"Hot Shot" is a song written by Barry Blue and Lynsey de Paul, [1] that was released as a single on 2 September 1974 on the Bell Record label by Barry Blue. [2] [3] It was Blue's last chart entry with an original song, reaching no. 23 on the UK Singles Chart. [4] Despite this, it is considered as one of Blue's best songs. [5] The song was also his biggest hit in Sweden where it reached no. 1 on the Poporama singles chart, [6] and in Zimbabwe where it peaked at no. 3. [7] "Hot Shot" also reached no. 8 on the Hessischer Rundfunk Hitparade, [8] and spent three weeks on the Dutch Tipparade in 1975, [9] peaking at no. 19. [10]
Blue performed the song on twice on BBC TV's Top of the Pops on 11 October 1974 as a new release, [11] and on 31 October 1974 [12] when it entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 29. [13] The latter show also featured the song's co-writer, Lynsey de Paul, who was performing her own hit at the time "No Honestly". [14] [15] He also performed the song on the pop music program, Lift Off with Ayshea . [16]
As well as being included on Blue's 1974 Hot Shots album, [17] "Hot Shot" has been included on many compilation albums. [18] In 1996, it appeared for the first time on CD as a track on Blue's album Greatest Hits. [19] In 2002, it appeared as a track on Barry Blue - The Singles Collection, [20] and in 2003 on Dancin on a Saturday Night. [21] It also was a track on the 1975 compilation album, Supersonic, [22] the 1976 K-Tel album, 44 Superstars, [23] the German 1974 compilation Hit-Fabrik - 28 Schlager Am Laufenden Band on the Polydor label, [24] the Austrian 1975 compilation LP Pop Market 1, [25] and provided the title as well as one of the track to the album Bell's Hot Shots Of The 70's. [26] In the US it appeared on A History Of Bell U.K. 1970-1975, which was released in 1976 on the Arista label. [27]