Olivia Newton-John Songs - Physical Lyrics

Olivia Newton-John - Physical

Olivia Newton-John - Physical Youtube Music Videos and Lyrics

Album: Physical
Released: 1981

Physical Lyrics

I'm sayin' all the things that I know you'll like
Making good conversation 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 'less it's horizontally

Let's get Physical, physical, I wanna get physical, let's get into physical
Let me hear your body talk, your body talk, let me hear your body talk
Let's get physical, physical, I wanna get physical, let's get into physical
Let me hear your body talk, your body talk, let me hear your body talk

I've been patient, I've been good, try'n to keep my hands on the table
It's gettin' hard this holdin' back, you know what I mean
I'm sure you'll understand my point of view, we know each other mentally
You've gotta know that you're bringin' out the animal in me

Let's get physical, physical, I wanna get physical, let's get into physical
Let me hear your body talk, your body talk, let me hear your body talk
Let's get physical, physical, I wanna get physical, let's get into physical
Let me hear your body talk, your body talk, let me hear your body talk

Oh let's get physical, physical, I wanna get physical, let's get into physical
Let me hear your body talk, your body talk, let me hear your body talk
Let's get animal, animal, I wanna get animal, let's get into animal
Let me hear your body talk, your body talk, let me hear your body talk
Let me hear your body talk, let me hear your body talk

Writer/s: KIPNER, STEPHEN / SHADDICK, TERRY
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, TERRY SHADDICK MUSIC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Physical Song Chart

You know how at the end of the movie Grease Olivia Newton-John transforms from a chaste good girl into a leather-clad vixen? She was definitely in vixen mode for this song, which if you are at all paying attention to the lyrics, is blatantly about sex: "There's nothin' left to talk about unless it's horizontally."

Olivia's real life image was far more modest than what she portrays in this song, and she was concerned about how she would be perceived. Her managers talked her into recording it, as they knew they had a huge hit on their hands.

Songwriters Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick came up with this song, which was originally titled "Let's Get Physical." Instead of writing about the emotions of love, they decided to write this about the physical side, which many listeners found very refreshing in a pop song. Other songs Kipner helped write include "Hard Habit To Break" by Chicago and "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera.

The song was released about a month after MTV went on the air, so the video got a lot of spins on the new channel. In the clip, Newton-John is shown teasing fat men as they try to exercise in some kind of locker room/gym. The whole idea of the video as to distract from the fact that the song is about sex, and fat guys working out accomplished that goal.

Aerobics was just gaining popularity when the song came out, and the video jumped on the trend and included some scenes where Olivia leads a cardio routine the guys can't handle. Eventually, the fat guys are replaced by fit, muscular men who ignore Olivia and pair off, indicating that they are gay. Despite the lascivious themes, the video was a huge commercial and critical hit - it won the Grammy for Video of the Year.

This was a #1 hit in the US for an amazing 10 weeks. The only song to that point that stayed at #1 longer was Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog." In America, it was the best-selling single of the '80s.

For 9 of the 10 weeks that this song topped the charts, "Waiting For A Girl Like You" by Foreigner was the runner-up. When "Physical" did finally fall, it was replaced at #1 by "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" by Hall & Oates. The #2 song that week: "Waiting For A Girl Like You" for the 10th consecutive week.

A few radio stations in conservative communities (including Salt Lake City, Utah) refused to play this song because of its veiled sexual content. This just added to the song's popularity and didn't hurt Olivia's reputation as one of the least offensive women in music.

After this was released, Newton-John appeared on a US TV special called Olivia Newton-John: Let's Get Physical, which featured this and other songs from her album, along with little skits where we got to know her better. Olivia did a great job of using her acting talents to promote her music, and these TV specials got a huge audience in the days when there weren't a lot of viewing options.

The video was directed by Brian Grant, whose experience was mostly on British TV shows. It was his idea to make fun of the overtly sexual lyrics by setting the video in a gym, and the gay reveal at the end (long before "Call Me Maybe"), was also his idea. The choreographer on the shoot was Kenny Ortega, who had worked with Newton-John on the movie Xanadu.

A slow and sultry version was recorded by Kylie Minogue for the movie Moulin Rouge, but it was cut by director Baz Luhrmann. Minogue as the Green Fairy was to have performed this song in the movie. (thanks, Ross - Brisbane, Australia)

In 1999 remixed versions of the song, (titled "Physical '99: Single Edit," "Neutron Bomb Mix," "Mustard Deep Dub," & "Mustard Full Vocal") with different vocals and an added vocal bridge, were to be released in the UK, but the single was pulled at the last minute.

On her Fall 2002 "Heartstrings Tour," Olivia performed an unplugged/Bosa-Nova style version of this that was a true crowd pleaser. Due to popular demand by her fans, Olivia recorded this version of the song and included it as an unlisted "bonus" track on her Australian duets album (Nov 2002) called 2. (thanks, James - Minneapolis, MN, for above 2)

This was used in a Tropicana Light advertisement that featured oranges exercising. (thanks, Tiffany - Dover, FL)

In a survey by Billboard magazine based on each song's performance on the Hot 100 chart, this was named the #1 Sexiest Song Of All Time. The runner-up was Rod Stewart's "Tonight's The Night," followed by Boyz II Men's "I'll Make Love To You" in third place.