Rod Stewart (August 4, 1972) – "You Wear It Well" b/w "Lost Paraguayos" Single: UK 7"

You Wear It Well was written by Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton and performed by Stewart.

It has been viewed as an arrangement of Maggie May, one of Stewart’s hits from the previous year.

Stewart recorded the track for the 1972 album Never a Dull Moment and issued it as a single in August 1972.

The song became an international success, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart.

In the United States it peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Upon its release, Record World suggested the single could match the extraordinary impact of Maggie May. Stewart performed the song live on BBC’s Top of the Pops with the full Faces line-up, joined by Quittenton on classical guitar and Dick “Tricky Dicky” Powell on fiddle. A live recording from his 2013 Troubadour appearance later appeared on the deluxe edition of the album Time.

COUNTRY VARIANTS

Artist: Rod Stewart

Title: You Wear It Well

Label: Mercury

Country: UK

Catalogue: 6052 171

Date: August 4, 1972

Format: 7" Single

Tracklist (7"):

A — You Wear It Well (Stewart, Quittenton)

B — Lost Paraguayos (Stewart, Wood)

UK VARIANTS: 

• UK - Mercury – 6052 171 - 1972 (blue labels, three prong)

• UK - Mercury – 6052 171 - 1972 (Black Labels / Copyright Control, solid centre) • UK - Mercury – 6052-171 - 1972 (cream label, injection solid center)

• UK - Mercury – 6052 171 - 1972 (Black Label, Solid Centre)

• UK - Mercury – 6052-171 - 1972 (3-Prong Silver Injection Label)

RELEASE HISTORY

Released August 1972 (single release dated August 12 in some sources).

From the album Never a Dull Moment.

CHARTS & CERTIFICATIONS

UK Singles Chart: Peak 1

(entry 12/08/1972, 12 weeks)

Chart run:

12/08/1972 – 23

19/08/1972 – 7

26/08/1972 – 2

02/09/1972 – 1 (peak)

09/09/1972 – 2

16/09/1972 – 2

23/09/1972 – 4

30/09/1972 – 11

07/10/1972 – 23

14/10/1972 – 28

21/10/1972 – 38

28/10/1972 – 42

Australia (Kent Music Report): Peak 13 Canada (RPM Top Singles): Peak 7 Germany: Peak 35 Ireland: Peak 2

New Zealand (Listener): Peak 4

South Africa: Peak 19

US Billboard Hot 100: Peak 13

US Cash Box Top 100: Peak 14

Year-end charts (1972):

Australia – 76

UK – 14

US (Joel Whitburn’s Pop Annual) – 120

PERSONNEL

Rod Stewart — vocals, producer

Martin Quittenton — co-writer, classical guitar (live)

Ronnie Wood — co-writer (B-side)

Dick “Tricky Dicky” Powell — fiddle (live)

PRODUCTION

Produced by Rod Stewart

SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia. BBC Official Charts All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.

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