Let's Hear It for the Boy (song)

"Let's Hear It for the Boy"
Single by Deniece Williams
from the album Footloose and Let's Hear It for the Boy
Released	February 14, 1984
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	1983
Genre	R&B synthpop[1] dance-pop freestyle
Length	4:21
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Tom Snow, Dean Pitchford
Producer(s)	George Duke
Deniece Williams singles chronology
"Love Won't Let Me Wait" (1984) "Let's Hear It for the Boy" (1984) "Next Love" (1984)

"Let's Hear It for the Boy" was the second number-one song for Deniece Williams and appeared on the soundtrack to the feature film Footloose. It climbed to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on May 26, 1984, as well as number one on the dance and R&B charts,^[2][3] and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song, and was certified platinum in the US, gold in Canada and silver in the UK by the RIAA, Music Canada and the British Phonographic Industry respectively.^[4][5][6] The music video for the song was released in mid-April 1984.^[7] The tune features background vocals from George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, who would go on to form the duo Boy Meets Girl.

Charts

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Swiss Singles Chart	19
German Singles Chart	10
UK Singles Chart	2
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	1
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	1

Cover versions

• The Mexican Latin pop singer Byanka covered the song in Spanish in 1985 as "Escucho al Muchacho".
• In 2001, a cover version by Katty B was included on the soundtrack for the American version of Queer as Folk. "Let's Hear It for the Boy" was a pivotal song in the show's continuity and was a theme song for the character Justin Taylor.
• In 2006, the Australian group Young Divas covered the song for their first album, Young Divas.
• In 2008, the American pop group The Stunners covered the song for the iCarly TV show soundtrack.
• In 2011, the song was covered by Jana Kramer for the soundtrack to the 2011 remake of Footloose.
• In 2011, Kate Nash covered the song for a radio performance.
• In 2015, Maddie Walker covered the song on American Idol.

Video clip

There is an official videoclip of this song, featuring Willians along with several young men, being one of them the singer Aaron Lohr as the young boy who is the first person to appear on the movie.^[8]

Appearances in other media

• The song was referenced by Shawn Spencer on Psych during a scene from the fourth season episode "Let's Get Hairy".
• The song was referenced by Michael Scott on the American version of The Office during a scene from the fourth season episode "Night Out".
• The song was used in the second episode of the third season of American Dad!, titled "The American Dad After School Special".
• The song was used in the British series Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere in the episode where Paddy teaches Max to dance.
• The song was used in the Modern Family episode "When Good Kids Go Bad" when Cameron and Mitchell play it to announce that they are adopting a baby boy.
• The song was used in the 1987 Disney special DTV Doggone Valentine as a music video tribute to Pluto.
• The song was used in the Showtime drama Queer as Folk, in the season one episode "No Bris, No Shirt, No Service".
• The song was used in the 2002 episode of Will & Grace titled "A Chorus Lie". Matt Damon, guest-starring as Owen, pretends to be gay to join the gay men's chorus so he can earn a free trip to Europe. Jack (Sean Hayes) and Owen sing it as part of the audition process.
• The song was heard at the beginning of the season eight episode of King of the Hill called "DaleTech".
• The song was sung by "All Beef Patty", a contestant on season seven of America's Got Talent.
• The song was heard during the season eight episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia entitled "Charlie Rules the World".
• In Parks and Recreation, a drunk Joan Callamezzo randomly breaks out into this song in the middle of a restaurant.

See also

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1984

References

1. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-singles-of-1984-pops-greatest-year-20140917/deniece-williams-lets-hear-it-for-the-boy-20140917
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 625.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 280.
4. British Phonographic Industry certification for Let's Hear It for the Boy
5. RIAA certification for Let's Hear It for the Boy
6. Music Canada certification for Let's Hear It for the Boy
7. "Rolling Stones plan to do video, concert in L.A. during Olympics". The Ledger. May 3, 1984. p. 2A. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
8. "Deniece Williams: Let's Hear It for the Boy". MTV. Retrieved February 16, 2016.