You Sexy Thing

Album: Hot Chocolate (1975)
Charted: 2 3
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Songfacts®:

  • Lead singer Errol Brown wrote this about his wife Ginette. It was the first happy song he wrote - he had always written sad songs before.
  • Errol Brown, who came to England from Jamaica with his mother when he was young, formed Hot Chocolate in London with Tony Wilson in 1969. They recorded a reggae version of "Give Peace A Chance" that got the attention of John Lennon, who released the single on The Beatles' Apple Records. This led to a deal with Mickie Most, who signed them to his RAK label. The pair wrote "Bet Yer Life I Do," which was recorded by Herman's Hermits and hit UK #22. They had their first UK hit of their own with "Love Is Life," then went on to a string of UK hits, including a #1 in 1977 with "So You Win Again."
  • Hot Chocolate were produced by Mickie Most, who released this track on his RAK Records label. Most, however, didn't see the hit potential in this song and put it out as the B-side of a ballad called "Blue Night." That same week, Most produced a song for his band The Arrows called "I Love Rock And Roll," and released that as the B-side of their song "Broken Down Heart." In our interview with Alan Merrill of The Arrows, he explained that Most was in his "blue period" (an allusion to Pablo Picasso), and was really into ballads. "You Sexy Thing" turned out to be a huge hit, but "I Love Rock And Roll" would have to wait 7 years to realize its potential when Joan Jett took the song to #1. (Check out our interview with Alan Merrill.)
  • This was one of two songs to make the UK Top 10 in the 1970s, '80s and '90s. The other one to do so was John Lennon's "Imagine."
  • This was featured in the 1997 movie The Full Monty. The song became popular once again and was re-released in the UK, where it went to #6. This was the third time it cracked the UK Top 10 - a 1987 remix by Ben Liebrand hit #10.
  • This was a hit in over 50 countries. In the UK it sold over a million copies but stalled at #2 behind "Bohemian Rhapsody" for six weeks.
  • In 2005, this was used in commercials for Dr. Pepper soda. In 2014, it was featured in a Super Bowl commercial for Chevy Silverado trucks. In the spot, which was narrated by John Cusack, a rodeo bull is put out to stud to the sounds of this song.
  • This was used on The Office in the season 2 episode "The Dundies." It plays as Michael presents Ryan with the Hottest In The Office award.

    The song was also used in these TV series:

    The Simpsons ("The Caper Chase" - 2017)
    Family Guy ("Brian The Closer" - 2014)
    Scandal ("Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" - 2014)
    Supernatural ("Mommy Dearest" - 2011)
    Samantha Who? ("The Ex" - 2008)
    Ugly Betty ("A Nice Day For A Posh Wedding" - 2007)
    Ally McBeal ("Lost and Found" - 2001)
    Malcolm In The Middle ("Pilot" - 2000)
    That '70s Show ("Thanksgiving" - 1998)

    And in these movies:

    Love Is Everything (2018)
    Book Club (2018)
    Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)
    What Happens In Vegas (2008)
    Legally Blonde (2001)
    Dude, Where's My Car? (2000)
    Boogie Nights (1997)

Comments: 18

  • Naledi from Leondale,germiston,albertonIt takes me back to those days
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: http://www.oldiesmusic.com/news.htm
    Errol Brown, lead singer of Hot Chocolate, the London-based quintet that gave us "You Sexy Thing" (#3-1976), "Emma" (#8-1975) and "Every 1's A Winner" (#6-1979), died of liver cancer at his home in the Bahamas Wednesday (May 6th, 2015). He was 71. Errol was born in Jamaica but moved to England when he was 6. Though the group split in 1986, Errol continued with a solo career that culminated in a farewell tour in 2009. The Queen made him a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his musical success in 2003...
    May he R.I.P.
  • Chris from Norman, OkGreat song to do the lawnmower along with.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 1st 1976, "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate peaked at #3 (for 3 weeks) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on October 26th, 1975 and spent 21 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 8 of those 21 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
    The has been featured in at least fifteen movies.
  • Steve from Whittier, CaOf course, A.J., Deee-Lite is more known for telling us in 1990 that:
    "Groove is in your Heart"-----you SEXY thing.
  • Steve from Whittier, CaRadio comic Phil Hendrie used this a few years ago in one of his skits - he's got a NAMBLA deejay gtaking requests, all for The Bee Gees's "How Deep is your Love", but ALWAYS, ALWAYS, playing "You Sexy Thing"[referred to as "I Believe in Miracles"-which I always used to think when it came out, as "I believe in Malcom"
    and my mother did as well]-bought it back then, sitll haqve it...
  • Daniel from Winchester, OhI blame the commercials for the popularity of this song, at least thats why I like it :D
  • Cyberpope from Richmond, CanadaThis song was in the animated movie, "Ratatouille "
  • Andrew from Birmingham, United StatesI like this song. I sing along with it most times that I hear it. I think it unusual, though, that the word "angel" is included in the lyrics this long after Golden Rock-And-Roll died. "Where did you come from, Angel?" That line does fit in with the "I believe in miracles" line. So not everything about the line is unusual. I, for one, believe in miracles. Now that I've found my woman, I think of her when I think of this song now. I also think of "I Found a Girl" by Jan and Dean and the first stanza of "My Baby Loves Lovin'" by White Plains because they are similar story lines.
  • Dan from San Diego, CaThe lyrics are listed incorrectly. Where it says "cursin", he is actually saying "close to me". And the sentence listed as starting with "After the day....." is actually "Every day, needing love and satisfaction". Does anyone even listen to the song before they allow these lyrics to be posted?
  • Jymmyjaymes from New Port, FlAs a young kid I used to think that they were singing the lyrics "wear your bra, you sexy thing"
  • Peter from Hutt City, New ZealandThis is one of those songs where a word or two is not clear, eg miricles sounds like milco
  • Justin from Albany, Nygreat song. we need everyone's a winner on here also thats an awesome song.
  • Roberto from Las Cruces, NmThis is one of those songs where I love the actually different verses but lose interest when it starts getting redundant at the end.
  • A.j. from Chicago, IlA cover by Dee-Lite is used in Dumb & Dumber with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels (as if you needed me to tell you the stars for you to remember the movie I was talking about).
  • Darren from Hull, EnglandThis isnt the only song to make the UK top 10 in the 70's, 80's and 90's. Imagine by John Lennon also did the same.
  • Mia from Wellston, MiParis hilton has this on one of her jukeboxes...i know know one cares
  • Victor from Vienna, Vaalso appears in "Deuce Bigalow Male Gigalo" (1999)
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