Physical (Olivia Newton-John song)
Encyclopedia
"Physical" is a song by Australian pop singer Olivia Newton-John
, released in September 1981. The song was an immediate success, shipping 2 million copies in the United States
, being certified Platinum
, and spending 10 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
, ultimately becoming Newton-John's biggest American hit. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
and won the Billboard Award for Top Pop Single. "Physical" is one of the most popular songs of the 80's.
The song was written by Steve Kipner
and Terry Shaddick, and produced by Newton-John's longtime collaborator John Farrar
.
in America
in November 1981 and stayed there for 10 weeks, until near the end of January 1982. In terms of chart placement, it was the most popular single of her career in the U.S., as well as her final number-one (to date). Billboard ranked it as the number one pop single of 1982 (since the chart year for 1982 actually began in November 1981), and it was also the most successful song on the Hot 100 during the entire decade of the 1980s. The famous guitar solo is performed by Toto's guitarist Steve Lukather
.
"Physical" was both preceded and followed in the #1 chart position by recordings of the duo Hall & Oates
. "Private Eyes
" yielded its top spot to "Physical" in November 1981, and "Physical" yielded to "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)
" the following January. "Physical" held "Waiting for a Girl Like You" by Foreigner off of the top of the charts.
The single, slightly edgier than she had been known for in the past (such as her songs from Grease and her country-pop ballad "I Honestly Love You
"), proved to be immensely popular both in America and in the United Kingdom
, despite the fact that the song was censored and even banned by some radio stations; due to its sexual and/or violent content, especially the line: "Let me hear your body talk", in spite of Newton-John's status as the reigning queen of soft-rock music at the time, "Physical" peaked at only number twenty-nine on the AC chart (its follow-up, the slightly softer-edged "Make a Move on Me," found more acceptance at AC radio and went to number six AC as well as number five pop.) The song was a big dance
hit, crossed over to the Billboard R&B chart peaking at #28 there, and spawned a music video
.
In the United Kingdom the single was not nearly as massive a success as in America, but still became a big hit, reaching #7. It also certified Silver.
, working out in a gym with several overweight men, who eventually transform into attractive muscular young men. The gym setting may have been partly an attempt to divert attention from the overt sexual connotations of the term "physical". This was further emphasised by the twist comedy ending of the video, when the transformed men who are now oblivious to Newton-John's advances are ultimately revealed to be gay
(this was also a source of controversy; MTV frequently cut the ending when it aired the video, and the sometimes sensuous nature of the video also led to it being banned outright by some broadcasters in Canada
and the United Kingdom
).
video (where "Physical" music video was included) won a Grammy Award for Video of the Year
in 1983. The video was featured on Pop-Up Video
on VH1
and was the first video to air on Beavis and Butt-Head
, on which they changed the channel to "I Wanna Be Sedated
" by The Ramones.
ranked the song at #6 on its All Time Top 100 and #1 on Top 50 Sexiest Songs Of All Time.
The revamped bossa nova
version of the song was released on the 2002 Olivia duet album (2)
as a bonus track; this version replaces the original in latest tours of Newton-John. A Newton-John duet with Jane Lynch
was displayed in the episode "Bad Reputation
" of the television series Glee
.
Most recently, in 2010, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
ranked the song at #39 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, stating that "An entire generation's leg-warmered, pastel spandex shame is laid bare in just under four minutes."
The instrumental version of the song featured in a 1984 advert for the Talbot Samba
car on British television.
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
, released in September 1981. The song was an immediate success, shipping 2 million copies in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, being certified Platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
, and spending 10 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, ultimately becoming Newton-John's biggest American hit. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
and won the Billboard Award for Top Pop Single. "Physical" is one of the most popular songs of the 80's.
The song was written by Steve Kipner
Steve Kipner
Steve Kipner is a multi-platinum-selling songwriter and record producer with hits spanning over a 40 year history, including chart-topping songs such as Olivia Newton-John's "Physical", Chicago's Grammy-nominated "Hard Habit to Break", "Genie In A Bottle" by Christina Aguilera, for which he won an...
and Terry Shaddick, and produced by Newton-John's longtime collaborator John Farrar
John Farrar
John Farrar is a music producer, songwriter, music arranger, singer and guitarist who is best known for his work with Olivia Newton-John with whom he wrote and produced many hit songs....
.
Reception
Recorded in early 1981, it first rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in November 1981 and stayed there for 10 weeks, until near the end of January 1982. In terms of chart placement, it was the most popular single of her career in the U.S., as well as her final number-one (to date). Billboard ranked it as the number one pop single of 1982 (since the chart year for 1982 actually began in November 1981), and it was also the most successful song on the Hot 100 during the entire decade of the 1980s. The famous guitar solo is performed by Toto's guitarist Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
.
