Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight – Single: Mar. 1981
- Rod Stewart
- Mar 20, 1981
- 3 min read
A split‑territory single whose fortunes diverged across continents — modest in the UK, soaring in Sweden, and reshaped entirely for the US market.
🔘 Overview
Released in March 1981 as part of the Foolish Behaviour campaign, this single represents one of Rod Stewart’s more unusual international release strategies. In the UK and several European territories, “Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight” was issued as the A‑side, backed with “Somebody Special.” Despite Stewart’s commercial momentum at the time, the single failed to chart in the UK — but unexpectedly reached No. 4 in Sweden, becoming one of his strongest Scandinavian showings of the early ’80s.
In the United States, Warner Bros. flipped the pairing entirely: “Somebody Special” became the A‑side, with “She Won’t Dance With Me” as the B‑side. The US version charted modestly, peaking at No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it remains notable for its collaborative pedigree.
“Somebody Special” was co‑written by Stewart and Steve Harley, with music by Phil Chen, Kevin Savigar, Jim Cregan, and Gary Grainger. Harley later recalled spending three weeks at the Sunset Marquis writing lyrics with Stewart — crafting nearly all of “Somebody Special,” much of “Gi’ Me Wings,” and a third unused song.
The single captures the Foolish Behaviour era’s mix of swagger, polish, and band‑driven energy, with Stewart credited under his pseudonym Harry the Hook as producer.
🔘 Track List
UK / Europe 7" Single
A: Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight
— Writer: Rod Stewart
— Producer: Harry the Hook (Rod Stewart), The Rod Stewart Group, Jeremy Andrew Johns
B: Somebody Special
— Writers: Rod Stewart, Steve Harley, Phil Chen, Kevin Savigar, Jim Cregan, Gary Grainger
— Producers: Harry the Hook, The Rod Stewart Group, Jeremy Andrew Johns
US 7" Single
A: Somebody Special
— Writers: Stewart, Harley, Chen, Savigar, Cregan, Grainger
— Producers: Harry the Hook, The Rod Stewart Group, Jeremy Andrew Johns
B: She Won’t Dance With Me
— Writers: Rod Stewart, Jim Cregan
— Producers: Harry the Hook, The Rod Stewart Group
🔘 Variants
UK 7" Single
• Format: 7"
• Catalogue: Warner Bros. K 79182
• Country: UK
• Year: 1981
• Notes: Standard paper sleeve
Sweden 7" Single
• Format: 7"
• Catalogue: Warner Bros. WBS 79182
• Country: Sweden
• Year: 1981
• Notes: Charted to No. 4
US 7" Single
• Format: 7"
• Catalogue: Warner Bros. 49746
• Country: USA
• Year: 1981
• Notes: A‑side reversed (“Somebody Special”)
🔘 Chart Performance
UK
• Did not chart
Sweden
• Peak: No. 4
• Weeks on chart: Not documented
USA (Billboard Hot 100)
• “Somebody Special”: No. 71
• Weeks on chart: 6
🔘 Context & Notes
• “Somebody Special” was one of three songs Steve Harley co‑wrote with Stewart during the Foolish Behaviour sessions.
• Harley wrote most of the lyrics while staying at the Sunset Marquis in Los Angeles.
• Stewart used the pseudonym Harry the Hook for his production credit.
• Phil Chen, originally considered for the Faces, contributes musically to the track.
• The single’s unusual A/B‑side reversal between territories reflects Warner Bros.’ attempt to tailor Stewart’s sound to regional tastes.
• The Swedish success remains one of the most surprising chart outcomes of Stewart’s early ’80s catalogue.
🔘 Visual Archive
A green‑background single sleeve featuring a colour photograph of Rod Stewart wearing a denim jacket over a red‑and‑white striped shirt. His hair is styled in his signature feathered blond cut. The title “ROD STEWART” appears in large white lettering above “SOMEBODY SPECIAL.” The Warner Bros. logo and catalogue number appear in the upper right corner.
Rod Stewart — Somebody Special (1981), Warner Bros. Records.
🔘 Related Material
• Foolish Behaviour (1980)
• “Gi’ Me Wings” (album track)
• “Passion” (1980 single)
🔘 Discography
• Foolish Behaviour (LP, 1980)
• “Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight” (Single, 1981)
• “Somebody Special” (US Single, 1981)
🔘 Mini‑Timeline
• 1980: Foolish Behaviour released
• Early 1981: Single prepared for international release
• 20 Mar 1981: UK/Europe release
• 1981: US release with reversed A‑side
• 1981: Sweden charts the single at No. 4
🔘 Glam Flashback
A single caught between markets, moods, and identities — yet powered by the unmistakable swagger of early‑’80s Rod Stewart, where footballer grit met Sunset Strip polish.
🔘 Closing Notes
Though not a major UK hit, the single stands as a fascinating snapshot of Stewart’s transitional early‑’80s period — a moment where collaboration, experimentation, and international strategy shaped the trajectory of his post‑Faces career.
🔘 Sources & Copyright
• Warner Bros. Records discography
• Billboard chart archives
• Steve Harley interview (Smiler, 1997)
• Contemporary release documentation
All artwork and original text remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary.
🔘 Tags
Comments