Put that Thing Away - "You Sexy Thing"

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There are hit singles that have a short shelf-life, and there are hit singles that take on a life of their own. British band Hot Chocolate’s 1975 single, “You Sexy Thing,” is firmly in the latter category. At first, producer Mickey Most didn’t think the song would be a hit, so he stuck it on the back of another Hot Chocolate single. After starting life as a B-Side, a re-recorded version was given its proper due and released as an A-Side, which reached Top 20 chart status in 10 countries. “You Sexy Thing” was just getting started, however. A 1987 remixed version hit in 7 countries, Top 10 in 5 of those, and was included on the band’s compilation album, The Very Best of Hot Chocolate. Still not finished, the song’s use in the 1997 film, The Full Monty, propelled a re-release to #6 in Britain. And, notably, you might remember the tune from a Burger King Whopper commercial. It was a Double Whopper, and it was sexy as hell on tv. After all of that, “You Sexy Thing” is the only song to have reached the Top 10 on the British chart in the 1970’s/1980’s/1990’s. And despite a strong catalog of music, it remains Hot Chocolate’s best-known tune. Now that’s a shelf life! R.I.P., Errol. Link is to the band performing the song on the German television show, Disco: