What I Like About You (song)
Encyclopedia
"What I Like About You" is a song by American rock
band The Romantics
. The song, written by Romantics members Wally Palmar, Mike Skill and Jimmy Marinos is featured on the band's self-titled 1980 debut album
, and was also released as a single
. Marinos, the band's drummer, is the lead vocalist on the song. The band filmed a music video
for the song that appeared frequently on MTV
during the early 1980s.
' "Over Under Sideways Down
" and Chuck Berry
's "Back in the U.S.A.
". The song's riff is slightly similar to The Standells hit "Dirty Water." The group recorded the song and the accompanying album at Coconuts recording studio in Miami Beach.
When first released, "What I Like About You" was already a popular song on the Romantics' concert playlist. In terms of record sales and radio airplay, however, the song was only a moderate success at the time of its release, reaching only #48 on the Billboard Hot 100
. The song did quite well in Australia however, reaching #2 on the Australian Singles Chart (Kent Music Report) on its initial release. It was only towards the end of the 1980s, after the song had been licensed for use in television commercials for Budweiser
beer, that "What I Like About You" grew to become one of the most popular rock anthems of all time.
"What I Like About You" has become a staple of modern rock
, appearing on numerous compilation albums of 1980s pop and rock music hits and heard in frequent rotation on modern rock and classic rock
radio. The song is also often played at sporting events, parties, and at bars and clubs. In addition to Budweiser, the song has also been heard promoting products, services, and institutions including the Los Angeles Dodgers
baseball team, Barbie
toy dolls, SeaWorld
and T.G.I. Friday's
restaurants. The song was also featured in TV commercials for Hampton Inn
, Esurance
, Papa John's Pizza
, and Toyota as recently as 2008. The song was also included in the films Richie Rich (1994), Shrek 2
(2004), Surf's Up
(2007) and Marmaduke
(2010).
Channel Ten Australia and Southern Cross Ten
used the song to advertise their television
channel in 2005-2006. They used three different versions of the song, all performed by Green Dragon. The first was from February - December 2005 was "What I Like About You (Rock Mix). The second, used from December 2005 - February 2006 was "What I Like About You (Dance Mix). The third, used from February - December 2006 was "What I Like About You (R&B) Mix, and this song was again used from December 2006-February 2007 in Ten's summer promos.
The song was voted #97 on VH1's
television
special
The 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s.
, saying that the video game infringes on the band's rights by featuring a soundalike recording of "What I Like About You". The Romantics lost their case in December 2007, with the judge stating that Activision had taken all the necessary steps in developing their product.
released a version of "What I Like About You" in 1989, as the follow-up to his hit "Who Do You Give Your Love To" His version reached number 28 on the Hot 100
, eclipsing the position of the original version.
Punk rock
band The Suicide Machines
covered the song for the 1999-release compilation album Before You Were Punk 2
.
In 2002, the alternative rock
band Lillix
recorded a version of the song, which was featured on the soundtrack of the Disney
teen comedy film Freaky Friday
, which was released the following year, and the film 13 Going on 30
. Lillix's recording of the song was also used as the theme tune for The WB television network's
television series of the same name
, starring Jennie Garth
and Amanda Bynes
.
In 2004, Nacker covered this song for the film What the Bleep Do We Know!?
.
"What I Like About You" was also covered by American Rock
band Poison
as the 1st single from the Poison cover album Poison'd!
. This single, for which a music video was made, was the 27th single to be released by Poison.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band The Romantics
The Romantics
The Romantics is an American New Wave band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 1977. The band adopted the name "The Romantics" because they formed on Valentine's Day, 1977. The Romantics achieved popularity in the United Kingdom, The U.S...
. The song, written by Romantics members Wally Palmar, Mike Skill and Jimmy Marinos is featured on the band's self-titled 1980 debut album
The Romantics (album)
The Romantics is the debut album by rock band The Romantics. It was released in 1980 on Nemperor Records. It includes the Billboard Hot 100 hit "What I Like About You".- Track listing :...
, and was also released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. Marinos, the band's drummer, is the lead vocalist on the song. The band filmed a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song that appeared frequently on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
during the early 1980s.
