Right Said Fred’s novelty single ‘I’m Too Sexy’ reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 8th February, 1992. The playful earworm, which had been rejected by all major record labels, topped the charts in 32 countries.

The success of the song propelled Richard and Fred Fairbrass, two bald brothers from East Grinstead who had worked as session musicians for a number of years, into the limelight - along with their bulging muscles and string vests.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the lyrics anticipated George Michael’s ‘Too Funky’ and have been sampled by Beyonce and Drake; reveal how the trio had a close shave with the estate of Jimi Hendrix; and consider whether the camp appeal of the video was a parody of gay culture, or an anthemic celebration of it… 

Further Reading:

• ‘‘I’m Too Sexy’: Oral History of Right Said Fred’s Hit Song’ (Rolling Stone, 2017): https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/im-too-sexy-the-oral-history-of-right-said-freds-snarky-dance-pop-smash-122921/

• ‘How we made Right Said Fred's I'm Too Sexy’ (The Guardian, 2017): https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/apr/04/how-we-made-right-said-fred-im-too-sexy-interview

• ’Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy’ (Gut Records, 1991): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5mtclwloEQ

#90s #music #LGBT #funny

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

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