Physical

Physical by Olivia Newton John was the number one song on this day in 1981. It spent ten weeks at number one and was Olivia’s biggest hit. I didn’t love the song. It seemed kind of cheesy to me. If it comes on the radio now, I turn the channel.

Physical was written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick. It was originally going to be offered to Rod Stewart. Can you picture him singing it? I guess it’s kind of along the same lines as Do You Think I’m Sexy. Physical WAS offered to Tina Turner who turned it down. Good call, girlfriend. I can’t hear Tina singing that song at all.

This was kind of a slutty song. I think of Olivia Newton John as the sweet Sandy she portrayed in Grease. This song is more like the Sandy at the end of Grease where she’s transformed to a leather wearing vixen.

Lyrics

I gotta handle you just right
You know what I mean
I took you to an intimate restaurant
Then to a suggestive movie
There’s nothing left to talk about
Unless it’s horizontally
Let’s get physical, physical

Super slutty there, Olivia.

As mentioned earlier, Olivia Newton John and Physical spent ten weeks at the number one spot on the charts. Hall & Oates both preceded and followed Physical. Hall & Oates’ Private Eyes was the number one song before Olivia dethroned them. The duo came back with I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) to knock Physical out of the top spot. Take that, Olivia! Slut.

Physical was censored by some radio stations and even banned by others. I’m guessing the radio stations in Utah are the ones who banned it.

Physical was ranked by Billboard as number one on their Top 100 Songs of the 80’s AND their Top 50 Sexiest Songs of All Time. Yeah, I think they got that wrong. I might rank it in the top 100 of the 80’s somewhere (like around 98 or 99) but it wouldn’t even make the top 50 of my sexiest songs of all time. The people at Billboard need to get some soul.

Video

MTV was pretty new when Physical was released so the video got a ton of airtime. The video shows Olivia Newton John teasing fat men who are trying to exercise. I already hate it. Don’t tease fat people especially when they’re trying to better themselves. The people we should be teasing are those who ranked this song number one on the sexy chart.

The video ends with the fat guys turning into gay fit men. I don’t get it. Are they implying that men who are overweight are gay and hiding it with their fat?

I like Olivia Newton John but am not a fan of this song. It’s not sexy and it makes fun of fat guys. Maybe I have it all wrong. Feel free to correct me.