Perfect 10 (song)


"Perfect 10" is a song by The Beautiful South, released in 1998 as the first single from their sixth studio album, Quench. It reached number two on the UK Singles Chart and is the band's last top-ten single to date. It received a Gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry in 2013 for shipments of more than 400,000 copies.

Analysis

The verses of the song - sung alternately by Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott - are made up of a series of innuendos using clothing sizes and penis length to illustrate a loving relationship between two people who don't conform to modern stereotypes of physical perfection. The male vocal shows that although his partner is a little on the large side, she is a 'perfect 10' in his eyes. He also states, "the anorexic chicks, the model 6, they don't hold no weight with me," preferring instead to, "hold something I can see."
Likewise, the female vocal references penis size in several places, suggesting that "XXL" is unnecessary and that even when all her partner has to offer is "a poor poor 4, there ain't no man can replace."
The chorus to the song is sung by both male and female vocals, and confirms the theme of a happy and accepting relationship beyond ideas of conventional beauty, with Heaton and Abbott stating:
Paul Weller guested on guitar. Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim helped with arrangement.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

In popular culture

"Perfect 10" was seen as a 'tour classic' by The Beautiful South and it has been stated by Dave Stead that, "There are certain songs you just can't leave out...I think we would be lynched if we didn't play "Keep It All In", "Don't Marry Her" and "Perfect 10"."
This song also features in an episode of sitcom Phoenix Nights, where compere Jerry St Clair sings it in his own style.
"Perfect 10" also featured as the theme song of UK television series Fat Friends.