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{{Short description|1996 single by Babybird}}
{{Infobox song
| name = You're Gorgeous
Line 6 ⟶ 7:
| artist = [[Babybird]]
| album = [[Ugly Beautiful]]
| B-side =
* "You're Gorgeous Too" * " * "KW Jesus TV Roof Appeal"
* "Bébé Limonade"
* "Ooh Yeah"
* "Carcrash"
| released = {{start date|1996|9|30|df=y}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = [[
| length = 3:44
| label = [[The Echo Label|Echo]]
| writer = [[Stephen Jones (Babybird)|Stephen Jones]]
| producer =
* Stephen Jones * [[Steve Power]] | prev_title = [[Goodnight (Babybird song)|Goodnight]]
| prev_year = 1996
| next_title = Candy Girl
| next_year = 1997
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|NFhclaf8wlY|"You're Gorgeous"}}}}
}}
"'''You're Gorgeous'''" is a song by British musical project [[Babybird]], released as a commercial single by [[The Echo Label]] on 30 September 1996. Babybird member [[Stephen Jones (Babybird)|Stephen Jones]] wrote the song and co-produced it with [[Steve Power]]. It was their only top-10 hit on the [[UK Singles Chart]], peaking at number three, and reached the top 40 in Australia, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and Sweden. ''[[Melody Maker]]'' ranked "You're Gorgeous" number 11 in their list of "Singles of the Year" of 1996.<ref name="melodymaker">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53760986465/|title=Singles Of The Year|magazine=[[Melody Maker]]|date=21 December 1996|page=68|access-date=5 June 2024}}</ref> It is also the track for which the band is best known.
==Lyrical meaning==
The song's lyrics are interpreted to describe the way a photographer exploits his models. The track is often mistaken as a love song due to the way it is initially presented, with one person complimenting the other until it is revealed that the narrator is a female model speaking to the photographer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=8242|title=Lyrics|publisher=Songfacts|access-date=13 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/1996/week-ending-october-12th-1996|title=Week Ending October 12th 1996|last=Masterton|first=James|author-link=James Masterton|publisher=Chart Watch UK|date=6 October 1996|access-date=3 October 2021}}</ref>
==Critical reception==
[[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] from [[AllMusic]] (who gave the ''[[Ugly Beautiful]]'' album 4.5 stars out of 5) praised the song as an "effortlessly catchy" [[Pop music|pop]] single, which "positively radiates with twisted sexuality".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ugly-beautiful-mw0000028349|title=Ugly Beautiful Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=13 March 2022}}</ref> ''[[The Independent]]'' wrote, "Take the hit single "You're Gorgeous" – ostensibly a love ballad of warm togetherness, but, like [[R.E.M. (band)|REM]]'s "[[The One I Love (R.E.M. song)|The One I Love]]", actually carrying more sinister undercurrents. In this case, its the song's pitiable account of pornographic devotion – having ice-cubes rubbed on chests, being photographed with legs pulled apart on car bonnets, and being paid £20 with vague promises of being seen in a magazine – all endured for infatuation's sake, because the snapper is so gorgeous."<ref>"Babybird Review". ''[[The Independent]]''. 18 October 1996.</ref>
Kevin Courtney from ''[[Irish Times]]'' named it a "catchy, slightly risque surprise hit".<ref>Courtney, Kevin (7 February 1997). "Single File". ''[[Irish Times]]''.</ref> Ian Watson from ''[[Melody Maker]]'' was negative, saying, "This single starts haughty, moves onto vain and ends up sickeningly narcissistic, with the stupid singer bloke directing the central ''you're gorgeous'' line to his own sneering monkey face in the shattered mirror."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Ian|last=Watson|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53720618782/|title=Singles|magazine=[[Melody Maker]]|date=28 September 1996|page=52|access-date=17 May 2024}}</ref> Another ''Melody Maker'' editor, [[Caitlin Moran]], wrote that the lyrics, "with their ''Legs pulled apart'' and ice ''rubbed on your chest'', are about sticky porny photographers hunting beaver shots from models. Steve's quietly, humorously and hornily feminist: ''Will you lick my candy, girl (And I don't mean that rudely)?'' gives you a fairly good idea of his world-view."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Caitlin|last=Moran|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53730269573/|title=Albums|magazine=[[Melody Maker]]|date=19 October 1996|page=54|access-date=28 May 2024|author-link=Caitlin Moran}}</ref> A reviewer from ''[[Music Week]]'' gave it four out of five, adding, "Filling the void between [[Vic Reeves]] and [[Bono]], Stephen Jones's rich baritone is a svelte joy on this rather flimsy tale of tank tops and snapshots."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-09-21.pdf|title=Reviews: Singles|magazine=[[Music Week]]|date=21 September 1996|page=14|accessdate=5 September 2021}}</ref>
==Impact and legacy==
In December 1996, British magazine ''[[Melody Maker]]'' ranked "You're Gorgeous" number eleven in their list of "Singles of the Year", writing, "Tipping the conventional paean to physical perfection on its arse, [[Sheffield]]'s bedsit balladeer [[Stephen Jones (Babybird)|Steve Jones]] came up trumps with this tale of a (male) model whose strings are pulled by a (female) photographer."<ref name="melodymaker"/>
==Track listings==
All songs were written by Stephen Jones.
