Summer Nights 1978 (4/9/20)

Well, here we are back in 1978 where, once again, “Grease” is the word!

Today's “Great Song of the '70s” is the only song from the film that was also in the original stage version, as written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.

In context of the story, Danny and Sandy had a teenage love affair one summer—not knowing that in the fall, they would end up at the same high school. Before they each discover the truth, they tell their friends conflicting stories about what happened between them. It's a fun number that includes most of the main cast.

In the film, John Travolta (Danny) and Olivia Newton-John (Sandy) sing the vast majority of the song, but there are cameo solos and lines by other stars of the film (in order of appearance):Barry Pearl (Doody), Dinah Manoff (Marty), Didi Conn (Frenchy), Jeff Conaway (Kenicki), Kelly Ward (Putzie), Stockard Channing (Rizzo), Jamie Donnelly (Jan) and Michael Tucci (Sonny).

Chartwise, it was a Top 10 smash in 8 countries, including #1 in the UK for 7 weeks! In the US, it peaked at #5 on the Hot 100, and in Canada, it reached #3.

TELL ME MORE! TELL ME MORE!: The American Film Institute ranks it at #70 on their “100 Years, 100 Songs” list of top tunes from American cinema.Billboard Magazine ranks it at #9 on their list of "Best Summer Songs of All Time!”

From 1978, the cast of “Grease:”