"Physical" was both preceded and followed in the #1 chart position by recordings of the duo Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates are an American musical duo composed of Daryl Hall and John Oates. They achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Both sing and play instruments. They specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles, which they dubbed "rock and soul."...
. "Private Eyes
Private Eyes (song)
"Private Eyes" is the hit 1981 single by Hall & Oates and the title track from their album of that year. The song was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for two weeks, from November 7 through November 20, 1981. This single was the band's third of six number one hits , and their second...
" yielded its top spot to "Physical" in November 1981, and "Physical" yielded to "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)
I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)
"I Can't Go for That " is a 1981 song recorded by Daryl Hall and John Oates.It was the fourth number-one hit single of their career on the Billboard Hot 100 and the second hit single from their album Private Eyes...
" the following January. "Physical" held "Waiting for a Girl Like You" by Foreigner off of the top of the charts.
The single, slightly edgier than she had been known for in the past (such as her songs from Grease and her country-pop ballad "I Honestly Love You
I Honestly Love You
"I Honestly Love You" was a worldwide pop hit single for Olivia Newton-John in 1974. The song was Newton-John's first number-one single in the United States and Canada, thus cementing her as a household name in North America....
"), proved to be immensely popular both in America and in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, despite the fact that the song was censored and even banned by some radio stations; due to its sexual and/or violent content, especially the line: "Let me hear your body talk", in spite of Newton-John's status as the reigning queen of soft-rock music at the time, "Physical" peaked at only number twenty-nine on the AC chart (its follow-up, the slightly softer-edged "Make a Move on Me," found more acceptance at AC radio and went to number six AC as well as number five pop.) The song was a big dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
hit, crossed over to the Billboard R&B chart peaking at #28 there, and spawned a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
.
In the United Kingdom the single was not nearly as massive a success as in America, but still became a big hit, reaching #7. It also certified Silver.
Synopsis
The video featured a lusty Olivia, dressed in a tight leotardLeotard
A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard ....
, working out in a gym with several overweight men, who eventually transform into attractive muscular young men. The gym setting may have been partly an attempt to divert attention from the overt sexual connotations of the term "physical". This was further emphasised by the twist comedy ending of the video, when the transformed men who are now oblivious to Newton-John's advances are ultimately revealed to be gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
(this was also a source of controversy; MTV frequently cut the ending when it aired the video, and the sometimes sensuous nature of the video also led to it being banned outright by some broadcasters in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
).
Reception
The Olivia PhysicalOlivia Physical
Olivia Physical is a 1982 video collection featuring the singer Olivia Newton-John and various of her songs, most from the album Physical. A somewhat expanded version of the video was aired as an ABC prime-time special, Let's Get Physical, which was in the top 10 of the Nielsen ratings...
video (where "Physical" music video was included) won a Grammy Award for Video of the Year
Grammy Award for Video of the Year
The Grammy Award for Video of the Year was an honor presented to recording artists at the 24th Grammy Awards in 1982 and the 25th Grammy Awards in 1983 for music videos...
in 1983. The video was featured on Pop-Up Video
Pop-up Video
Pop Up Video is a VH1 television show that "pops up" bubbles — officially called "info nuggets" — containing trivia, witticisms and borderline sexual innuendos throughout music videos. The show was created by Woody Thompson and Tad Low and premiered October 27, 1996. For a time, it was the...
on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
and was the first video to air on Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
, on which they changed the channel to "I Wanna Be Sedated
I Wanna Be Sedated
"I Wanna Be Sedated" is a song by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It is one of the band's best known songs. It was originally released on their fourth album, Road to Ruin, in September 1978 and was the b-side of the UK single "She's the One" released on January 10, 1979. The song was later...
" by The Ramones.
Legacy
BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
ranked the song at #6 on its All Time Top 100 and #1 on Top 50 Sexiest Songs Of All Time.
The revamped bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
version of the song was released on the 2002 Olivia duet album (2)
(2)
is the nineteenth studio album by Australian pop singer Olivia Newton-John, released on November 12, 2002 in Australia. A duets album, the majority of tracks are with Australian artists, along with two American performers...
as a bonus track; this version replaces the original in latest tours of Newton-John. A Newton-John duet with Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
was displayed in the episode "Bad Reputation
Bad Reputation (Glee)
"Bad Reputation" is the 17th episode of the American television series, Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on May 4, 2010. It was directed by Elodie Keene, and written by series creator Ian Brennan. In "Bad Reputation", cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester is publicly ridiculed when a...
