ROCK MOMENT – Rod Stewart ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?’

When Rod Stewart dropped ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?‘ in late 1978, jaws hit the dance floor. Here was the raspy-voiced rocker who gave the world ‘Maggie May’ and ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’ suddenly strutting into the disco era, sequins flashing and bass lines thumping. Fans didn’t know whether to dance or riot.

The track, co-written with drummer Carmine Appice and keyboardist Duane Hitchings, was built on a four-on-the-floor groove, swirling strings, and cheeky lyrics about a one-night stand. Stewart later admitted the whole thing was meant as a parody—a tongue-in-cheek jab at the hedonism of the disco scene. But not everyone got the joke. Rock purists branded him a sellout. Rolling Stone critics howled. And when sharp ears noticed its melody echoed Brazilian singer Jorge Ben’s ‘Taj Mahal,’ the backlash only deepened.

Instead of fighting, Stewart pulled off a classy move: he donated his royalties to UNICEF and belted out the hit at the organization’s 1979 benefit concert. Controversy aside, the song soared to No. 1 in both the U.S. and the U.K., cementing itself as one of the defining anthems of the late ’70s.

Here’s the twist: the very track once mocked as kitsch has aged into a pop culture gem. Decades later, critics view it less as a betrayal of rock and more as Stewart’s playful wink at disco’s excess. It’s camp, it’s swagger, it’s satire—and it’s unforgettable. Love it or hate it, ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?‘ is Rod Stewart at his most daring, and that’s exactly why it endures.