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Getting a Drag

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"Getting a Drag" was the second single released by Lynsey de Paul. The song was co-written with David Jordan,[1] and featured the de Paul penned b-side "Brandy". Released in November 1972 on MAM Records, the single entered the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 18 and was still in the charts in early 1973.[2] The single also reached number 46 on the German Singles Chart[3] and had a four week run on the Dutch Single Tip chart where it peaked at number 7.[4] It reached number 1 on the Israeli Galei Tzahal chart,[5] No. 2 on the Radio Northsea International chart,[6] and No. 12 in January 1973 on the Turkish singles chart as published in Milliyet.[7]

Chart performance

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Chart (1973) Peak
position
Israel 1
Turkey 12
UK 18
Germany 46


Reviews for the single from the music were positive, with the American magazine, Record World, writing "Ms De Paul, who scored quite a hit in England with "Sugar Me", returns with a "Lola" like story of sexual identity confusion. The rocking beat and expertly produced by Gordon Mills keeps this clever song a winner.[8] Commenting on her song, De Paul later said "This was my comment on the times and is about a girl who finds her boyfriend wearing her clothes and is angry, not because he is wearing them, but because he looks better than she does. It was tongue-in-cheek. I did it on Top Of The Pops when Marc Bolan was on set and was waiting to perform his song immediately afterwards".[9] In his article "'Children of the Revolution': Glam Rock and the 70s" published in the New Socialist, Toby Manning wrote "'Getting a Drag' cleverly using gender performativity to queer gender roles (“I thought you were a brother but you turned out like my mother”)".[10][11] The song appeared on the 2023 LP album Queer Sounds La Musique De Genres.[12]

Cover versions

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The song has also been covered by Franz Lambert, Excelsior on the album Música Em Sua Vida,[13] and most recently by a group named Grease Jar.[14] A Japanese language version by Kuko & Angels was released as their debut single in 1973.[15] The B-side was also covered by Miki Asakura with new lyrics as "Friday Night"[16] on her 1981 album Sexy Elegance.[17] In 1994, De Paul released a re-recorded and radically different version of the song on her Just a Little Time CD, as well as a remixed club version of the updated song.[18][19]

Awards

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De Paul's performance of "Getting a Drag" was a prize winning song at the second International Contest of the Tokyo Music Festival in 1973.[20] The song title was translated as "Sigh of Love" and De Paul was presented with the top singer performer award.[21] She was competing against other international artists such as Olivia Newton-John, Paul Williams, Lauren Copley and Mickey Newbury.[22]

Mentions in books

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The song is mentioned in a number of published books, such as In Perfect Harmony Singalong Pop in '70s Britain, by Will Hodgkinson[23] and Mixing Pop and Politics: A Marxist History of Popular Music.[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Getting a Drag". Repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  2. ^ "getting+a+drag | full Official Chart History". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  3. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts". Offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  4. ^ "Dutch Charts". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Lynsey De Paul - Getting A Drag at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2016-12-09. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  6. ^ "Radio Northsea International Top 30 – 1972 – Hitnoteringen". Hitnoteringen.nl. 2016-12-14. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  7. ^ "World singles charts and sales TOP 50 in 58 countries: TURKEY". Artisteschartsventes.blogspot.com. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Record World". Worldradiohistory.com. 1972-12-23. p. 18. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  9. ^ "Getting A Drag (re-recording) - From the Album 'Hit Singles Album' - LdP Music Store". Lynseydepaul.com. 2010-07-15. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  10. ^ "'Children of the Revolution': Glam Rock and the 70s". Newsocialist.org.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  11. ^ 'Children of the Revolution': Glam Rock and the 70s by Toby Manning, New Socialist, 16 October 2021
  12. ^ "Queer Sounds La Musique De Genres". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  13. ^ "Excelsior : Musica Em Sua Vida". Discogs.com. 1973. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  14. ^ "Grease Jar : Getting a Drag : 70's Rock Flashback, 2m 54sec". Iheart.com. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  15. ^ "クーコ&エンジェルス* – 愛のときめき". Discogs.com. 1973. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
  16. ^ "Song "Friday Night"". Musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Miki Asakura = 麻倉未稀* – Sexy Elegance = セクシーエレガンス". Discogs.com. 21 November 1981. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  18. ^ "Lynsey De Paul – Just A Little Time". Discogs.com. 1994. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  19. ^ "Lynsey De Paul – Lynsey De Paul". Discogs.com. 1994. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  20. ^ Billboard, 12 May 1973
  21. ^ Record Mirror, 5 May 1973, p. 5
  22. ^ Billboard, 17 March 1973, pp. 51/2
  23. ^ In Perfect Harmony Singalong Pop in '70s Britain, Will Hodgkinson, Publisher: AbeBooks, September 2022, ISBN 9781788705639
  24. ^ Mixing Pop and Politics: A Marxist History of Popular Music, Toby Manning, Publisher: Repeater, 14 May 2024, ISBN 9781913462673
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