" of the television series Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
.
Most recently, in 2010, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
AOL Radio
AOL Radio powered by Slacker, , is an online radio service available only in the United States.- Roots :...
ranked the song at #39 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, stating that "An entire generation's leg-warmered, pastel spandex shame is laid bare in just under four minutes."
The instrumental version of the song featured in a 1984 advert for the Talbot Samba
Talbot Samba
The Talbot Samba is a supermini car manufactured by the PSA Group in the former Simca factory in Poissy, France, and marketed under the short-lived modern-day Talbot brand. Based on the Peugeot 104, it was the only Talbot not inherited from Chrysler Europe, engineered by PSA alone. It was also the...
car on British television.
Cover versions
- Victor WillisVictor WillisVictor Edward Willis is a singer, songwriter, actor; and most known as the original lead singer of the disco group Village People. His persona was the Cop and Naval Officer....
of the Village PeopleVillage PeopleVillage People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
covered this in 1982 as a 12-inch single on Sutra Records. - Ramsey LewisRamsey LewisRamsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. is an American jazz composer, pianist and radio personality. Ramsey Lewis has recorded over 80 albums and has received seven gold records and three Grammy Awards so far in his career.-Biography:...
covered this in 1983 on his album Les Fleurs. - Industrial metalIndustrial metalIndustrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
band Revolting CocksRevolting CocksRevolting Cocks, also known as RevCo, is an American–Belgian industrial rock band and sometime supergroup that began as a musical side-project for Richard 23 of Front 242, Luc Van Acker, and Al Jourgensen of Ministry.-History:...
covered this song for their 1990 album Beers, Steers, and QueersBeers, Steers, and Queers-Additional information:The album opens with a telephone conversation between two southerners discussing an upcoming local appearance by the Revolting Cocks. They are unfamiliar with the band and interpret the name as belonging to a male strip show....
. - "Physical" was 're-worked' by the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
electronic musicElectronic musicElectronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
duo GoldfrappGoldfrappGoldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory ....
on the re-release of the single Utopia from their debut album Felt MountainFelt MountainFelt Mountain is the debut album by English electronic duo Goldfrapp. It was released in the United Kingdom on 11 September 2000 by Mute Records...
. - Sophie Ellis-BextorSophie Ellis-BextorSophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor is an English singer, songwriter, model and occasional DJ. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s, as the lead singer of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo, achieving widespread success in the early 2000s...
covered the song as a hidden trackHidden trackIn the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
for her album Shoot from the HipShoot from the HipShoot from the Hip is the second album released by British pop–dance singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor. It was released by Polydor Records on October 27, 2003, and was produced by Gregg Alexander, Matt Rowe, Jeremy Wheatley and Damian LeGassick.-Background:...
. - Kylie MinogueKylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
recorded a cover of the song for the soundtrack to the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!Moulin Rouge!Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
but it was ultimately not used. It is however, available on the Australian Tour Edition of Light Years. - SynthpopSynthpopSynthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
group Queen of JapanQueen of JapanQueen of Japan is a music trio from Europe, known for its synthpop sound and cover versions of hits from the 1970s and 1980s.-Career:Queen of Japan's 1999 debut EP Mercury Rising features New Wave-sounding versions of Queen songs and is probably the basis for the group's name.The trio's versions...
recorded a cover of the song, which was available as a single in 2001. - The song was performed by Marc KudischMarc KudischMarc Kudisch is an American stage actor, who is best known for his musical theatre roles on Broadway.-Early life and education:...
and Lisa Capps in the 2002 stage version of Earth Girls Are Easy. - Kent JamesKent JamesKent Bradley James is an American singer, songwriter, actor, and activist. He is also known as Nick Name.- 1990s :...
(aka Nick Name) released a cover in 2003. - An electronic dance cover of the song was recorded by Cat5.
- Electropop band The Black GhostsThe Black GhostsThe Black Ghosts are a United Kingdom-based electronic music duo composed of Theo Keating and Simon William Lord, formed in 2006. They are currently signed to Southern Fried Records in the UK and IAMSOUND Records in North America. Keating and Lord had previously been in the bands The Wiseguys and...
recorded a cover of the song. - In 2007, Swedish clothing company WeSCWESCWeSC , or We as it is casually known, is a Swedish clothing brand, based mainly on skateboarding influences and style. Founded in 1999, it has quickly become one of Sweden's most popular brands, within Sweden as well as internationally...
released an album of new covers of "Physical" by 12 different artists, including Cat5, Doomington, Booty Cologne featuring ADL, The Black GhostsThe Black GhostsThe Black Ghosts are a United Kingdom-based electronic music duo composed of Theo Keating and Simon William Lord, formed in 2006. They are currently signed to Southern Fried Records in the UK and IAMSOUND Records in North America. Keating and Lord had previously been in the bands The Wiseguys and...
