Physical (Olivia Newton-John song)

Background and recording

"Physical" (originally "Let's Get Physical") was written by Terry Shaddick and Newton-John's longtime friend Steve Kipner, and initially was intended for a "macho male rock figure like Rod Stewart", according to Kipner. When Newton-John's then manager Lee Kramer accidentally heard the demo, he immediately sent the song to her, and she became interested in recording it. Newton-John recalled that she later had misgivings about the song because of its innuendos and asked that the song be pulled from release. However, she was told it was too late and the song was already performing well on the charts.

The song's guitar solo was performed by Steve Lukather, best known as a founding member of the American rock band Toto. "Physical" is written in the key of E minor with Newton-John's vocal range spanning from A3 to E5.

Reception

"Physical" was described by Mark Ellen of Smash Hits as "one of the most successful career-revivers in living memory". It is the most successful single of Newton-John's career and became her fifth (and last) number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100. "Physical" stayed for 10 weeks on the top of Hot 100, from 21 November 1981 through 23 January 1982, out of a total of 26 weeks on the chart. It was the largest permanence at the time, becoming the most successful song on the Billboard in the 1980s. The song was very controversial due to the implied sexual content, being innovative and somewhat provocative for the time.

"Physical" has received positive reviews from music critics since release, with some of them calling it "good-naturedly sexy" and "an eighties gem". Record World attributed its success to a "big pounding beat and the lusty idea of Olivia getting physical." The song won a Grammy Award for Video of the Year and won the Billboard Award for Top Pop Single.

Chart performance

"Physical" rose to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1981 and stayed there for 10 weeks (the most of any single in the 1980s), remaining until the second half of January 1982. It reached number two on the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay chart on 27 November 1981, staying there for two weeks and remaining on the chart for 14 weeks. In terms of chart placement, "Physical" was Newton-John's most successful single in the United States, and her final single to reach the top spot. Billboard ranked the song as the number-one single of 1982 (since the chart year for 1982 actually began in November 1981). In Canada, the song was number one for five weeks beginning 19 December 1981, was on the Top 50 charts for 26 weeks, and was her sixth number-one song.

"Physical" was both preceded and followed in the number-one chart position by recordings by American duo Hall & Oates: "Private Eyes" was dethroned by "Physical" in November 1981 and "Physical" was supplanted by "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" the following January. "Physical" held Foreigner's "Waiting for a Girl Like You" at number two on the Hot 100 for nine weeks and "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" then held Foreigner at number two for a tenth and final consecutive week. "Physical" remained in the top ten for a total of 15 weeks, thus making it the longest run of 1981, as well as tying it for the longest run of the decade among number-one singles. "Physical" also peaked at number 28 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.

"Physical" achieved great success around the world, reaching number seven in the United Kingdom, where it was certified Silver. However, the song was censored and even banned by some radio stations as a result of its sexually suggestive content, such as the line "There's nothing left to talk about, unless it's horizontally".

Also, the line "Let me hear your body talk" caused some radio stations to ban the song.

Music video

Synopsis

The accompanying music video for "Physical", directed by Brian Grant, features Newton-John in a tight leotard trying to make several overweight men lose weight. The men fail comically and Newton-John leaves the room to take a shower. When the men work out on their own, they suddenly transform into muscular, attractive men. A stylistic shot shows one muscular man glancing at his overweight self in a mirror. Newton-John is shocked when she returns and starts to flirt with them. Two of the men secretly go out, holding hands, implying they are gay. This surprises Newton-John, as does the sight of two more of the men leaving with their arms around each other. Finally, she finds that the last of the overweight men is heterosexual and they go off to play tennis together.

Reception

The Olivia Physical music video collection, which contained "Physical", won a Grammy Award for Video of the Year in 1983. The video was featured on VH1's Pop-Up Video and was the first video to air on Beavis and Butt-Head.

Legacy and other versions

Billboard ranked "Physical" number six on its "All Time Top 100" list, number one on its "Top 50 Sexiest Songs of All Time" list, and number one on its "Top 100 Songs of the 1980s" list.

A revamped bossa nova version of the song was released on the 2002 Newton-John album (2) as a bonus track, and this version replaced the original in Newton-John's tours. Her duet with Jane Lynch was included in the episode "Bad Reputation" of the television series Glee. This version peaked at number 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 2010.

The song's chorus was heavily interpolated in the song "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat featuring SZA (2021).

The song's chorus was similar in the song "Physical" by Melissa B. (2022). The song was written and produced by B. Howard.

It was interpolated in the song "Mystical Magical" by Benson Boone (2025).

Personnel

From the Physical album's liner notes:

• Olivia Newton-John – lead and backing vocals
• John Farrar – guitar, backing vocals
• Steve Lukather – guitar solo
• David Hungate – bass
• Bill Cuomo – Prophet 5
• Robert Blass – keyboards
• Carlos Vega – drums, percussion
• Lenny Castro – percussion
• Gary Herbig – horns
• David J. Holman – Recorded and mixed
• Recorded at David J. Holman studio [Laurel Canyon]

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications and sales

References

References

1. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Physical – Olivia Newton-John – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards – AllMusic". AllMusic.
2. Breihan, Tom. (22 May 2020). "The Number Ones: Olivia Newton-John's "Physical"". [[Stereogum]].
3. ''[[Juke Magazine]]'', 13 March 1982.
4. (2 May 2014). "Steve Kipner Talks About His Great Songwriting Career".
5. A. Baker, Glenn. (1982-01-30). ["Kipners' Friendly Rivalry Breeds Million Sellers"]({{Google books).
6. Calvario, Liz. (2021-10-19). "Olivia Newton-John Recalls When 'Physical' Was Banned for Being Too Sexy on Song's 40th Anniversary".
7. (2009-06-22). "Physical".
8. Ellen, Mark. (21 January 1982). "Singles".
9. "allmusic (((Physical > Charts & Awards)))". [[AllMusic]].
10. (10 February 2010). "Billboard – The 50 Sexiest Song of All Time".
11. "Olivia Newton-John tried to stop 'Physical' music video from being released in 1981".
12. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "''Physical'' – Olivia Newton-John". [[AllMusic]].
13. "People Picks and Pans Review – ''Physical''".
14. (3 October 1981). "Hits of the Week".
15. "1982 Grammy Winners". Grammy Awards.
16. "Olivia Newton-John award and achievements".
17. Whitburn, Joel. (1996). "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits". Billboard Publications, Inc..
18. (10 October 1981). "Billboard".
19. "Physical".
20. "25th Annual Grammy Awards (1982)".
21. [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/specials/hot100/charts/top100-titles-10.shtml] {{webarchive. link. (1 October 2008)
22. (10 February 2010). "The 50 Sexiest Songs of All Time Page 5".
23. (1981). "Physical". MCA Records.
24. Kent, David. (1993). "Australian Chart Book 1970–1992". Australian Chart Book.
25. Pennanen, Timo. (2006). "Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972". [[Otava (publisher).
26. Racca, Guido. (2019). "M&D Borsa Singoli 1960–2019". Independently Published.
27. "Radio Luxembourg Singles". umdmusic.com.
28. (12 April 1982). "Hits of the World".
29. (24 October 1981). "Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec". [[Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec.
30. "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts N".
31. Salaverrie, Fernando. (September 2005). "Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002". [[Sociedad General de Autores y Editores.
32. "Olivia Newton-John Chart History (Hot 100)".
33. "Olivia Newton-John Chart History (Dance Club Songs)".
34. "Olivia Newton-John Chart History Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)".
35. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending November 21, 1981". [[Cashbox (magazine).
36. Kimberley, Chris. (2000). "Zimbabwe : Zimbabwe Singles Chart Book".
37. "Canadian Digital Song Sales: Week of August 20, 2022".
38. (17 August 2022). "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of August 17, 2022".
39. "CU.S Digital Song Sales: Week of August 20, 2022".
40. (4 January 1982). "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". [[Kent Music Report]].
41. "Jaaroverzichten 1981 – Singles". [[Ultratop]].
42. (26 December 1981). "Top 100 Singles of 1981".
43. Racca, Guido. "musica e dischi Top 100 Year-End 1960 - 2018".
44. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1981". [[Dutch Top 40]].
45. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1981". [[Dutch Charts]].
46. "Scweizer Jahrehitparade 1981".
47. (26 December 1981). "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1981 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cashbox.
48. (3 January 1983). "National Top 100 Singles for 1982".
49. (25 December 1982). "Top 100 Singles of 82".
50. Racca, Guido. "musica e dischi Top 100 Year-End 1960 - 2018".
51. (2 January 2013). "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1982".
52. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1982". Offizielle Deutsche Charts.
53. Leight, Elias. (29 October 2014). "The Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 Hits of the 1980s".
54. Bronson, Fred. "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs".
55. (30 November 2017). "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs by Women".
56. "Kent Music Report No 453 – 28 February 1983 > Platinum and Gold Singles 1982". [[Kent Music Report]].
57. (30 January 1982). "'Physical' sales up.".