You Can Leave Your Hat On

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"You Can Leave Your Hat On"
You Can Leave Your Hat On label.jpg
Single by Randy Newman
from the album Sail Away
ReleasedDecember 15, 1972
Recorded1972
Genre Rock
Length3:18
Label Reprise [1]
Songwriter(s) Randy Newman [1]
Producer(s)

"You Can Leave Your Hat On" is a song written by Randy Newman and appearing on his 1972 album Sail Away .

Contents

Upon its single release, Record World called it "an extraordinarily reproduced and newly arranged version of this very funny song with a funky melody line and unique Newman vocalizing." [2]

According to a retrospective AllMusic review by Mark Deming, the song is a "potent mid-tempo rock tune" and a "witty and willfully perverse bit of erotic absurdity". [3] Newman later admitted the song was, "too low for me to sing it. I can't rock it too hard, which maybe I should have...or maybe not." [4]

Joe Cocker version

"You Can Leave Your Hat On"
Joe Cocker You Can Leave Your Hat On single cover.png
Front cover of the single released in Australia with a photograph from the film 9½ Weeks . [5]
Single by Joe Cocker
from the album Cocker
B-side
  • depending on country:
  • "Shelter Me"
  • "Don't You Love Me Anymore"
  • "Long Drag off a Cigarette"
  • "Put out the Light"
ReleasedFebruary 10, 1986 (1986-02-10)
Recorded1985
Genre
Length4:14
Label EMI
Songwriter(s) Randy Newman
Producer(s) Richie Zito [6]
Joe Cocker singles chronology
"Don't You Love Me Anymore"
(1986)		"You Can Leave Your Hat On"
(1986)		"Heart of the Matter"
(1986)

Joe Cocker recorded "You Can Leave Your Hat On" for his 1986 album Cocker . Released as a single, Cocker's version peaked at No. 35 on Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, [7] and it was featured in the 1986 Adrian Lyne film 9½ Weeks during Kim Basinger's striptease scene.

A music video was released which featured footage of the striptease scene from 9½ Weeks and scenes with Cocker and his band performing the song.

Personnel

Other cover versions

Etta James covered the song in a 1974 single included on the album Etta Is Betta Than Evvah! , published by Chess Records and produced by Gabriel Mekler. [8]

Three Dog Night covered the song in a 1975 single, published by ABC and produced by Jimmy Ienner. [9]

Merl Saunders and Aunt Monk covered it in 1976 on their album You Can Leave Your Hat On. [10]

Tom Jones covered the song for the soundtrack of the 1997 British film The Full Monty , and it is included in the subsequent 2013 play of the same name. As a medley with Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing" and Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff," the track reached Number 62 in the UK Singles Chart in 1998, under the title "The Full Monty - Monster Mix". [11] [12]

American country music singer Ty Herndon covered the song on his 1999 album, Steam . [13] Herndon's version reached No. 72 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart from unsolicited airplay and was included on his 2002 compilation, This Is Ty Herndon: Greatest Hits . [14]

The 2006 Randy Newman tribute album "Sail Away: The Songs of Randy Newman" features a cover on track 11 by Mark Broussard.

Comedy band The Horne Section covered the song for their 2018 special, The Horne Section Television Programme, [15] and for 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown in 2020. During the performance, Alex performs striptease while wearing an enormous top hat that covers his entire body.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Randy Newman – Sail Away (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs. 1975. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. December 9, 1972. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  3. ↑ Deming, Mark. "Sail Away – Randy Newman". AllMusic . Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  4. ↑ Lydia Hutchinson. "Happy Birthday, Randy Newman". Performing Songwriter.
  5. ↑ "Joe Cocker – You Can Leave Your Hat On (Vinyl)". Discogs. 1986. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "Joe Cocker – Cocker (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs. 1986. Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Joe Cocker – Billboard Singles". AllMusic . Retrieved October 9, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Etta James – Leave Your Hat On (1974, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 1974. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  9. ↑ "Three Dog Night – Coming Down Your Way(1975, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 1975. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Merl Saunders And Aunt Monk – You Can Leave Your Hat On (1976, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. 1976. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  11. ↑ "CD Single: Various Artists - The Full Monty Monster Mix [a] You Sexy Thing, [b] Hot Stuff, [c] You Can Leave Your Hat On (1998)". 45worlds.com. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  12. ↑ "VARIOUS ARTISTS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  13. ↑ "Steam - Ty Herndon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  14. ↑ "This Is Ty Herndon: Greatest Hits - Ty Herndon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  15. ↑ {{Cite web|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPTdlV2gNo0%7Ctitle=Alex Strips To Celebrate 10k Subscribers|website=[[YouTube]|access-date=30 December 2024}}
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