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
* '''UK CD1'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=You're Gorgeous|others=[[Babybird]]|year=1996|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=[[The Echo Label]]|id=ECS CD26}}</ref>
# "You're Gorgeous"
# "You're Gorgeous Too"
# "Hing King Blues"
# "KW Jesus TV Roof Appeal"
* '''UK CD2'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=You're Gorgeous|others=Babybird|year=1996|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=The Echo Label|id=ECS CX26}}</ref>
# "You're Gorgeous"
# "Bébé Limonade"
# "Ooh Yeah"
# "Carcrash"
* '''UK 7-inch gold vinyl single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=You're Gorgeous|others=Babybird|year=1996|type=UK 7-inch single sleeve|publisher=The Echo Label|id=ECS 026}}</ref>
:A1. "You're Gorgeous"
:B1. "You're Gorgeous Too"
:B2. "Bébé Limonade"
{{col-2}}
* '''UK cassette single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=You're Gorgeous|others=Babybird|year=1996|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=The Echo Label|id=ECSMC 26}}</ref>
:A1. "You're Gorgeous"
:A2. "You're Gorgeous Too"
:B1. "You're Gorgeous"
:B2. "Bébé Limonade"
* '''European and Australian CD single'''<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=You're Gorgeous|others=Babybird|year=1996|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=The Echo Label|id=MCD 80135}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=You're Gorgeous|others=Babybird|year=1996|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Liberation Records, The Echo Label|id=D1488}}</ref>
# "You're Gorgeous"
# "Bébé Limonade" (featuring Olivia Trench)
# "You're Gorgeous Too"
# "Carcrash"
{{col-end}}
==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1996–1998)
!Peak<br/>position
|-
{{single chart|Australia|28|artist=Babybird|song=You're Gorgeous|rowheader=true|access-date=11 April 2018}}
|-
{{
|-
!scope="row"|Europe ([[European Hot 100 Singles|Eurochart Hot 100]])<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1996/MM-1996-10-26.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=[[Music & Media]]|volume=13|issue=43|date=26 October 1996|page=17|access-date=25 January 2020}}</ref>
| 30
|-
{{
|-
{{
|-
!
| 2
|-
{{
|-
!scope="row"|Italy (''[[Musica e dischi]]'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1998/BB-1998-05-02.pdf|title=Hits of the World – Italy|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=110|issue=18|page=18|date=2 May 1998|access-date=4 June 2020}}</ref>
| 18
|-
{{
|-
{{
|-
{{
|-
{{single chart|UK|3|date=19961012|rowheader=true|access-date=11 April 2018}}
|}
{{col-2}}
===Year-end charts===
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1996)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles 1996|magazine=[[Music Week]]|page=25|date=18 January 1997}}</ref>
| 30
|}
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1997)
!Position
|-
!scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2963913?iabr=on#page/n15/mode/2up/|title=Árslistinn 1997 – Íslenski Listinn – 100 Vinsælustu Lögin|newspaper=Dagblaðið Vísir|language=is|page=25|date=2 January 1998|access-date=16 February 2020}}</ref>
| 88
|}
{{col-end}}
==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Babybird|title=You're Gorgeous|award=Platinum|relyear=2004|certyear=2021|id=8452-9-1|access-date=3 September 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
==Release history==
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
!scope="col"|Region
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Format(s)
!scope="col"|Label(s)
!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
!scope="row"|United Kingdom
|30 September 1996
|{{hlist|CD|cassette}}
|[[The Echo Label|Echo]]
|<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-09-28.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=57|date=28 September 1996|access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" rowspan="2"|United States
|31 October 1997
|{{hlist|[[Modern rock]]|[[Adult album alternative|triple A]] radio}}
|rowspan="2"|[[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
|<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Baby Bird Hopes to Take Wing in U.S.|last=Reece|first=Doug|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=109|issue=37|page=22|date=13 September 1997|quote=Atlantic will begin working 'You're Gorgeous' at modern rock and triple-A radio on Halloween...}}</ref>
|-
|13 January 1998
|[[Contemporary hit radio]]
|<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Releases|magazine=[[Radio & Records]]|issue=1230|page=40|date=9 January 1998}}</ref>
|}
==References==
{{
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1996 singles]]
[[Category:1996 songs]]
[[Category:Atlantic Records singles]]
[[Category:Babybird songs]]
[[Category:The Echo Label singles]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Steve Power]]
[[Category:Songs
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