“The Look” is a pop-rock song by the Swedish duo Roxette, written by Per Gessle and produced by Clarence Öfwerman. Released in early 1989 as the fourth single from their album Look Sharp! (1988), it became a global phenomenon, topping the BILLBOARD Hot 100 and charts in 25 other countries.
Origin and Composition Gessle composed the track in spring 1988 as an exercise while learning to program a newly purchased Ensoniq ESQ-1 synthesizer, drawing rhythmic inspiration from ZZ Top. The song was originally titled “He’s Got the Look” with male pronouns, intended for Marie Fredriksson, but her voice was deemed too powerful for the track’s specific vibe. Gessle sang the lead vocals himself, keeping the first two verses as “guide lyrics” (e.g., “walking like a man, hitting like a hammer”) because he could not find better alternatives.
U.S. Breakthrough Despite being rejected by American labels, the song broke through in the United States due to Dean Cushman, an American exchange student from Minneapolis. Cushman gave a copy of the album to KDWB-FM, which began playing the track after positive listener response. The song spread via cassette copies to other stations, forcing EMI America to sign Roxette and release the single officially, where it reached number one in April 1989.
[Intro: Per Gessle]
(One, two, three, four)
[Verse 1: Per Gessle]
Walking like a man, hitting like a hammer
She’s a juvenile scam
Never was a quitter, tasted like a raindrop
She’s got the look
[Verse 2: Per Gessle & Marie Fredriksson]
Heavenly bound, ’cause heaven’s got her number
When she’s spinnin’ me around
Kissin’ is a color, her lovin’ is a wild dog
She’s got the look
[Chorus: Per Gessle, Marie Fredriksson, Both]
She’s got the look (She’s got the look!)
She’s got the look (She’s got the look!)
What in the world can make a brown-eyed girl turn blue?
When everything I’ll ever do, I’ll do for you
And I go la-la-la-la-la
She’s got the look!
[Verse 3: Per Gessle]
Fire in the ice, naked to the T-bone
It’s a lover’s disguise
Bangin’ on the head drum, shakin’ like a mad bull
She’s got the look
[Verse 4: Per Gessle & Marie Fredriksson]
Swayin’ to the band, movin’ like a hammer
She’s a miracle man
Lovin’ is the ocean, and kissin’ is the wet sand
She’s got the look
[Chorus: Per Gessle, Marie Fredriksson, Both]
She’s got the look (She’s got the look!)
She’s got the look (She’s got the look!)
What in the world can make a brown-eyed girl turn blue?
When everything I’ll ever do, I’ll do for you
And I go la-la-la-la-la
She’s got the look!
(Ow!)
[Instrumental Bridge]
[Verse 1: Per Gessle]
Walkin’ like a man, hitting like a hammer
She’s a juvenile scam
Never was a quitter, tasted like a raindrop
She’s got the look
[Bridge: Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle]
And she goes
A-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
She’s got the look!
[Chorus: Per Gessle, Marie Fredriksson, Both]
She’s got the look (She’s got the look!)
She’s got the look (She’s got the look!)
What in the world can make a brown-eyed girl turn blue?
When everything I’ll ever do, I’ll do for you
And I go la-la-la-la-la
She’s got the look!
What in the world can make you so blue?
When everything I’ll ever do, I’ll do for you
And I go la-la-la-la-la
[Breakdown: Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle]
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
She’s got the look!
She goes
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
She’s got the look! (She’s got the look!)
She goes
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
She’s got the look! (She’s got the look)
She goes
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na
Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
