You're The One That I Want - Notable Cover Versions

Notable Cover Versions

In 1993, Epic Records released a soundtrack album in the UK, Grease - Original London Cast Recording, and "You're the One That I Want" was recorded as a duet by Craig McLachlan and Deborah Gibson (Epic UK 659 522, released July 1993). In part due to a routine promotional push, this cover version scored big on the UK singles charts, peaking at number thirteen.

British comedians Arthur Mullard and Hylda Baker (both in their seventies at the time) also released a version of the song in 1978. This version is perhaps best remembered for an infamously bad live performance on the TV show Top of the Pops; both Mullard and Baker sang out of tune, fluffed the lyrics and seemed utterly bemused. Their version reached No. 22 in the UK.

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. Du, die Wanne ist voll literally means You, the bathtub is full and the joke consists of using German words that sound similar to the English ones.

In 1982, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Charlene the Chipette covered the song for the album The Chipmunks Go Hollywood.

The song serves as the source of the title of the American reality TV show Grease: You're the One that I Want!. As such, the song replaced the original second-to-last song in its Broadway run, "All Choked Up," for the Broadway revival it would then give rise to, with its two winners, Max Crumm and Laura Osnes. This particular arrangement eschewed the more conventional pop-rock standards of the 70s for a more grittier "rockabilly" sound.

In 2009, Glee did a mini cover of this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMjGTJ2836o

In 2012, a cover version by Angus & Julia Stone was used in commercials for Sky (UK and Ireland).

Also in 2012, for the 100th anniversary of Paramount Pictures, a sing-a-long version of the scene from the film was released with the previews of Katy Perry: Part of Me.

Glee performed the song once more in the fourth season episode Glease, featuring vocals from Blake Jenner, Melissa Benoist, Cory Monteith, and Lea Michele.

On the X-Factor Ella Henderson sang a slow version of the song that was essentially a cover version of the Angus and Julia Stone interpretation.