The Story Behind the Post-‘Grease’ Song Toto’s Steve Lukather Co-Wrote for Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta

In 1983, director John Herzfeld reunited Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta five years after both starred in Grease, for the romantic comedy Two of a Kind. The story follows a heavenly intervention that pairs the two together romantically after a bank heist gone wrong, and is backed by a soundtrack featuring Journey, Chicago, Boz Scaggs, and more. Newton-John also recorded four songs for the Two of a Kind soundtrack: “Twist of Fate,” which went to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, another top 40 hit, “Livin’ in Desperate Times,” and “Shaking You,” which wasn’t released as a single.

A fourth track, “Take a Chance,” was released as the B-side to “Twist of Fate” and was co-written by Newton-John, producer David Foster, and Toto‘s Steve Lukather.

By the early ’80s, Toto were on top of the charts with the massive success of Toto IV, and Lukather had already written outside of the band for artists including Alice Cooper, the Tubes, and George Benson and appeared on dozens of albums as a session player, work that would span everyone from Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Warren Zevon, Earth, Wind & Fire, and many more. The year Two of a Kind was released, Lukather and other Toto bandmates also appeared on Michael Jackson’s 1983 album, Thriller; Lukather played guitar alongside Eddie Van Halen’s iconic “Beat It” solo, with Steve Porcaro (who also co-wrote “Human Nature”) on synthesizer, and late band member Jeff Porcaro (1954-1992) on drums.

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“Take a Chance”

Originally recorded years earlier for Newton-John’s iconic 1981 album, Physical, “Take a Chance” was eventually used for Newton-John and Travolta’s on-screen reunion.

The lyrics reflect the tested love between Travolta and Newton-John’s characters in the film.

Could it be we’re the perfect pair? 
Have it all if we’d only dare 
I have dreamed of a night like this 
Maybe you will end my loneliness 
Meeting you was a dangerous thing
 
Can’t control what is happening 
Stood my ground, didn’t run away 
Trying hard to hide that I’m so afraid 
Take a chance, take a chance 

[RELATED: The Story Behind Olivia Newton-John’s Favorite Song “I Honestly Love You”]

Shall I take another chance on love?
Take a chance, take a chance
Shall I take another chance on love?
When it feels so right
That I’m safe and warm inside
Take a chance and fall tonight

Guess my heart’s on the borderline
Couldn’t stand it not to work this time
It’s hard to fight when it feels so good
If there’s something, don’t you think that we should
Take a chance, take a chance

Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson Reunited

In the music video, directed by David Mallet (David Bowie, Queen, Rush), the two revisit their Grease personas again, with Travolta’s Danny Zuko-like character and the “bad” version of Newton-John’s character Sandy Olsson, dressed in skintight black leather.

Once released, “Take a Chance” went to No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart and was later re-released on the 2021 40th anniversary deluxe edition of Physical.

Photo: 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images