You Wear It Well

Last updated

"You Wear It Well"
Rod stewart you.jpg
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Never a Dull Moment
B-side "Lost Paraguayos"
ReleasedAugust 1972
Genre Folk rock
Length4:09 (Single Version)
4:25 (Album Version)
5:04 ("Storyteller" Version)
Label Mercury
Songwriter(s) Rod Stewart, Martin Quittenton
Rod Stewart singles chronology
"Handbags and Gladrags"
(1972)
"You Wear It Well"
(1972)
"Angel"
(1972)
Official audio
"You Wear It Well" on YouTube

"You Wear It Well" is a song written by Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton, performed by Stewart. It uses an arrangement markedly similar to that of "Maggie May", one of Stewart's hits from the previous year. [1]

Contents

Stewart recorded "You Wear It Well" for the 1972 album Never a Dull Moment , and released it as a single on 12 August. The song became an international hit, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart. [2] In the US, "You Wear It Well" peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [3]

Upon the release of the single, Record World felt that it "could equal ['Maggie May''s] phenomenal success." [4]

Stewart performed the song live on BBC's Top of the Pops with the full lineup of Faces, along with Quittenton on classical guitar and Dick "Tricky Dicky" Powell on fiddle joining them. A live version of the song from his 2013 performance at the Troubadour, West Hollywood was included on the deluxe edition of the album Time .

Chart performance

Cover versions

Related Research Articles

<i>Every Picture Tells a Story</i> 1971 studio album by Rod Stewart

Every Picture Tells a Story is the third studio album by Rod Stewart. It was released on 28 May 1971. It incorporates hard rock, folk, and blues styles. It went to number one on both the UK and US charts and finished third in the Jazz & Pop critics' poll for best album of 1971. It has been an enduring critical success, including a number 172 ranking on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maggie May</span> 1971 single by Rod Stewart

"Maggie May" is a song co-written by singer Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton, and performed by Rod Stewart on his album Every Picture Tells a Story, released in 1971.

<i>The Best of The Byrds: Greatest Hits, Volume II</i> 1972 greatest hits album by the Byrds

The Best of The Byrds: Greatest Hits, Volume II is the third greatest hits album by the American rock band the Byrds, but only the second to be released in the United States, since the earlier The Byrds' Greatest Hits Volume II had only been issued in the UK. The album was released in the U.S. by Columbia Records on November 10, 1972 in lieu of any new Byrds' product during that year. It spent a total of thirteen weeks on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart and peaked at number 114.

<i>Never a Dull Moment</i> (Rod Stewart album) 1972 studio album by Rod Stewart

Never a Dull Moment is the fourth solo album by rock musician Rod Stewart. It was released on 21 July 1972; that year it became a UK number-one album and reached number two on the US Album chart. The track "You Wear It Well", co-written by Stewart and classical guitarist Martin Quittenton, was a smash hit, as well as "Twisting the Night Away", a song originally recorded by Sam Cooke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The First Cut Is the Deepest</span> 1965 song written by Cat Stevens

"The First Cut Is the Deepest" is a 1967 song written by British singer-songwriter Cat Stevens, originally released by P. P. Arnold in April 1967. Stevens's own version originally appeared on his album New Masters in December 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hard Luck Woman</span> 1976 single by Kiss

"Hard Luck Woman" is a song by American hard rock band Kiss and the lead single from their 1976 album, Rock and Roll Over. It was originally written by Paul Stanley as a possible track for Rod Stewart, but after the success of the soft rock ballad "Beth", Kiss decided to keep it for themselves as a follow-up. Stanley has stated his admiration and love of Stewart's music numerous times, and that "Hard Luck Woman" was inspired by Rod Stewart, in particular the songs "Maggie May" and "You Wear It Well". While Stewart's music served as a partial inspiration for the song, the nautical themed song "Brandy" by American pop-rock band Looking Glass served as Stanley's main inspiration.

<i>Sing It Again Rod</i> 1973 compilation album by Rod Stewart

Sing It Again Rod is the first compilation album by Rod Stewart released in 1973. The album is notable for its Peter Corriston-designed die-cut album sleeve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer Breeze (song)</span> 1972 song by Seals and Crofts

"Summer Breeze" is a 1972 song by American soft rock duo Seals and Crofts. It is the title track of their fourth studio album, and was released as the album's lead single in August 1972. The song reached No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US. In 2013, it was ranked No. 13 in Rolling Stone′s "Best Summer Songs of All Time". The song also became a hit for the Isley Brothers in 1974.

