"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" is a song co-written and recorded by Rod Stewart. It was written with Carmine Appice, and produced by Tom Dowd. The song 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.
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."[2]
Criticism
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.[3]
Gene Summers & Crossfire covered "Sexy" on a single in 1979 on LeCam Records. It was re-issued, that same year as Gene Summers & Dea on Country Disco Records.
The Revolting Cocks included a cover of the song (with more sexually explicit lyrics than the original version) on their 1993 album Linger Ficken' Good.
Those Darn Accordions covered the song on the 1996 album No Strings Attached, with vocals by tattooed octogenarian accordionist Clyde Forsman.
Brooklyn art-punk band Les Savy Fav incorporate a riff from the song on their track "Cut It Out" from their 1997 debut "3/5".
Paris Hilton recorded the song for her 2006 debut album Paris. It is the final track on the album, and it was released only on Italian airplay. The song was used for the spot for 3 Mobile.
Tiny Tim, falsetto singer and novelty ukulele player covered the song twice, once with a contemporary disco beat, and another with a Tin Pan Alley-style arrangement. The disco cover, performed live, demonstrated his surprising ability to switch between a warmer tenor and shrill falsetto on a moment's notice. The Tin Pan Alley arrangement was sung entirely in Tiny Tim's regular (non-falsetto) register.
Japanese hip hop artist YOU THE ROCK★ (real name: Hiroshi Tademae) sampled part of the song for his 1999 hit "THE PROFESSIONAL ENTERTAINER."
hip-hop group Inner City Posse sampled the song in their song "Ghetto Zone", from their 1991 album Dog Beats.
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.
As a joke ukulele player Tiny Tim sang the song in a 1979 appearance on The Tonight Night Show Starring 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 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.
The British DJ & Comedian Kenny Everett performed this on his show dressed as Stewart. In each cutaway his butt grows bigger. Until he floats away like a balloon.
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.[3]
References
^(AP) "Frost Sets UNICEF Show" The Robesonian 30 November 1978: 1
