Grease (song)

"Grease"
Single by Frankie Valli
from the album Grease
B-side	"Grease" (Instrumental)
Released	May 1978
Format	7" vinyl single
Recorded	April 1978 Criteria Studios (Miami, Florida)
Genre	Funk rock disco
Length	3:21
Label	RSO
Writer(s)	Barry Gibb
Producer(s)	Gibb-Galuten-Richardson
Frankie Valli singles chronology
"Rainstorm" (1977) Grease (1978) "Save Me, Save Me" (1978)

"Grease" is a song written by Barry Gibb and performed by Frankie Valli. "Grease" is the title song for the 1978 musical motion picture Grease, which was based on the stage play of the same name. It was featured twice on the film's soundtrack, as the first track and reprised as the final track.

Background

Barry Gibb wrote a title song to order for the Robert Stigwood film of the stage musical Grease.^[1] Since it is heard only in the animated opening credits, it did not need to be recorded before filming. The song was recorded shortly after filming of the 1978 musical film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which was probably when Gibb invited Peter Frampton to the session. Frampton plays guitar on the recording, while Gibb himself provides backing vocals. The other musicians were some of those from the Andy Gibb album that was being made around the same time.^[2]

Valli is known for his powerful falsetto voice, but on this track he does not sing in his upper range. The film director Randal Kleiser did not like "Grease" and the new song "You’re The One That I Want" because they did not fit the '50s style musically or lyrically.^[2] It became a No. 1 single in the United States in 1978 and also reached No. 40 on the R&B charts in the same year.^[3] It would be Valli's final song to reach number one.

The Bee Gees later performed the song in their tour One Night Only in 1997 until 1999, and captured on their live offering One Night Only.

Personnel

• Frankie Valli — lead vocals
• Barry Gibb — backing vocals
• Peter Frampton — guitar
• Harold Cowart — bass
• Ron Ziegler — drums
• Karl Richardson — engineer

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1978) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 4 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 1 Germany (Official German Charts)[7] 24 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] 3 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] 2 Norway (VG-lista)[10] 4 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 6 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] 7 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[13] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[14] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[15] 13 US Cash Box Top 100[16] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1978) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 18 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17] 6 Netherlands (Nationale Hitparade)[18] 30 New Zealand (RMNZ)[19] 12 UK (British Market Research Bureau)[20] 29 US Billboard Hot 100[21] 11 US Cash Box Top 100[22] 11 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/Sales Canada (Music Canada)[23] Platinum 100,000^^ New Zealand (RMNZ)[24] Gold 5,000^* United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Gold 500,000^^ United States (RIAA)[26] Platinum 2,000,000^^ ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Cover versions

• "Grease" was covered by experimental metal band Dog Fashion Disco and included as a hidden track on their album Committed to a Bright Future.
• The song's chorus is sung by Mike Patton on the Mr. Bungle song "Travolta" from the band's self-titled major label debut album.
• The song was covered by Italian singer Mina in her 1986's album Si, buana.
• Craig McLachlan covered the song in 1993 and it reached #44 in the UK.
• Part of the song was interpolated in "Joints & Jam", a 1998 single by The Black Eyed Peas as well as being heard in the song "Blue Angels" by Pras released in the same year. The song was covered by UK girl group Girls Aloud. It was also sampled by De La Soul on their 1991 song "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays".
• A single "The Word" by the group Dope Smugglaz was released in 1998. It was later remixed by PMT for the 2001 soundtrack to the motion picture Swordfish. Both versions contain samples repeating "is the word" throughout the song.
• The opening horn line was sampled in the 2001 single "Rock the Party" by British pop group Five, as well as in the track "I Want You" by Paris Hilton on her debut album in 2006.
• In 2011, the song was parodied by The Fringemunks to recap Fringe episode 3.07, "The Abducted." ^[27]
• Jessie J performed a special arrangement of the song for the 2016 Fox special Grease: Live. Her performance is shot in one take.^[28]

References

1. "Grease (1978) Soundtracks". IMDB.
2. Gibb Songs 1978
3. "Frankie Valli Billboard". Allmusic. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
5. "Ultratop.be – Frankie Valli – Grease" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
6. "RPM 100 Singles". RPM. Vol. 29 no. 6. September 23, 1978. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
7. "Musicline.de – Frankie Valli Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
8. "Dutchcharts.nl – Frankie Valli – Grease" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
9. "Charts.org.nz – Frankie Valli – Grease". Top 40 Singles.
10. "Norwegiancharts.com – Frankie Valli – Grease". VG-lista.
11. "Swedishcharts.com – Frankie Valli – Grease". Singles Top 100.
12. "Swisscharts.com – Frankie Valli – Grease". Swiss Singles Chart.
13. "Archive Chart: 1978-19-30" UK Singles Chart.
14. "Frankie Valli – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Frankie Valli.
15. "Frankie Valli – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Frankie Valli.
16. "Cash Box Top 100". Cash Box. September 9, 1978.
17. "Top 200 Singles of '78". RPM. Vol. 30 no. 14. December 30, 1978. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
18. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1978". Dutch Charts (Hung Medien).
19. "Top Selling Singles of 1978". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
20. Scaping, Peter, ed. (1979). "Top 200 Singles in 1978". BPI Year Book 1979 (4th ed.). London, England: The British Phonographic Industry Ltd. pp. 186–89. ISBN 0-906154-02-2.
21. "Pop Singles". Billboard ("Billboard Talent in Action" supplement). December 23, 1978. p. TIA-18.
22. "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1978". Cash Box. December 30, 1978.
23. "Canadian single certifications – Frankie Valli – Grease". Music Canada.
24. Scapolo, Dean (1997). New Zealand Music Charts 1966–1996: Singles. Wellington, New Zealand: IPL Books. ISBN 978-0-90887-600-6.
25. "British single certifications – Frankie Valli – Grease". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Grease in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
26. "American single certifications – Frankie Valli – Grease". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
27. Fringemunks website
28. http://www.people.com/article/grease-live-carly-rae-jepsen-playing-frenchy-jessie-j-performing