Hot Blooded

Album: Double Vision (1978)
Charted: 42 3
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Songfacts®:

  • Written by Foreigner mainstays Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, this song is known for its distinctive guitar riff and sexually charged lyrics. The phrase "Hot Blooded" means passionate and fiery, and here it's used by the singer to indicate a raging libido. He claims that his blood is literally hot, reaching a fever temperature of 103 degrees. While most men afflicted with this condition would require a fair amount of rest, he feels that an after-show rendezvous with the girl he's been checking out is just what he needs.
  • In our 2009 interview with Mick Jones, he explained that Foreigner's songs are about relationships and emotions, and said, "I've never gone into any political or message-type songs, as far as I know."
  • "Hot Blooded" was a big hit for Foreigner, but their biggest came in 1984 with the transatlantic #1 "I Want to Know What Love Is," which found the singer taking a much more sensitive tone.
  • Nothing conveys testosterone-charged sexuality quite like this song, and it has been used in several movies and TV shows as a result, including Blades of Glory, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, WKRP In Cincinnati and The Simpsons. The song got special treatment on the show Bones, where Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz sing it on two episodes. In the Stranger Things episode "Suzie, Do You Copy?" it plays while Billy watches Karen swim at the pool, right before he propositions her. It also featured on The Office episode "Sex Ed," where Andy announces he's bought pizza for his coworkers by singing this as "Hot Pizza."
  • The guitar riff was sampled for the 1988 Tone Loc hit "Funky Cold Medina."
  • Sammy Hagar inducted Foreigner into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2024 and sang "Hot Blooded" at the ceremony. This was a strange time for the band, which had been eligible for the honor since 2002. Their mainstays Mick Jones and Lou Gramm were battling health issues; Jones couldn't attend and Gramm was limited to one song: "I Want to Know What Love Is," which he sang with Kelly Clarkson. Foreigner was still touring, though, but with band members most fans aren't familiar with, including lead singer Kelly Hansen. The Rock Hall doesn't like unfamiliar faces, so the Foreigner performance was stacked with stars, including Slash on guitar and Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers on drums. Hansen was allowed to sing a bit of "Hot Blooded" and was introduced on stage by Hagar.

Comments: 11

  • MaddieHonestly this song does sound pretty bad in one of the lyrics he says are "are you old enough? Will you be ready when I call your bluff? Is my timing right? Did you save your love for me tonight? And then in one part towards the end he says "Hot blooded, I'm so hot for you child" he just seems like a raging pedo in this song.
  • Frank Castanza from New YorkThis song sounds bad, "are you old enough, time to call your bluff". Deems like this girl is a little young.
  • Greg from Clarksville, IndianaHot Blooded sounds like it could have been written and performed by KISS with Paul Stanley on lead vocals.
  • Jennifur Sun from RamonaWas used several times in the old TV show Bones.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 25th 1978, "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #52; and on September 3rd, 1978 it peaked #3 (for 2 weeks) and spent 17 weeks on the Top 100...
    It also reached #3 on the Canadian RPM Top singles chart...
    Between 1977 and 1995 the group had twenty-two Top 100 records; nine made the Top 10 with "I Want to Know What Love Is" being their biggest hit, it peaked at #1 (for 2 weeks) on January 27th, 1985...
    They just missed having three #1s when both "Double Vision" in 1978 and "Waiting For A Girl Like You" in 1981 peaked at #2...
    And "Waiting For A Girl Like You" spent 10 weeks at #2!
  • Drew from B\'ham, AlThe intro sounds much like that of "Brown Sugar" by the Rolling Stones. Very similar.
  • Crazyc63312 from Pittsburgh, PaThe song was on a "Weird Al" Yankovic polka. I forget which one, though. I think it was Polkas On 45. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
  • John from Grand Island, NyUsed in an episode of WKRP in Cincinnati, Les gets a date and buys a toupee to make him look younger and hipper. This song plays as he gets ready with an ascot tie and him putting on the wig...classic!
  • Jennifer Harris from Grand Blanc, MiI love Hot Blooded! It was on The Radio all the time when I was an elementary schooler.
  • Rob from Saginaw, MiIf I'm not mistaken, "Funky Cold Medina" samples the Kiss song "Christeen Sixteen", not "Hot Blooded".
  • Joe from Chicago, IlThen again, what song isn't used in The Simpsons.
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