“Rod Stewart Ultimate Hits” is released next week on June 27th and to celebrate the release we are bringing you the low down on all the classic tracks that have been brought together for the first time in the compilation that includes songs ranging from his 1971 hit, “Maggie May” to selections from 2024’s “Swing Fever,”
Today we focus on Rod’s self penned “You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)”
“You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)” is a song written and recorded by Rod for his 1977 album “Footloose And Fancy Free”.
The song reached the top ten of many countries, including the United States, Number 4, United Kingdom Number 3, Canada Number 2, and Number one in Australia.
Rod who already had 10 UK Top-10 hits released “You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)” as a single in 1977 and scored his 11th
The lyrics mention two of favourite football teams Glasgow Celtic and Manchester United in the phrase “Celtic, United”. The inner sleeve to the album “Foot Loose And Fancy Free” also pictures artwork with the names of the two teams drifting out of a car stereo.
Tom Dowd was once again the producer and As Rod remembered in the notes to his “Storyteller” compilation, a bolt of creativity hit him one day outside the hotel where he was staying. A catchy chorus, one that would eventually adorn “You’re in My Heart,” popped into his head, only neither he nor Dowd had a tape recorder on hand so they wouldn’t forget it. According to Stewart, Dowd came up with a brilliant solution:
“‘Sing it anyway, and I’ll write the chords and melody on this cigarette packet,’ said Tom. “And I started to sing in full voice at 10 o’clock in the morning with many bemused onlookers. A song was born.” Rod added.
The general consensus is that “You’re in My Heart” was Rod’s ode to his love of the time Britt Ekland, who had been dating Rod since 1975. In her autobiography True Britt She claimed that Rod sang the song to her at dinner one night and told her he had written it for her.
Rod later claimed that the song wasn’t all that specific. Maybe that could have been due of the fact that he and Britt split up very publicly not long after the song was released. But he does have a point in that there are other passions of his that work his way into the song as The lines about Celtic, United touch on Rod’s love of football and for many years now Rod plays old films of Celtic’s best goals and players when he performs the song live.
Billboard declared that “You’re in My Heart” should become “Stewart’s biggest easy listening hit” and felt the vocal style was similar to “The Killing of Georgie”. Record World said that “it’s slow, introspective, the story of a relationship many should recognize.”
Personnel
Rod Stewart – vocals
Jim Cregan – guitars, backing vocals
Phil Chen – bass
Carmine Appice – drums, backing vocals
David Foster – Fender Rhodes electric piano
Fred Tackett – acoustic guitar
Nicky Hopkins – string synthesizer
Richard Greene – violin
Chart (1977–1978)
US Billboard Hot 100 4
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) 17
UK Singles (OCC) 3
Norway (VG-lista) 35
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100) 8
Ireland (IRMA) 2
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 1
Canada CRIA 2
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM) 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 46
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 13
Australia (Kent Music Report) 1
Year-end charts
1977
New Zealand 32
Australia (Kent Music Report) 23
1978
Australia (Kent Music Report) 81
Canada 36
US Billboard Hot 100 37
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) Gold 1,000,000