, Lisa Loud & Kriss Darang featuring Hollie Cook, Timbuktu & Chords, Caged Baby, Pink Pioneers, The Glimmers, Blonde from Fargo, and Sara LumholdtSara LumholdtSara Helena Lumholdt is a Swedish pop singer, and former member of the Swedish quartet A*Teens.-Career:Despite worldwide success, A*Teens disbanded in 2004 and Lumholdt took a short break from the limelight....
(a former member of Swedish pop group A*Teens now going under the stage name "Sara Love"). The album was titled Let's Get Physical with WeSC. - Dr. DementoDr. DementoBarret Eugene Hansen , better known as Dr. Demento, is a radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograph records to the present....
assistant SuLu recorded "(I Gotta Get A) Physical" as a commentary about a typical doctor's office. - Actor Bill MurrayBill MurrayWilliam James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
gave an impromptu performance of the song during his guest appearance on the pilot episode of Late Night with David LettermanLate Night with David LettermanLate Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
. - The workout theme of Newton-John's "Physical" video clip was appropriated by Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
in a segment called "Let's All Exercise" (featuring Grover and Prairie DawnPrairie DawnPrairie Dawn is a fictional character, a rather mature seven-year-old Muppet girl on the children's television program Sesame Street. She is similar in appearance to a character from the Anything Muppets. She is famous for writing school pageants for her friends, mostly Ernie and Bert, Herry,...
among other Muppets). "Let's All Exercise" is not an actual "cover" of "Physical" as such but could more accurately be called an interpolationInterpolationIn the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a method of constructing new data points within the range of a discrete set of known data points....
. - The Glimmers cover the song for the 2008 dance compilation album Poplife Presents: Poplife Sucks.
- Steve CarellSteve CarellSteven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
and Amy RyanAmy RyanAmy Ryan is an American actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance in Gone Baby Gone and is also known for her roles in the HBO series The Wire, playing Port Authority Officer Beadie Russell; In Treatment, playing psychiatrist Adele Brousse; and The...
sing a parody of the song on the 9 October 2008 episode of The Office, "Business Ethics (The Office)Business Ethics (The Office)"Business Ethics" is the third episode of the fifth season of the television series The Office, and the show's seventy-fifth episode overall...
". - Taiwanese Mandopop artist Jolin TsaiJolin TsaiJolin Tsai was born on 15 September 1980. She is a Taiwanese Golden Melody Award-winning Mandopop singer, dancer and actor. She is managed by Mars Entertainment Ltd .-Career:...
cover the song for her first English cover album Love ExerciseLove ExerciseLove Exercise is Taiwanese Mandopop artist Jolin Tsai's first English studio cover album. It was released on 30 October 2008 by Gold Typhoon , formerly EMI Music Taiwan...
in 2008. - Not the Nine O'Clock News parodied the song as "Typical, Bloody Typical"
- Jane LynchJane LynchJane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
of GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
performed a cover of the song with Olivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-JohnOlivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
, who guest starred as herself in the 4 May 2010 episode, titled "Bad ReputationBad Reputation (Glee)"Bad Reputation" is the 17th episode of the American television series, Glee. The episode premiered on the Fox network on May 4, 2010. It was directed by Elodie Keene, and written by series creator Ian Brennan. In "Bad Reputation", cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester is publicly ridiculed when a...
". The episode aired in Australia on 20 May 2010. - Two Lives Jews recorded humorous lyrics to "Physical" dealing with same sex.
Charts
| Chart (1981-82) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... ) |
1 |
| Canada (RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
1 |
| Germany (Media Control AG Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... ) |
4 |
| Ireland (IRMA Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... ) |
4 |
| Japan (Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... ) |
17 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... ) |
6 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 1 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... ) |
15 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 1 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) | 7 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| US Adult Contemporary Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
29 |
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... Glee Glee (TV series) Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues... version with Jane Lynch Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee... |
89 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1982) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Silver |
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Platinum |
See also
- List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1980s
- List of RPM number-one singles of 1981
- List of RPM number-one singles of 1982
- List of number-one singles in 1981 (New Zealand)
- List of number-one singles in 1982 (New Zealand)
- List of number-one hits of 1981 (Switzerland)
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1981 (U.S.)
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1982 (U.S.)