"Reason to Believe" is a song written, composed, and first recorded by American folk singer Tim Hardin in 1965. It has since been recorded by many artists, most notably by the Carpenters in 1970, and Rod Stewart in 1971 and 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)</span> 1972 single by Van Morrison

"Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" is a song written and performed by Van Morrison and featured as the opening track on his sixth studio album, Saint Dominic's Preview. It was released by Warner Bros. in July 1972 as the first of three singles from the album and charted at number sixty-one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Both the music and lyrics are inspired by rhythm and blues singer Jackie Wilson and his song "Reet Petite", which is directly quoted in the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Only the Strong Survive (song)</span> 1969 single by Jerry Butler

"Only the Strong Survive" is a song written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and originally sung in 1968 by Jerry Butler, released on his album The Ice Man Cometh. It was the most successful single of his career, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was #1 for two weeks on the Billboard Black Singles Chart, in March and April 1969, respectively.

Martin Quittenton was a British guitarist and composer. He played in the blues rock band Steamhammer, formed in 1968. Their debut album Steamhammer was released in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It Doesn't Matter Anymore</span> 1959 single by Buddy Holly

"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" is a pop ballad written by Paul Anka and recorded by Buddy Holly in 1958. The song was issued in January 1959, less than a month before Holly's death. "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" reached number 13 as a posthumous hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1959, shortly after Holly was killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. The single was a two-sided hit, backed with "Raining in My Heart". "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was Holly's last US Top 20 hit and featured the orchestral backing of Dick Jacobs. It was also successful in the United Kingdom, where it became the country's first posthumous number 1 hit.

<i>Love Theme from "The Godfather"</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Andy Williams

Love Theme from "The Godfather" is the twenty-ninth studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams, released on March 21, 1972, by Columbia Records. The two new songs on what was otherwise another LP of covers of hits by other artists were the title track and "Music from Across the Way", which came from the songwriters behind his recent hits "Happy Heart" and "(Where Do I Begin) Love Story".

<i>The Way We Were</i> (Andy Williams album) 1974 studio album by Andy Williams

The Way We Were is the thirty-second studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams, released in the spring of 1974 by Columbia Records and was a return to singing songs that his audience was already familiar with after Solitaire, his previous LP that was less reliant on covers of recent pop hits, did not perform well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Stone in Love with You</span> 1972 single by The Stylistics

"I'm Stone in Love with You" is a 1972 single by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics. The song is noted for lead singer Russell Thompkins Jr.'s distinctive falsetto singing, which he employs through most of the record. The song was written by Thom Bell, Linda Creed, and Anthony Bell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Next Door to an Angel</span> 1962 single by Neil Sedaka

"Next Door to an Angel" is a rock and pop song written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield and recorded by Neil Sedaka in 1962. It was issued by RCA Victor Records. It reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1962. "Next Door to an Angel" also went to No. 19 on the Hot R&B Singles chart. It was Sedaka's last appearance on the American Top 10 until "Laughter in the Rain" in late 1974.

<i>Tommy</i> (London Symphony Orchestra album) 1972 album

Tommy is a 1972 album by the London Symphony Orchestra and English Chamber Choir, conducted and directed by David Measham, performing arrangements by Wil Malone of The Who's 1969 album Tommy with additional arrangements by James Sullivan. The project was conceived and produced by Lou Reizner, initially with Rod Stewart singing Roger Daltrey's main role. As Pete Townshend and Daltrey became more involved, Stewart's role was reduced to singing "Pinball Wizard".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again</span> 1971 single by The Fortunes

"Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again" is the title of a pop song composed by Tony Macaulay, Roger Cook, and Roger Greenaway; it became the third U.S. Top 40 hit for The Fortunes in 1971, and their fifth in Canada.

<i>1972</i> (EP) 2022 EP by The Black Crowes

1972 is a studio EP by American rock band the Black Crowes, released on May 4, 2022. It is an album of cover songs.

References

  1. "ROD STEWART – "You Wear It Well"". FreakyTrigger. 2 September 1972. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 277. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 604.
  4. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 26 August 1972. p. 1. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  5. "Australian Chart Book". www.austchartbook.com.au. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  6. Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  7. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1965 - 1989 Acts (S)". www.rock.co.za.
  8. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  9. "Australian-charts.com".
  10. 1972 in British music#Best-selling singles
  11. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN   0-89820-142-X.
  12. "I Have Been to Heaven and Back: Hen's Teeth and Other Lost Fragments of Un-Popular Culture Vol. 1". Touchandgorecords.com. 20 April 1999. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  13. Graff, Gary (4 May 2022). "Black Crows '1972' Album Review". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 7 May 2024.