"I'm Too Sexy" is a song by British pop band Right Said Fred, released in July 1991 by Tug Records as their debut single from their first album, Up (1992).
[4] The idea for the song came about when the Fairbrass brothers were running a gym in London where, according to Richard, there was "lots of narcissism and posing".
[citation needed] It was rejected by multiple record companies before they played it to radio plugger Guy Holmes.
He was initially unimpressed after playing it on his car stereo, but his passengers latched onto the song's "I'm a model, you know what I mean" hook and Holmes asked the band if they could rework it as a dance track.
DJ TommyD, an acquaintance of Richard Fairbrass, programmed electronics around the original vocal, whilst guitarist Rob Manzoli added a riff borrowed from the Jimi Hendrix song "Third Stone from the Sun".
[6] It equalled the record for the most weeks at number two on the UK Singles Chart without ever topping the chart, staying at number two for six weeks in a row while held back by Bryan Adams' "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" (this equalled the previous record set by Father Abraham's 1978 hit "The Smurf Song").
AllMusic editor Stephen Schnee described the song as a "humorous yet misunderstood swipe at self centered male bodybuilders and models.
Considine from The Baltimore Sun wrote, "With its prodding piano and insistently tuneful bass line, "I'm Too Sexy" is an insidiously catchy single - the sort that sticks in your memory whether you want it to or not.
Fortunately, head Fred Richard Fairbrass handles the vocals with enough good humor that the single's annoyance factor remains relatively low.
"[11] Larry Flick from Billboard commented, "Thoroughly fun and goofy ditty recently heated up international dance floors and radio airwaves.
"[12] Andy Kastanas from The Charlotte Observer stated, "This midtempo "techno/house" beat has a catchy hook and unusual deep male vocals (a la Elmer Fudd on steroids) that'll put a meltdown on any ladies in the vicinity.
Prepare to be impaled on a throbbing slice of masculinity courtesy of three roughnecks who've already had Mick Jagger down on all fours (they were once his trainers).
[23] In the video, the group performs while humorously posing as models on a runway set,[24] surrounded by female photographers wearing bikinis.