Writing and original version
"What I Like About You" was written by the group around a guitar part by Skill. The song's "Hey, uh-huh-huh" refrain was influenced by The YardbirdsThe Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
' "Over Under Sideways Down
Over Under Sideways Down
"Over Under Sideways Down" was a single by The Yardbirds released on Columbia in the UK and Epic in the U.S. Chart tops: UK: #10, US: #13.It was the title song to the album Over Under Sideways Down , or Yardbirds which is more commonly referred to as Roger the Engineer...
" and Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
's "Back in the U.S.A.
Back in the U.S.A.
"Back in the U.S.A." is a song by Chuck Berry, which was first issued in 1959 as a single a-side and on Berry's 1962 album More Chuck Berry, . The song's lyrics were supposedly written based upon Berry returning to the USA following a trip to Australia and witnessing the living standards of...
". The song's riff is slightly similar to The Standells hit "Dirty Water." The group recorded the song and the accompanying album at Coconuts recording studio in Miami Beach.
When first released, "What I Like About You" was already a popular song on the Romantics' concert playlist. In terms of record sales and radio airplay, however, the song was only a moderate success at the time of its release, reaching only #48 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The song did quite well in Australia however, reaching #2 on the Australian Singles Chart (Kent Music Report) on its initial release. It was only towards the end of the 1980s, after the song had been licensed for use in television commercials for Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
beer, that "What I Like About You" grew to become one of the most popular rock anthems of all time.
"What I Like About You" has become a staple of modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
, appearing on numerous compilation albums of 1980s pop and rock music hits and heard in frequent rotation on modern rock and classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
radio. The song is also often played at sporting events, parties, and at bars and clubs. In addition to Budweiser, the song has also been heard promoting products, services, and institutions including the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
baseball team, Barbie
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
toy dolls, SeaWorld
SeaWorld
SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando,...
and T.G.I. Friday's
T.G.I. Friday's
T.G.I. Friday's is an American restaurant chain focusing on casual dining. The company is a unit of the Carlson Companies. Its name is taken from the expression TGIF...
restaurants. The song was also featured in TV commercials for Hampton Inn
Hampton Inn
'Hampton Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Hampton by Hilton are the names of a brand of hotels trademarked by Hilton Worldwide. Most Hampton hotels are independently owned and operated by franchisees, though a few are owned and/or managed by the Hilton Hotels Corporation...
, Esurance
Esurance
Esurance Inc. is an American auto insurance provider headquartered in San Francisco, California. Esurance has 1,700 employees in 14 offices nationwide.-History:...
, Papa John's Pizza
Papa John's Pizza
Papa John's Pizza is the third largest take-out and delivery pizza restaurant chain in the United States, behind Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza. It is based in Louisville, Kentucky. Papa John's slogan is "Better Ingredients. Better pizza. Papa John's"...
, and Toyota as recently as 2008. The song was also included in the films Richie Rich (1994), Shrek 2
Shrek 2
Shrek 2 is a 2004 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film, produced by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon. It is the second installment in the Shrek film series and the sequel to 2001's Shrek...
(2004), Surf's Up
Surf's Up (film)
Surf's Up is a 2007 American computer-animated mockumentary family comedy film directed by Ash Brannon and Chris Buck. It stars the voices of Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel and Jon Heder among others....
(2007) and Marmaduke
Marmaduke (film)
Marmaduke is an American live action film adaptation of Brad Anderson's comic strip Marmaduke. The film centers on a rural Kansas family and their pets – a Great Dane named Marmaduke and a Balinese cat named Carlos – as the family relocates to California.-Plot:Marmaduke is a Great Dane living in...
(2010).
Channel Ten Australia and Southern Cross Ten
Southern Cross Ten
Southern Cross Ten is an Australian television channel broadcast by the Macquarie Media Group in Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. The channel is owned by the Macquarie Media Group as is affiliated to Network Ten...
used the song to advertise their television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
channel in 2005-2006. They used three different versions of the song, all performed by Green Dragon. The first was from February - December 2005 was "What I Like About You (Rock Mix). The second, used from December 2005 - February 2006 was "What I Like About You (Dance Mix). The third, used from February - December 2006 was "What I Like About You (R&B) Mix, and this song was again used from December 2006-February 2007 in Ten's summer promos.
