In November 1981, Olivia Newton-John took the ultimate risk, trading her clean-cut country-pop image for a provocative anthem that pushed boundaries.
“Physical” sparked a commotion among radio stations across the country, which pulled the track from their playlists for its suggestive lyrics. Still, the moral outrage surrounding the song only fueled its momentum.
Over a historic 10-week run atop the Billboard Hot 100, “Physical” became a commercial smash. It dethroned Daryl Hall and John Oates’ “Private Eyes” and trapped Foreigner’s rock masterpiece, “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” in the No. 2 spot for nine straight weeks.
What began as an attempt to change Newton-John’s image from country-pop princess to sophisticated icon became one of the most unexpected controversies in 1980s music. Her early career was based on squeaky-clean country crossover hits like “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)” and Grease’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” However, Newton-John was eager to embrace a bolder sound.
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“Physical,” written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, was the song she was looking for. It was initially pitched to both Rod Stewart and Tina Turner before Newton-John decided to record it.
The song’s memorable video jumped on the era’s exercise trend, borrowing its look from the workout craze made famous by Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons, per Billboard. The outlet wrote, “She donned spandex, a headband and a more economical, Princess Diana-reminiscent haircut in the video, while the motivational speak of aerobics classes informed — and offered plausible deniability for — the song’s otherwise sexually forward chorus hook.”
The result was a hit unlike any other Newton-John had previously had. She told Entertainment Weekly in 2017, “I recorded it and then suddenly thought, ‘Goodness, maybe I’ve gone too far!’ It was a bit raunchier than I realized.”
Olivia Newton-John in the ‘Physical’ video/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesShe continued, “I called Roger [Davies, her talent manager] and said, ‘We’ve got to pull this song!’ He said, ‘It’s too late. It’s already gone to radio, and it’s running up the charts.’ I was horrified! I said, ‘Oh, wow…um…yeah…okay…well, maybe we should do a video, and it should be about exercise—yeah! That’s it! Let’s make it about working out!'”
The strategy didn’t diffuse the controversy; it supercharged it. The ban created an irresistible curiosity and drove millions of fans to record stores.
In 2021, the singer and actress told Entertainment Tonight she was “honored” that “Physical” held such a pivotal place in pop music history. However, she never believed that the racy tune would remain so beloved.
She explained, “I’m honored and the people still love the song 40 years later,” she notes. “I’m thrilled for Stevie [Kipner] because he wrote it and I never dreamt in my life that ‘Physical,’ 40 years later, people would still be loving it. I feel very lucky.”
However, Olivia Newton-John was far from done with the charts after her historic Billboard run. She quickly proved “Physical” wasn’t a fluke by dropping back-to-back hits in 1982, “Make a Move on Me” and “Heart Attack.” She closed out 1983 with “Twist of Fate,” the theme song from the feature film Two of a Kind, a romantic comedy that reunited her on-screen with her beloved Grease co-star John Travolta.
Related: 1975 John Denver Heartbreak Hit Hid a Collaboration With a Crossover Country Superstar
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