"You're the One That I Want" | ||||
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Single by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John | ||||
from the album Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture | ||||
B-side | "Alone at a Drive-In Movie" (instrumental) | |||
Released | 1978 | |||
Recorded | 1977 or 1978 | |||
Studio | Recorded and Mixed by David J. Holman at Heider Studios and United/Western Studio | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:49 | |||
Label | RSO | |||
Songwriter(s) | John Farrar | |||
Producer(s) | John Farrar | |||
Olivia Newton-John singles chronology | ||||
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John Travolta singles chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | Favorable [3] |
"You're the One That I Want" is a song performed by American actor and singer John Travolta and Anglo-Australian singer 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 1978 by RSO Records 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. [4] [5] [6] [7]
"You're the One That I Want" was one of the two singles, along with "Hopelessly Devoted to You", that Farrar wrote specifically for Newton-John's appearance in the film that had not been in the original stage musical. Randal Kleiser, the film's director, was not fond of this song because he felt that it did not mesh well with the rest of the Warren Casey-Jim Jacobs score. [8]
Record World called it "a frantic, up-tempo duet between the two stars that is bound to leave listeners breathless." [9]
Danny Zuko (Travolta), leader of the T-Birds, has recently lettered in cross-country running in an effort to win back his estranged girlfriend Sandy Olsson (Newton-John); unbeknownst to him, Sandy, who has been conflicted about her upright and proper etiquette in a school full of brash greasers, has herself transformed into a greaser queen to win back Danny. In the song, Danny expresses pleasant shock and arousal at Sandy's transformation, with Sandy responding that Danny must "shape up" to prove himself capable of treating her the right way.
The song originally written at this point in the original musical, "All Choked Up" (which had previously replaced a song titled "Kiss It"), was similar in theme, but different in style, written as a pastiche of Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" and with Sandy being more provocative. "All Choked Up" was one of two songs from the Jacobs/Casey score that was excised completely from both the film and the film's soundtrack. Most 21st-century performances of the musical also include "You're the One That I Want" instead of "All Choked Up".
Upon its release in conjunction with the film (and its status as a potential blockbuster worldwide), the single became a huge international hit, reaching number one in several countries.
In the United States, the single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 [10] and on July 18 was certified Platinum for shipments exceeding 2 million copies. [11] (It was already Gold by April 12.) [11]
It also topped the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks in the summer of 1978, some months before the film had even been released in that country. [12] As of 2018, it is still the fifth best-selling single of all time in the United Kingdom, where it has sold two million copies. [13]
In Australia, the single spent nine nonconsecutive weeks at the top and became the best charting single of the year. [14]
A re-released "Martian remix" of the single by PolyGram Records reached #4 in the United Kingdom [12] and #27 in Australia in 1998, the twentieth anniversary of the film's debut.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Belgium | — | 170,000 [47] |
Denmark physical | — | 14,000 [48] |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [49] reissue | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [50] | Gold | 1,800,000 [51] |
Germany (BVMI) [52] | Gold | 500,000^ |
Ireland | — | 25,000 [53] |
Italy (FIMI) [54] sales since 2009 | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [55] | Platinum | 200,000 [56] |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [57] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Sweden | — | 10,000 [48] |
United Kingdom (BPI) [58] | Platinum | 2,072,035 [59] |
United States (RIAA) [60] | Platinum | 4,000,000 [61] |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 15,000,000 [7] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
"You're the One That I Want" | ||||
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Single by Craig McLachlan and Debbie Gibson | ||||
from the album Grease – Original London Cast Recording | ||||
Released | 1993 | |||
Length | 3:27 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | John Farrar | |||
Debbie Gibson singles chronology | ||||
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Craig McLachlan singles chronology | ||||
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British comedians Arthur Mullard and Hylda Baker also released a version of the song in 1978. Their version reached No. 22 in the United Kingdom. [12]
In 1978, the German comedians Dieter Hallervorden and Helga Feddersen released a parody version under the title Du, die Wanne ist voll . The song reached position number four in the German charts. [62]
Also in 1978, the Swedish crooner Svante Thuresson released a version in Swedish under the title Det är dej jag vill ha . The song reached position number four in the Svensktoppen. [63]
In 1993, Epic Records released the London cast recording, Grease – Original London Cast Recording, and "You're the One That I Want" was issued as the lead single by Craig McLachlan and Debbie Gibson (Epic UK 659 522, released July 1993).[ citation needed ] It peaked at number thirteen on the UK Singles Chart, [12] number 24 on the UK Airplay chart, [64] and number 43 on the Eurochart Hot 100. [65]
In 2021, American rapper and singer Doja Cat performed the song in a commercial for Pepsi to promote their "Soda Shop" line. [66]
Reworked versions of the song are featured in Autumn 2023 and Spring 2024 commercials for British home furnishings retailer Dunelm. [67] [68] [69]
Dame Olivia Newton-John was a British and Australian singer and actress. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner whose music career included fifteen top-ten singles, including five 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 fourteen of her albums have been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Randal Kleiser from a screenplay by Bronté Woodard and an adaptation by co-producer 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.
"Physical" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John for her 1981 eleventh studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on 28 September 1981. The song was produced by John Farrar and written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, who had originally intended to offer it to Rod Stewart. The song had also been offered to Tina Turner by her manager Roger Davies, but when Turner declined, Davies gave the song to Newton-John, another of his clients.
"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.
Physical is the eleventh studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released through MCA Records on 13 October 1981. The album was produced and partly written by her long-time record producer John Farrar. Recorded and mixed at David J. Holman's studio in Los Angeles additional recording atOcean Way, Physical became one of Newton-John's most controversial and sexual records, and her most successful studio album. Musically, the album features considerable use of synthesizers, and it explores lyrical themes such as love and relationships, sex, and environmental protection. Upon its release, while the album was a success it received positive reviews from music critics, many of them considering it to be Newton-John's best effort. The album charted high in several countries, including the United States, Japan and Newton-John's native Australia, becoming one of the most successful albums of the early 1980s. It also ranks among the best-selling albums by Australian solo artists, selling more than ten million copies worldwide.
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).
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 U.S. and UK No. 1 for stars 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 1978 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.
Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 is a greatest hits album by Olivia Newton-John released on 3 September 1982 in North America, Australasia, Scandinavia, South Africa and certain Asian and Latin American territories. It was her second greatest hits album released in North America and her third in other territories.
"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.
"Grease" is a song written by Barry Gibb and recorded by Frankie Valli : it was released as a single in May 1978. It is the title song for the musical motion picture Grease of that year, which was in turn based on the 1971 stage play Grease. The song celebrates the greaser lifestyle, and 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" is one of four songs written specifically for the film that had not been in the stage production.
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The videography of British-Australian singer-songwriter Olivia Newton-John consists of sixty-two music videos, three concert tour videos, four music video collections, two music video compilations, one TV special video and three promotional videos for television programs.
"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.
"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.
The singles discography of British-Australian recording artist Olivia Newton-John consists of 69 singles, three as a featured artist and 25 promotional recordings. She was a four-time Grammy award winner who amassed five number-one and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles, seven Top Ten Billboard Hot Country singles, and two number-one Billboard 200 solo albums. Ten of her singles topped Billboard's adult contemporary music singles chart. Eleven of her singles have been certified gold by the RIAA. She sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling artists of all time.
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In the movie, the frothy pop song gives voice to the final turning point in the relationship between Travolta's Danny and Newton-John's Sandy.
"You're the One That I Want" and "Shadow Dancing" each did 2.5 million