Grease (song)

"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 1971 stage play of the same name. The song was released as a single by Valli in May 1978 and sold over seven million copies worldwide[1] and was featured twice on the film's soundtrack: as the first track and reprised as the final track. "Grease" was written specifically for the 1978 musical motion picture; it had not originated from the stage production.[2]

"Grease"
Artwork for Italian vinyl single
Single by Frankie Valli
from the album Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture and Frankie Valli... Is the Word
B-side"Grease" (Instrumental)
ReleasedMay 6, 1978
Recorded
Genre
Length3:21
LabelRSO
Songwriter(s)Barry Gibb
Producer(s)Gibb-Galuten-Richardson
Frankie Valli singles chronology
"Rainstorm"
(1977)		 "Grease"
(1978)		 "Save Me, Save Me"
(1978)

Background

Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey had written a different title track for Grease for its original Chicago production, but this song was discarded when the show was picked up on Broadway.[3] Barry Gibb was commissioned to compose a new title song for Robert Stigwood's film of the stage musical.[4]

Production

The song was recorded separately from, and later than, the rest of the film's songs. Shortly after the filming of the 1978 musical film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Gibb invited castmate Peter Frampton to play guitar on the Grease session. Gibb himself provided backing vocals. The other musicians were some of those from the Andy Gibb album that was being made around the same time.[5] Frankie Valli could sing in a vocal range similar to Barry's and, as a result, was asked to record it. When Valli recorded "Grease", he did not have a recording contract,[2] but after the single was released on the RSO label, which issued the soundtrack, Valli quickly landed a deal with Warner Bros.[6]

"Grease" was one of four original songs in the film, which were not part of the original musical, and it was the only one not performed by the cast. The film's director, Randal Kleiser, did not like the added songs because they did not fit the late-1950s/early 1960s style either musically or lyrically. This was especially true of "Grease", which used disco instrumentation and a contemporary 1970s beat; it was nonetheless left in.[5]

The film's opening title sequence animation was created by animator John David Wilson's Fine Arts Films studio.[7]

Reception

"Grease" became a number-one single in the United States in 1978 and also reached number forty on the R&B charts in the same year.[8] In 1978, Valli released a follow-up album, the title of which—Frankie Valli... Is the Word—echoes the "grease is the word" lyric contained in the chorus of "Grease".[9] "Grease" remains Valli's most recent hit on the Billboard Hot 100.[10]

The Bee Gees never recorded a studio version of this song, however, they later performed the song in their One Night Only tour from 1997 until 1999 and included a performance with Valli on their live album, One Night Only (September 1998).

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Cover versions

References
  1. ""My Eyes Adored You" - Frankie Valli". Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  2. "Grease by Frankie Valli - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  3. "Bring back our own, original R-rated Grease". January 8, 2009. Archived from the original on November 17, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  4. "Grease (1978) Soundtracks". IMDB.
  5. "Gibb Songs : 1978". www.columbia.edu.
  6. Frankie Valli - Grease (Official Audio). Rhino Entertainment (Audio). February 15, 2019. Event occurs at 0:01. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  7. "Famed Animator John David Wilson Dies at 93". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  8. "Frankie Valli Billboard". Allmusic. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  9. "Frankie Valli...Is the Word – Frankie Valli". AllMusic. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  10. "'Grease' at 40: Olivia Newton-John, Frankie Valli & John Farrar Reflect on the Blockbuster Songs". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. "Ultratop.be – Frankie Valli – Grease" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  13. "RPM 100 Singles". RPM. Vol. 29 no. 6. September 23, 1978. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  14. "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. October 6, 1978. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Frankie Valli – Grease". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  16. Jaclyn Ward - Fireball Media Ltd (October 1, 1962). "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Frankie Valli – Grease" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  18. "Charts.nz – Frankie Valli – Grease". Top 40 Singles.
  19. "Norwegiancharts.com – Frankie Valli – Grease". VG-lista.
  20. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved September 5, 2018.
  21. "Listas de superventas: 1978". February 12, 2010.
  22. "Swedishcharts.com – Frankie Valli – Grease". Singles Top 100.
  23. "Swisscharts.com – Frankie Valli – Grease". Swiss Singles Chart.
  24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  25. "Frankie Valli Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  26. "Frankie Valli Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  27. "Cash Box Top 100". Cash Box. September 9, 1978.
  28. "Top 200 Singles of '78". RPM. Vol. 30 no. 14. December 30, 1978. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  29. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1978". Dutch Charts (Hung Medien).
  30. "Top Selling Singles of 1978". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  31. 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.
  32. "Pop Singles". Billboard ("Billboard Talent in Action" supplement). December 23, 1978. p. TIA-18.
  33. "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1978". Cash Box. December 30, 1978.
  34. "Canadian single certifications – Frankie Valli – Grease". Music Canada.
  35. Scapolo, Dean (1997). New Zealand Music Charts 1966–1996: Singles. Wellington, New Zealand: IPL Books. ISBN 978-0-90887-600-6.
  36. "British single certifications – Frankie Valli – Grease". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Grease in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  37. "American single certifications – Frankie Valli – Grease". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  38. "CRAIG MCLACHLAN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
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