The song was voted #97 on VH1's
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
special
Special
Special or specials may refer to:In music:* "Special" * "Special" * "Special" * The Specials, a British bandIn film and television:...
The 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s.
Guitar Hero legal case
In November 2007, The Romantics filed a federal lawsuit against Activision Inc., the maker of Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80sGuitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is a music video game and the third installment in the popular Guitar Hero series...
, saying that the video game infringes on the band's rights by featuring a soundalike recording of "What I Like About You". The Romantics lost their case in December 2007, with the judge stating that Activision had taken all the necessary steps in developing their product.
Cover versions
Michael MoralesMichael Morales (musician)
Michael Morales, , is an American musician most known for the Top 40-charting songs, "Who Do You Give Your Love To?", , and a cover version of The Romantics, "What I Like About You", ....
released a version of "What I Like About You" in 1989, as the follow-up to his hit "Who Do You Give Your Love To" His version reached number 28 on the Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, eclipsing the position of the original version.
Punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Suicide Machines
Suicide machines
Suicide machines may mean:* machines for auto-euthanasia, see euthanasia device* fictional machines for suicide, see suicide booth* The Suicide Machines, an American punk rock band** The Suicide Machines , an album by the aforementioned group...
covered the song for the 1999-release compilation album Before You Were Punk 2
Before You Were Punk 2
-Album information:*Record label: Vagrant Records*Art direction by Kristin Vanderlip*Recording details:**Track 1 recorded and mixed by Tim Pak at Woodshed Studios**Track 2 produced and mixed by Ryan Green at Motor Studios...
.
In 2002, the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Lillix
Lillix
Lillix is a pop/rock band from Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada, formed under the name Tigerlily in 1997 when the early members were in high school. The band was originally composed of guitarist Tasha-Ray Evin, keyboardist Lacey-Lee Evin, bassist Louise Burns, and drummer Sierra Hills...
recorded a version of the song, which was featured on the soundtrack of the Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
teen comedy film Freaky Friday
Freaky Friday (2003 film)
Freaky Friday is a 2003 film based on the novel of the same name by Mary Rodgers. It stars Lindsay Lohan as Anna Coleman and Jamie Lee Curtis as her mother. In the film their bodies are switched due to an enchanted Chinese fortune cookie...
, which was released the following year, and the film 13 Going on 30
13 Going on 30
13 Going on 30 is a 2004 American romantic comedy fantasy film starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo. It has a similar premise to the classic short story Rip Van Winkle, in which a young person falls asleep and wakes up many years later as an older person...
. Lillix's recording of the song was also used as the theme tune for The WB television network's
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
television series of the same name
What I Like About You (TV series)
What I Like About You is an American television sitcom set mainly in New York City, following the lives of two sisters, Valerie Tyler and Holly Tyler . The series ran on The WB Television Network from September 20, 2002, to March 24, 2006, with a total of 86 episodes produced...
, starring Jennie Garth
Jennie Garth
Jennifer Eve "Jennie" Garth is an American actress and director, best known for starring in the prominent role of Kelly Taylor throughout the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
and Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Laura Bynes is an American actress, comedian, singer, and fashion designer. Bynes appeared in several successful television series, such as All That and The Amanda Show, on Nickelodeon in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s, and in 2002, she starred in the TV series, What I Like About You...
.
In 2004, Nacker covered this song for the film What the Bleep Do We Know!?
What the Bleep Do We Know!?
What the Bleep Do We Know!? is a 2004 film that combines documentary-style interviews, computer-animated graphics, and a narrative that describes the spiritual connection between quantum physics and consciousness...
.
"What I Like About You" was also covered by American Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
as the 1st single from the Poison cover album Poison'd!
Poison'd!
Poison'd! is the seventh studio album from the American glam rock/glam metal band Poison, released June 5, 2007. The 14-track album features recordings of Poison's favorite rock classics...
. This single, for which a music video was made, was the 27th single to be released by Poison.