You Can Leave Your Hat On

You Can Leave Your Hat On was written by Randy Newman and appeared on his 1972 album Sail Away. It was made famous by Joe Cocker when featured in the 1986 Adrian Lyne film 9½ Weeks during the famous striptease scene. It first appeared on his album from that year titled Cocker. In the lyrics, the singer is addressing a sexual partner as he/she disrobes as a prelude to a sexual encounter, perhaps in a striptease fashion. The vocalist in most recordings of the song is male, and is presumably addressing a female, due to the lyrics "Take off your dress." The verses of the song are short, and the frequently repeated chorus consists simply of the line "You can leave your hat on" repeated three times, implying that the singer is aroused by his sexual partner wearing a hat, or perhaps the specific hat that she is currently wearing.

Baby take off your coat Real slow Take off your shoes I'll take off your shoes Baby, take off your dress Yes, yes, yes You can leave your hat on You can leave your hat on You can leave your hat on Go over there, turn on the lights All the lights Come back here, stand on that chair Get up woman, that's right Raise your arms up in the air And now shake 'em You give me reason to live You give me reason to live You give me reason to live You give me reason to live Sweet darling (You can leave your hat on) Just leave your hat on, girl A little wild man (You can leave your hat on) Leave your hat on (You can leave your hat on) (You can leave your hat on) Suspicious minds are talkin' They're tryin' to tear us apart They don't believe in this love of mine They don't know what love is They don't know what love is They don't know what love is They don't know what love is I know what love is And baby, put it my way (You can leave your hat on) And just leave your hat on now They don't wanna (You can leave your hat on) Won't you do that for me, babe? (You can leave your hat on) And just leave your hat on, girl (You can leave your hat on)