Some Like It Hot (song)

"Some Like It Hot" is a song by British-American band the Power Station. It was the first single released from the group's 1985 eponymous debut album. Released by Parlophone Records in 1985, the song features loud, prominent drum beats from Tony Thompson and lead vocals from Robert Palmer. The video featured model Caroline Cossey (also known as Tula).^[2] It was the band's biggest hit, peaking at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number four in Australia.

"Some Like It Hot"
Single by the Power Station
from the album The Power Station
B-side	"The Heat Is On"
Released	4 March 1985
Genre	Funk rock^[1]
Length	5:05 (LP version) 3:43 (7-inch version)
Label	Parlophone Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Andy Taylor John Taylor Robert Palmer
Producer(s)	Bernard Edwards
The Power Station singles chronology
"Some Like It Hot" (1985) "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" (1985)
Music video
"Some Like It Hot" on YouTube

Background

Bassist John Taylor said on the creation of the song: "What we really wanted to do was put this drummer out there in a way that we felt he deserved, so that song particularly was sort of designed to really showcase Tony. I flew to Nassau in the Bahamas, which was where Robert Palmer lived at the time, and played him the demo that Andy and I had written and said, 'We've got this idea that we're calling "Some Like It Hot."' And he just looked at me and said, 'And some sweat when the heat is on.' I was, like, 'Yes! That'll do...'"^[3]

The Power Station were living a lavish, drug-fueled lifestyle during the recording of the album, which made focusing difficult.^[4] "I had to be, like, strapped to the desk if I was gonna get a bass line finished, because I was just all over the place," John Taylor said.^[3]

Track listings

UK and US 7-inch single

1. "Some Like It Hot"  – 3:45
2. "The Heat Is On"  – 3:20

UK and US 12-inch single

1. "Some Like It Hot and the Heat Is On"  – 6:36
2. "Some Like It Hot"  – 3:45
3. "The Heat Is On"  – 3:20

• also released as a 12-inch picture disc in the UK

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1985) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)^[5] 4 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[6] 10 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[7] 6 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[8] 9 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[9] 9 Ireland (IRMA)^[10] 15 Japan (Oricon)^[11] 98 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[12] 15 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[13] 9 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[14] 8 South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[15] 10 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[16] 13 UK Singles (OCC)^[17] 14 US Billboard Hot 100^[18] 6 US Hot Dance/Disco Club Play (Billboard)^[19] 17 West Germany (Official German Charts)^[20] 16

Year-end charts Chart (1985) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)^[21] 40 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[22] 80 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[23] 95 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[24] 89 US Billboard Hot 100^[25] 79

In popular culture

"Some Like It Hot" was used for CBS Daytime advertising campaigns in 1985 and 2022.^[26] The song was also used in the films National Lampoon's European Vacation and Hello Ladies: The Movie and in the TV shows Family Guy, Will & Grace and The Carrie Diaries.

References

1. DeCurtis, Anthony; Henke, James; George-Warren, Holly, eds. (1992). The Rolling Stone Album Guide: Completely New Reviews : Every Essential Album, Every Essential Artist (3rd ed.). Random House. p. 552. ISBN 0-679-73729-4.
2. Busey, Kelli (16 July 2015). "Caroline Tula Cossey, 007, Playboy model and Trans advocate". Planet Transgender. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
3. "Duran Duran bassist John Taylor on some of the band's most famous songs". The A.V. Club. 31 July 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
4. "Coke & Wet: The Power Station Versus Arcadia". The Quietus. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 235. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
6. "The Power Station – Some Like It Hot" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
7. "The Power Station – Some Like It Hot" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
8. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0524." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
9. "European Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 2, no. 14. 8 April 1985. p. 6.
10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Some Like It Hot". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
11. Oricon Chart Book: Artist Series 1968-1987. Tokyo: Original Confidence. 1988. ISBN 978-4871310215.
12. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 15, 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
13. "The Power Station – Some Like It Hot" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
14. "The Power Station – Some Like It Hot". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
15. "SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Songs S". rock.co.za. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
16. "The Power Station – Some Like It Hot". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
18. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 670.
19. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 206.
20. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Power Station – Some Like It Hot". GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
21. "Kent Music Report No 599 – 30 December 1985 > National Top 100 Singles for 1985". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 23 January 2023 – via Imgur.
22. "RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. Retrieved 14 January 2023 – via Library and Archives Canada.
23. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
24. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1985" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
25. "1985 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. 28 December 1985. p. T-21.
26. "CBS Brings Back Iconic 'Feel the Heat' Daytime Campaign from 1985". 8 June 2022.