The timeless declaration that true love is found in a person’s character, not their material wealth or looks.
There are certain songs that, no matter how many years have passed, instantly transport you back to a specific time and place. For many of us who grew up in the 1970s, the first notes of a Showaddywaddy hit are a time machine, taking us straight to the dance floor of a school disco or a Saturday night out. They were the joyous, spangled-suit-wearing, teddy boy revivalists who brought the carefree spirit of the 1950s roaring back to life, and few of their singles embodied that spirit more perfectly than their 1977 smash, “You Got What It Takes.”
Released in the summer of 1977, right in the thick of punk rock’s furious rise, Showaddywaddy’s defiant cheerfulness felt like a glorious act of rebellion in its own right. As the UK charts were being shaken to their core by the likes of the Sex Pistols and The Clash, this Leicester-based eight-piece proved that there was still an enormous appetite for pure, unadulterated rock and roll. “You Got What It Takes” charged up the UK Singles Chart, peaking at an impressive number 2. It was a testament to the band’s enduring popularity and their knack for finding and revitalising forgotten gems from a bygone era.
Of course, this wasn’t an original Showaddywaddy song. The track has a rich and somewhat convoluted history, a tale that adds to its charm. The story begins in the late 1950s with a song originally written and recorded by blues musician Bobby Parker, though the version that first found success was by American singer Marv Johnson in 1959. Johnson‘s soulful, R&B take on the tune became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. It’s a fascinating bit of musical lineage—a song that passed from an obscure bluesman to an early Motown artist (via a disputed songwriting credit involving the legendary Berry Gordy) before it was eventually discovered and given a high-octane facelift by a group of British rock and roll enthusiasts two decades later.
What makes Showaddywaddy’s version so special, and why it resonates so deeply, is its heartfelt message delivered with a joyous, almost frenetic energy. The lyrics are a simple, honest-to-goodness declaration of love based on substance, not superficiality. In an age of glossy glamour, the band sang about a love interest who doesn’t “drive a big fast car” or “look a-like a movie star,” and whose money won’t get them far. Yet, despite these supposed shortcomings, this person has what truly matters. It’s a beautifully unpretentious sentiment, a rejection of vanity and a celebration of a deeper, more meaningful connection.
For a generation that was a bit fed up with the excesses of disco and the anger of punk, Showaddywaddy offered a comforting and familiar sound. Their music wasn’t about making a statement; it was about having a good time. It was about recapturing the innocence and simple pleasures of a youth spent jiving to the jukebox. The band’s live shows, with their matching suits and energetic choreography, were a spectacle that evoked a golden age of rock and roll, turning every venue into a vibrant, nostalgic party. “You Got What It Takes” was the perfect soundtrack to this feeling, an invitation to forget your troubles and just dance. It was the kind of song you couldn’t help but smile at, a warm, fuzzy memory of a time when music felt a little less complicated and a whole lot more fun. And even now, when you hear that boisterous opening, you can almost see the spinning lights and feel the pure, unadulterated joy of the dance floor all over again.