Randal Kleiser, the film's director, was not fond of this song because he felt that it did not mesh well with the rest of the Warren Casey-Jim Jacobs score and the fifties style musically or lyrically.

"[9] Danny Zuko (Travolta), leader of the T-Birds, has recently lettered in cross-country running in an effort to win back his estranged girlfriend Sandy Olsson (Newton-John); unbeknownst to him, Sandy, who has been conflicted about her upright and proper etiquette in a school full of brash greasers, has herself transformed into a greaser queen to win back Danny.

Upon its release in conjunction with the film (and its status as a potential blockbuster worldwide), the single became a huge international hit, reaching number one in several countries.

In the United States, the single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100[10] and on July 18 was certified Platinum for shipments exceeding 2 million copies.

[14] A re-released "Martian remix" of the single by PolyGram Records reached #4 in the United Kingdom[12] and #27 in Australia in 1998, the twentieth anniversary of the film's debut.

[12] In 1978, the German comedians Dieter Hallervorden and Helga Feddersen released a parody version under the title "Du, die Wanne ist voll".

[67] In 2021, American rapper and singer Doja Cat performed the song in a commercial for Pepsi to promote their "Soda Shop" line.