"You're the One That I Want" was one of the two singles, along with "Hopelessly Devoted to You", that Farrar wrote specifically for Newton-John's appearance in the film that had not been in the original stage musical. Randal Kleiser, the film's director, was not fond of this song because he felt that it did not mesh well with the rest of the Warren Casey-Jim Jacobs score.
Synopsis
Danny Zuko, leader of the T-Birds, has recently lettered in cross-country running in an effort to win back his estranged girlfriend Sandy Olsson ; unbeknownst to him, Sandy, who has been conflicted about her upright and proper etiquette in a school full of brash greasers, has herself transformed into a greaser queen to win back Danny. In the song, Danny expresses pleasant shock and arousal at Sandy's transformation, with Sandy responding that Danny must "shape up" to prove himself capable of treating Sandy the right way. The song originally written at this point in the original musical, "All Choked Up", was similar in theme, but different in style, written as a pastiche of Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up" and with Sandy being more provocative. "All Choked Up" was one of two songs from the Jacobs/Casey score that was excised completely from both the film and the film's soundtrack. Most 21st-century performances of the musical also include "You're the One That I Want" instead of "All Choked Up".
Chart history
Upon its release in conjunction with the film, the single became a huge international hit, reaching number 1 in several countries. In the United States, the single reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and on July 18 was certified Platinum for shipments exceeding 2 million copies. It also topped the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks in the summer of 1978, some months before the film had even been released in that country. As of 2018, it is still the fifth best-selling single of all time in the United Kingdom, where it has sold two million copies. In Australia, the single spent nine non consecutive weeks at Number one, from June 28, 1978 – July 3, 1978 & then from August 21, 1978 - October 2, 1978 and became the best charting single of the year. Had Boney M's Rivers of Babylon not spent six weeks at number one in the intervening period, when "You're the One That I Want" was hovering at number two, the smash hit from would have spent 15 weeks at number one in Australia, outdoing the longest stay at number one in Australian chart history, "Fernando" by Abba, which clocked up 14 weeks at the top in 1976.
The 1998 're-release'
A re-released "Martian remix" of the single by PolyGram Records reached #4 in the United Kingdom and #27 in Australia in 1998, the twentieth anniversary of the film's debut.
British comedians Arthur Mullard and Hylda Baker also released a version of the song in 1978. Their version reached No. 22 in the United Kingdom. In 1978, the German comedians Dieter Hallervorden and Helga Feddersen released a parody version under the title Du, die Wanne ist voll. The song reached position number four in the German charts. In 1982, Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song featuring Charlene in their album The Chipmunks Go Hollywood. In 1984, Kids Incorporated covered "You're the One That I Want" in the Season 1 episode "Civic Day Parade". Kids Incorporated covered "You're the One That I Want" again in 1985 in the Season 2 episode "Decade of Hits". In 1993, Epic Records released the London cast recording, Grease - Original London Cast Recording, and "You're the One That I Want" was issued as the lead single by Craig McLachlan and Debbie Gibson. It peaked at number thirteen in the UK. The song serves as the source of the title of the American reality TV show . In 2012, a cover version by Angus & Julia Stone was used in commercials for Sky UK. In 2013, a synthpop cover version by Lo-Fang reached no. 38 in France & no. 194 in the United Kingdom. The song was covered for the video game Just Dance 2016, as the song appears in-game. In 2017, a cover version by Stephanie Tarling was used in commercials for the Microsoft Surface Laptop. In 2018, the Foo Fighters performed the cover three times, Lexington KY, Tampa, FL and another at the festival Welcome to Rockville featuring John Travolta coming on stage.
