 Written by Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry, the song was originally intended for Elvis Presley but he died before it could be pitched to him.When it was originally released on Pye Records in 1979, the song was a sleeper hit on the Scottish club scene before breaking through nationally in the summer of 1980, reaching the top of the UK Singles Chart in September.The following year, aided by a number of remixes the song became a club hit in the US, reaching number ten on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart.