Perfect 10 (song)

"Perfect 10" is a song by English pop rock band the Beautiful South, released on 21 September 1998 as the first single from their sixth studio album, Quench (1998). It debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart, selling 89,000 copies during its first week of release,[2] and is the band's last UK top-10 single to date. It received a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry in 2021 for sales and streams exceeding 600,000 units.

For the song by Red Velvet, see Perfect Velvet.

"Perfect 10"
Single by the Beautiful South
from the album Quench
B-side"If"
Released21 September 1998 (1998-09-21)[1]
Length3:37
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Beautiful South singles chronology
"Liars' Bar"
(1997)		 "Perfect 10"
(1998)		 "Dumb"
(1998)
Music video
"Perfect 10" on YouTube

Recording contributions

As well as the contributions from band members, in the documentary Paul Heaton: From Hull to Heatongrad, songwriter Paul Heaton refers to contributions to the recording from Norman Cook and Paul Weller, who offered production assistance and rhythm guitar, respectively. Their contributions are also mentioned on the liner notes for Quench.[3]

Analysis

The verses of the song—sung alternately by Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott—are made up of a series of innuendos using clothing sizes and penis length to illustrate a loving relationship between two people who don't conform to modern stereotypes of physical perfection. The male vocal shows that although his partner is a little on the large side ("but she wears a 12"), she is a 'perfect 10' in his eyes. He also states, "the anorexic chicks, the model 6, they don't hold no weight with me," preferring instead to, "hold something I can see."

Likewise, the female vocal references penis size in several places, suggesting that "XXL" is unnecessary ("Every penny don't fit the slot") and that even when all her partner has to offer is "a poor poor 4, there ain't no man can replace."

The chorus to the song is sung by both male and female vocals, and confirms the theme of a happy and accepting relationship beyond ideas of conventional beauty, with Heaton and Abbott stating:

"We love our love, in different sizes
I love her body, especially the lines
Time takes its toll, but not on the eyes
Promise me this, take me tonight."

Critical reception

Scottish newspaper Daily Record described the song as "great" and "bitter-sweet".[4] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian called it "jazzy", noting that "Heaton's sweet-voiced 'I love her body, 'specially the lines', has one of the tenderest lines on an album full of memorable bons mots."[5] Adrian Thrills from Daily Mail declared it as "a rasping musical debate about sexual politics, neatly driven along by funky piano and honking sax".[6] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror rated the song nine out of ten, adding, "The funkier sound is new but their observations on the important things in life are sharp as ever. Almost perfect."[7] Johnny Dee from The Times remarked that it "manages to be both funny and touching at the same time."[8]

Track listings
  • UK CD1 and Australian CD single[9][10]
  1. "Perfect 10"
  2. "If"
  3. "I'll Sail This Ship Alone"
  1. "Perfect 10"
  2. "Loving Arms"
  3. "One Last Love Song"
  • UK cassette single[12]
  1. "Perfect 10"
  2. "If"

Personnel

Personnel are adapted from the Quench liner notes.[3]

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

"Perfect 10" was seen as a 'tour classic' by the Beautiful South and it has been stated by Dave Stead that, "There are certain songs you just can't leave out...I think we would be lynched if we didn't play "Keep It All In", "Don't Marry Her" and "Perfect 10"."[23]

References
  1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 19 September 1998. p. 30. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  2. Jones, Alan (3 October 1998). "Chart Commentary" (PDF). Music Week. p. 10. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  3. Quench (UK CD album booklet). The Beautiful South. Mercury Records, Go! Discs. 1998. 538 166-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. "Chart Slot". Daily Record. 16 October 1998.
  5. Sullivan, Caroline. (16 October 1998). "Music: This week's pop CD releases". The Guardian.
  6. Thrills, Adrian. (9 October 1998). "The choirboy comes of age; music". Daily Mail.
  7. Hyland, Ian (20 September 1998). "Best singles". Sunday Mirror.
  8. Dee, Johnny. (10 October 1998). "All points south; The Big Album". The Times.
  9. Perfect 10 (UK CD1 liner notes). The Beautiful South. Mercury Records, Go! Discs. 1998. 566 481-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. Perfect 10 (Australian CD single liner notes). The Beautiful South. Mercury Records, Go! Discs. 1998. 5664812.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. Perfect 10 (UK CD2 liner notes). The Beautiful South. Mercury Records, Go! Discs. 1998. 566 483-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. Perfect 10 (UK cassette single sleeve). The Beautiful South. Mercury Records, Go! Discs. 1998. 566 480-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 41. 10 October 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  14. "The Beautiful South – Perfect 10" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  15. "Íslenski Listinn (22.1–29.1. 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 22 January 1999. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  16. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Perfect 10". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  18. "The Beautiful South – Perfect 10". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  19. "The Beautiful South – Perfect 10". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  20. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  21. "Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100". Music Week. 16 January 1999. p. 7.
  22. "British single certifications – Beautiful South – Perfect 10". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  23. "Welcome Home". This Is Hull. 23 May 2006.
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