised edits of the film cut the offending lyrics.

In the original musical, the song is Kenickie's featured number, with the other greasers serving as his backup singers. The film expands upon the car's purpose. Whereas the stage musical gives no particular reason for Kenickie's desire to build the car (which does not play a major factor in the play beyond that point), the film explains that the greasers' rivals, named the Scorpions in the film, had challenged them to a quarter-mile drag race, requiring them to have a competitive car for the duel. With Danny at the helm (and a reprise of "Greased Lightnin'" playing in the background), Greased Lightnin' wins the race. The film is also notable for having Danny (played by John Travolta, who had already had top-40 hits before Grease) sing lead on the song, while Kenickie (Jeff Conaway) contributed with a few call-and-response lines.

In keeping with the musical's tendency to use styles of music popular in the late 1950s, the song "Greased Lightnin'" is in a slightly modified twelve-bar blues form, and is inspired by the 1959 single "White Lightning" by the Big Bopper.

Record World said that "the beat is 50s perfect." [2]

Charts

Critical reception

STL Today described the song as "a number saluting a hot rod and all the joy it promises". [14]

Other recordings

In the film version of Grease , the song was recorded by John Travolta. An earlier version was recorded in 1972 by The Wild Angels. The song was covered by Lance Ellington in the animated film Planet 51. Irish pop band Westlife had a recorded cover of the song in 2003. The song was parodied by David Flora and Dave Stecco of the Blurry Photos podcast as the opening of their Thunderbirds episode, which they admitted was unlicensed. [15]

Related Research Articles

Grease may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivia Newton-John</span> British-Australian singer and actress (1948–2022)

Dame Olivia Newton-John was a British and Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and two number-one albums on the Billboard 200: If You Love Me, Let Me Know (1974) and Have You Never Been Mellow (1975). Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Travolta</span> American actor (born 1954)

John Joseph Travolta is an American actor. He came to public attention during the 1970s, appearing on the television sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes Carrie (1976), Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978), and Urban Cowboy (1980). His acting career declined throughout the 1980s, but he enjoyed a resurgence in the 1990s with his role in Pulp Fiction (1994), and went on to star in films including Get Shorty (1995), Broken Arrow (1996), Phenomenon (1996), Face/Off (1997), A Civil Action (1998), Primary Colors (1998), Hairspray (2007), and Bolt (2008).

<i>Grease</i> (musical) 1971 musical

Grease is a musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Named after the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as greasers, the musical is set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School and follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of peer pressure, politics, personal core values, and love.

<i>Grease 2</i> 1982 US musical film directed by Patricia Birch

Grease 2 is a 1982 American musical romantic comedy film and the sequel to the 1978 film Grease, adapted from the 1971 musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Originally titled More Grease, the film was produced by Allan Carr and Robert Stigwood, and directed and choreographed by Patricia Birch, who choreographed the original stage production and prior film. The plot returns to Rydell High School two years after the original film's graduation, with a largely new cast, led by Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer in her first starring role.

<i>Grease</i> (film) 1978 musical romantic comedy film by Randal Kleiser

Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Randal Kleiser from a screenplay by Bronté Woodard and an adaptation by Allan Carr, based on the stage musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The film depicts the lives of greaser Danny Zuko and Australian transfer student Sandy Olsson, who develop an attraction for each other during a summer romance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Conaway</span> American actor (1950–2011)

Jeffrey Charles William Michael Conaway was an American actor. He portrayed Kenickie in the film Grease and had roles in two television series: struggling actor Bobby Wheeler in Taxi and security officer Zack Allan on Babylon 5. Conaway was featured in the first and second seasons of the reality television series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're the One That I Want</span> Single by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

"You're the One That I Want" is a song performed by American actor and singer John Travolta and Anglo-Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John for the 1978 film version of the musical Grease. It was written and produced by John Farrar, and released in May 1978 as the second single from Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture. The song is one of the best-selling singles in history to date, having sold over 4 million copies in the United States and the United Kingdom alone, with estimates of more than 15 million copies sold overall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Grease Megamix</span> 1990 single by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

"The Grease Megamix" is a megamix released in 1990 to commemorate the video release of Grease. The single was credited to John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John and released via Polydor Records. It was created by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow for PWL by the request of Polydor Records, who supplied copies of the original multi-track recordings. The megamix topped the charts of Australia and Spain and became a top-five hit in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

<i>Totally Hot</i> 1978 studio album by Olivia Newton-John

Totally Hot is the tenth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 21 November 1978. Commercially, it became her first top-ten album on the Billboard 200 chart since Have You Never Been Mellow (1975). Dressed on the album cover all in leather, Newton-John's transformation was seen to mirror her character Sandy's transformation in Grease. At the time, Totally Hot was her most successful album, and became her first album to receive a Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<i>Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture</i> 1978 soundtrack album by Various Artists

Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture is the original motion picture soundtrack for the 1978 film Grease. It was originally released by RSO Records and subsequently re-issued by Polydor Records between 1984 and 1991. It has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, also ranking amongst the biggest selling soundtrack albums of all time. The song "You're the One That I Want" was a US and UK No. 1 for stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

Summer Nights (<i>Grease</i> song) 1978 single by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

"Summer Nights" is a popular song from the musical Grease. Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, its best-known version was recorded by American actor and singer John Travolta and British-Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John for the big-screen adaptation of the musical, and released as a single that same year. It was released in August 1978 as the fourth single from the movie's soundtrack album and became a massive hit worldwide during the summer of 1978. Parts of the song were introduced to a new audience when it was re-released in the 1990s as part of a megamix of several songs from the movie version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disco Inferno</span> 1976 single by the Trammps

"Disco Inferno" is a song by American disco band the Trammps from their 1976 fourth studio album of the same name. With two other cuts by the group, it reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in early 1977, but had limited mainstream success until 1978, after being included on the soundtrack to the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, when a re-release hit number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hopelessly Devoted to You</span> 1978 single by Olivia Newton-John

"Hopelessly Devoted to You" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John for Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture (1978). It was written and produced by John Farrar and originally performed by Newton-John in the film version of the musical Grease (1978). The song was released in Australia in August 1978 and peaked at number two. It reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number seven on the Adult Contemporary chart. On the country chart, "Hopelessly Devoted to You" peaked at number 20 and was her first top 20 country hit in two years. Newton-John performed the song at the 21st Grammy Awards in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grease (song)</span> 1978 song performed by Frankie Valli

"Grease" is a song written by Barry Gibb and performed by Frankie Valli. It is the title song for the 1978 musical motion picture Grease, which was based on the 1971 stage play Grease. Valli released the song, which celebrates the greaser lifestyle, as a single in May 1978; it sold over seven million copies worldwide and appeared twice on the film's soundtrack, first as the opening track and again as the closing track. "Grease" was one of four songs written specifically for the film that had not been in the stage production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Her In</span> 1976 single by John Travolta

"Let Her In" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Gary Benson, and released as a single in 1973. It was covered by John Travolta in 1976, and was released as the first single from Travolta's self-titled second album. Travolta's version was a hit, spending five months on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and peaking at number 10. It also reached number 16 on the Adult Contemporary chart. On the Cash Box chart, the song peaked at number five. In Canada, "Let Her In" reached number seven on the RPM Top Singles chart.

<i>Grease Live!</i> 2016 live production of the 1971 musical of the same name

Grease Live! is an American television special that was originally broadcast by Fox on January 31, 2016. It was a live, televised remake of the 1978 film Grease, executive produced by Marc Platt, directed by Thomas Kail, and starring Aaron Tveit, Julianne Hough, Carlos PenaVega and Vanessa Hudgens.

Sandy (<i>Grease</i> song) Song from the 1978 film Grease

"Sandy" is a song from the 1978 film Grease, written by Louis St. Louis and Screamin' Scott Simon, and performed by John Travolta, in character as Danny Zuko. It was released as a single in several countries, giving Travolta a no. 2 hit in the UK.

<i>Grease</i> (franchise)

The Grease franchise consists of American films and television productions, based on the 1971 musical. The stage production was first adapted for film with, Grease (1978), followed by Grease 2 (1982); while a prequel titled Summer Lovin' entered development beginning in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grease: The Dream Mix</span> 1990 single by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

"Grease: The Dream Mix" is a song released in March 1991 to commemorate the video release of Grease. It followed the success of "The Grease Megamix" (1990). The single was credited to Frankie Valli, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John and is a megamix of the tracks "Grease", "Sandy" and "Hopelessly Devoted to You".

References

  1. ↑ "Greased Lightning". May 31, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. September 23, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  3. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 313. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  4. ↑ "John Travolta – Greased Lightnin'" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  5. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Greased Lightnin'". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 44, 1978" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  7. ↑ "John Travolta – Greased Lightnin'" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  8. ↑ "John Travolta – Greased Lightnin'". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  9. ↑ "John Travolta: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  10. ↑ "John Travolta Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1978". Ultratop. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1978". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1978". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  14. ↑ Newmark, Judith (August 1, 2014). "'Grease' gets the splashy Muny treatment | Theater reviews". Stltoday.com. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  15. ↑ David Flora; Dave Stecco. "EPISODE 68: THUNDERBIRDS". BlurryPhotos.org. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.