Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

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"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?"
Single by Rod Stewart
from the album Blondes Have More Fun and Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
B-side "Dirty Weekend"
Released December 1978
Format 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl
Recorded 1978
Genre Disco, pop rock
Length 6:29 (12" version), 5:28 (album/1st 7" version), 4:16 (2nd 7" version)
Label Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Rod Stewart, Carmine Appice
Producer Tom Dowd
Rod Stewart singles chronology
I Was Only Joking
(1978)
Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?
(1978)
Ain't Love A Bitch
(1979)

"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" is a 1978 hit song for Rod Stewart. It was written by Stewart and Carmine Appice, and produced by Tom Dowd.

"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" spent one week at the top of the British charts in December 1978 and four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, starting 10 February 1979. It also topped the charts in Australia for two weeks.

Royalties from the song were donated to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Stewart performed the song at the Music for UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly in January 1979.[1]

The song was criticized by many in the rock press as a betrayal of Stewart's blues-oriented rock roots due to its disco-like arrangement, but Stewart and others were quick to point out that other widely respected artists, such as Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones, had also released disco-flavoured songs. It was also alleged that Stewart created the song through partial musical plagiarism.[2]

Carmine Appice, who played drums on this song told Songfacts: "This was a story of a guy meeting a chick in a club. At that time, that was a cool saying. If you listen to the lyrics, 'She sits alone, waiting for suggestions, he's so nervous...' it's the feelings of what was going on in a dance club. The guy sees a chick he digs, she's nervous and he's nervous and she's alone and doesn't know what's going on, then they end up at his place having sex, and then she's gone."[3]

In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked the song #301 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

A 12" disco single of the song was released in 1978. The song was remixed by disco producer Jim Burgess. It ran one minute longer than the LP version at 6:29, contains two alternate recorded lines, an alternate ad-lib to fade ending, and a heavier bass-infused drum beat. This disco version has never appeared on CD.

Contents

[edit] Copyright infringement lawsuit

A copyright infringement lawsuit by Brazilian musician Jorge Ben Jor claimed the song had been derived from his song "Taj Mahal." The case was "settled amicably" according to Ben.[2]

[edit] Cover versions

[edit] Live cover versions, sampling & remixes

[edit] Pop culture

  • The song appears twice in Star 80, a film about the life and death of Playboy playmate Dorothy Stratten.
  • Radio Active's Salute to New York programme included the song "Da Ya Think I'm Sexist?" by 'Rod McStewart', in which a promiscuous rock star shows his double standards.
  • Chicago disk jockey Steve Dahl parodied the song as "Do You Think I'm Disco?" in which a superficial disco fan repents and gets into rock 'n roll.
  • Comedians Bob and Ray performed the song on a 1979 Saturday Night Live special, sitting in chairs and dressed in their usual business suits.
  • Herb Tarlek (Frank Bonner) sang "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" in the WKRP in Cincinnati episode "Put Up Or Shut Up" (1/21/80)
  • As a joke ukulele player Tiny Tim sang the song in a 1979 appearance on the Tonight Night Show With Johnny Carson, and in 1982 made a music video of the song.
  • In The Simpsons episode "I Love Lisa", Ned Flanders sings a clean version of "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" to his wife Maude on Valentine's Day, which says: "If you think I'm cuddly, and you want my company. Come on, wifey, let me know".
  • In Married... with Children episode "Nightmare on Al's Street", Steve Rhoades sings the song.
  • In the 1993 film So I Married an Axe Murderer, Mike Myers in his dual role as father and son Stewart and Charlie McKenzie, does a comedic scene, where Stewart performs the song with a bagpiper in his thick Scottish accent at Charlie's wedding reception while Charlie looks on.
  • The Fairly Odd Parents character Wandisimo uses the title occasionally as his catchphrase.

[edit] References

  1. ^ (AP) "Frost Sets UNICEF Show" The Robesonian November 30, 1978: 1
  2. ^ a b Interview with Ben Jor Expatica.com
  3. ^ "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?". Songfacts.com. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1306. Retrieved 8 May 2009. 
  4. ^ Suomen Äänitearkisto's information page on the cover version
Preceded by
"Rat Trap" by The Boomtown Rats
UK number one single
2 December 1978
Succeeded by
"Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord" by Boney M
Preceded by
"Le Freak" by Chic
Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Rod Stewart version)
10 February 1979
Succeeded by
"I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor
Preceded by
"Keep on Dancin'" / "Do It at the Disco" / "Let's Lovedance Tonight" by Gary's Gang
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
24 February 1979 – 10 March 1979
Succeeded by
"I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl)" by Instant Funk
Preceded by
"Y.M.C.A." by Village People
Australian Kent Music Report number-one single
29 January 1979 - 5 February 1979
Succeeded by
"C'mon Aussie C'mon" by The Mojo Singers
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