Body Wishes

1. Overview
Body Wishes is Rod Stewart’s twelfth studio album, released June 10, 1983 by Warner Bros. It marked a glossy, synthesizer-rich shift in his sound for the early 1980s and enjoyed strong European sales, though it drew mixed reviews in the press at the time. The cover pays homage to Elvis Presley’s 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))

2. Recording History
- Recording studio/location: The tracks were recorded and mixed at The Record Plant in Los Angeles. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))
- Dates: The album was recorded in 1982 and released the following year. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))
- Producers/engineers: The album’s producer is Tom Dowd; per-track credits show additional producers/co-producers such as Jim Cregan and George Tutko, with Jimmy Iovine co-producing the track “What Am I Gonna Do.” Key per‑track credits (engineer, producer, co-producer) are listed in MusicBrainz for the 5fef5f9d release. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))
- Notable techniques/equipment: The material foregrounds 1980s synth textures and keyboard work (Kevin Savigar is credited for keyboards/synthesizers on multiple tracks). The album’s sound is described in contemporary notes as synth-laden pop/rock. ([qobuz.com](https://www.qobuz.com/au-en/album/body-wishes-rod-stewart/0603497922185))

3. Chart Performance & Recognition
- Chart positions: UK Albums Chart peak No. 5; US Billboard 200 peak No. 30; also charted in Germany (No. 2), Sweden (No. 3), Netherlands (No. 6), Australia (No. 14), and New Zealand (No. 25). ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))
- Sales & certifications: UK Gold; Germany Platinum; France Gold; Spain Gold; Canada Platinum. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))
- Notable singles: “Baby Jane” reached No. 1 in the UK and No. 14 in the US; “What Am I Gonna Do (I’m So in Love with You)” and “Sweet Surrender” followed as mid-chart singles. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Jane_%28Rod_Stewart_song%29))
- Critical reception at release: Mixed to negative; Rolling Stone gave it 2/5, while later AllMusic retrospectives have been similarly harsh. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))

4. Cultural Impact & Legacy
- Visual and artistic note: The album cover is a deliberate tribute to Elvis Presley’s Elvis cover, aligning Stewart with a classic rock iconography. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))
- Legacy: Today the album is commonly remembered as one of Stewart’s less acclaimed 1980s records, with contemporary critics and retrospectives often ranking it toward the lower end of his discography. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))
- Influence & aftereffects: The record’s European chart-toppers and its polished, synth-forward sound illustrate the era’s pop-rock production, even as it remains controversial among fans and critics. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Wishes))