Can a rock star score the biggest hit of his life with a disco song? The first episode of Coverist tells the story of Rod Stewart's "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy", a song that won over the public and enraged the critics at the same time.
Disco, the music of the night
In the mid-seventies, disco climbed out of New York's basements and clubs and became a worldwide wave: music for the body, for a beat that never stops, for a few hours away from everyday life. Disco also had enemies, and for a rock singer, going near it was a real risk.
The rock star who took the risk
Rod Stewart made his name with the Faces and the Jeff Beck Group and hit his peak with "Maggie May". In 1978, recording Blondes Have More Fun in America while the Rolling Stones' "Miss You" was everywhere, he decided to make a disco song. His drummer Carmine Appice wrote most of the music; Rod wrote the famous chorus himself.
The explosion
Released in November 1978, the song went to number one in the US, the UK and many other countries, the biggest hit of Stewart's career. Critics wrote that he had sold out; the public kept pressing play.
A joke about "lounge lizards"
The lyrics tell a simple story of one night at a club: a nervous guy, a girl waiting, and one question. Its writers later said the song was really a joke about the shiny-suited men of the Saturday Night Fever era. In the episode we read the lyrics together.
Taj Mahal and an unconscious borrowing
Brazilian musician Jorge Ben said the chorus closely resembled his song "Taj Mahal". Stewart didn't deny it, calling it "unconscious plagiarism" of a melody he had heard on a trip to Rio. The matter was settled quietly, and Stewart gave the song's earnings to UNICEF.
Related songs in this episode
- Chic – Le Freak
- The Rolling Stones – Miss You
- Daft Punk – Get Lucky
- Jorge Ben – Taj Mahal
- Bobby Womack – (If You Want My Love) Put Something Down On It
Covers of Da Ya Think I'm Sexy
In this episode we play and compare:
- Tom Jones
- Hoobastank
- Cassandra Beck
- Paris Hilton
- Triggerfinger feat. Little Trouble Kids
- Sean Finn feat. Bodybangers
- Carmine Appice feat. Pat Travers