Dressed for Success

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For the Ugly Betty episode, see Dress for Success (Ugly Betty).

"Dressed for Success"
Single by Roxette
from the album Look Sharp!
B-side"The Voice"
Released3 August 1988
RecordedMay–June 1988
StudioEMI (Stockholm, Sweden)
GenreSynth-rock[1]
Length4:09
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)Per Gessle
Producer(s)Clarence Öfwerman
Roxette singles chronology
"I Call Your Name"
(1988) 		"Dressed for Success"
(1988) 		"Listen to Your Heart"
(1988)
Music video
"Dressed for Success" on YouTube
Alternative cover

"Dressed for Success" is a song by Swedish pop rock duo Roxette, released in Europe, on 3 August 1988 as the lead single from their second studio album, Look Sharp! (1988). Following the international success of "The Look" – the album's third single in their home country, but the first to be released outside of Sweden – "Dressed for Success" was re-issued internationally in 1989 and became a worldwide hit,[2] most notably in Australia, where it peaked in the top three and was certified platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).

Recording[edit]

The recording of the song was marked by a dispute between the band members, but this apparently contributed to the strength of Marie's performance.

"I was so mad when I did it. Everything about that session went wrong, we argued about the arrangement, we changed the key, I was dead tired of the song when I went in to do a guide vocal. Did it in one blast and suddenly realized, 'hmm... this is it'."

— Marie Fredriksson, Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! liner notes.[3]

The song was not without controversy after its release in the US in October of 1989. The song was famously banned from Minneapolis based Christian contemporary radio radio station KTIS-FM 98.5 FM after radio producers Freddy Nefler and Annie Herman claimed the lyrics were salaciously suggestive. In an October 1989 interview with New York City based Reader's Digest, Ms. Herman claimed the female lead singer Marie Fredriksson "intentionally used her Swedish accent to lead the listener down a path of sin". In the interview, Mr. Nefler suggests that "Ms. Fredriksson tells the story of a young girl dressing up for success on the streets rather than in preparation for the love of any man." Both radio producers later recanted their story after an angry fan mailed the radio station a copy of Roxette's album Look Sharp and the lyric sheet revealed that Ms. Frederikson was actually singing "Dresssed for Success" and not "Dressed for Some Sex".

Critical reception[edit]

In an ironic review of 15 July 1989 the Johnny Dee, observer of British music newspaper Record Mirror, placed it into "thumbs-down section" but expressed regret by saying that "isn't all that bad". As per him song has "a nifty beat".[4] Bryan Buss from AllMusic described the song as "punchy" and "hopeful".[5] Music & Media commented, "Another relentless pop song from the Swedish duo. Reminiscent of The Look but this time the emphasis is more on Marie Frederiksson's vocals".[6]

Music video[edit]

The music video for the song mostly revolves around the duo performing together in "nightclub ruins" (similar to those featured in their previous video, "The Look", also directed by Peter Heath) as several dancers and groups of party-goers sway to the song.[7]

Formats and track listings[edit]

All songs were written and composed by Per Gessle.

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of The Rox Box/Roxette 86–06.[8]

  • Recorded between May and June 1988 at EMI Studios, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Mixed at EMI Studios, Stockholm
  • Single version mixed at The Grey Room, Los Angeles

Musicians

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[23] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[26] Gold 50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[27] Gold 25,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Sweden 3 August 1988
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
 EMI [citation needed]
United Kingdom 3 July 1989
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [28]
Japan 19 July 1989 Mini-CD [29]
United Kingdom (re-release) 15 October 1990
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [30]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Breihan, Tom (20 August 2021). "The Number Ones: Roxette's 'Listen To Your Heart'". Stereogum. Retrieved 1 December 2023. Dressed For Success" is a ridiculously catchy uptempo synth-rocker...
  2. ^ Thorselius, Robert (May 2003). The Look for Roxette: The Illustrated Worldwide Discography & Price Guide (1st ed.). Sweden: Premium Förlag Publishing. ISBN 978-9197189484.
  3. ^ "Digital booklet". Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus (liner notes). Roxette. Stockholm, Sweden: EMI Records. 1995. 7243 836203 2 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ Dee, Johnny (15 July 1989). "Review: Roxette — Dressed for Success" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 28. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022 – via World Radio History.
  5. ^ Buss, Bryan. "Roxette – Dressed for Success". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 1 July 1989. p. 16. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  7. ^ Ballad & Pop Hits - The Complete Video Collection (DVD liner notes). Roxette. EMI. 2003. 7243 4 90946 9 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ "Booklet". The Rox Box/Roxette 86–06 (liner notes). Roxette. Stockholm, Sweden: Roxette Recordings and Capitol Records. 2006. 9463 67972–2 9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ "Roxette – Dressed For Success". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  10. ^ "Roxette – Dressed For Success" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  11. ^ "Roxette – Dressed For Success" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6421." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  13. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 32. 12 August 1989. p. V.
  14. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Dressed For Success". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  15. ^ "Roxette – Dressed For Success". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  16. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  17. ^ "Roxette – Dressed For Success". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  18. ^ "Roxette – Dressed For Success". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  19. ^ "Roxette: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  20. ^ "Roxette Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  21. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2014). Cash Box Pop Hits 1952-1996. Sheridan Books, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-209-0.
  22. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Roxette – Dressed For Success" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  23. ^ a b "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1989". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  24. ^ "Top 100 Singles of '89". RPM. 23 December 1989. Retrieved 15 November 2016 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  25. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1989" (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  26. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Roxette – Dressed for Success". Music Canada. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  27. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  28. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 1 July 1989. p. 35.
  29. ^ "ドレスド・フォー・サクセス | ロクセット" [Dressed for Success | Roxette] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  30. ^ "New Singles". Music Week. 13 October 1990. p. 39.
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