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Before John Travolta became a household name for his iconic role alongside Olivia Newton-John in Grease, he had already made waves in the music world. In 1976, at just 22 years old, Travolta released “Let Her In,” which became his first solo Top 10 hit in the United States.
This wasn’t Travolta’s first foray into music. His initial single, “Dream Drummin’,” came out in 1974 but didn’t gain much traction.
A few other attempts followed with limited success. However, “Let Her In” marked a turning point.
Featured on his self-titled 1976 album, the song was written by Gary Benson, who had originally recorded it in 1973 without much recognition. Travolta’s version, however, reached a broad audience and resonated with listeners.
“Let Her In” enjoyed a strong presence on the charts, spending five months on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and peaking at No.
- It also climbed to No. 16 on the Adult Contemporary chart and performed even better on the Cash Box chart, reaching No.
- In Canada, the single rose to No. 7 on the RPM Top Singles chart.
At the time, Travolta was already gaining fame playing Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome Back, Kotter, and the success of this single marked his first significant achievement as a singer.
Two years later, Travolta’s musical career skyrocketed with his role as Danny Zuko in Grease, one of the most beloved movie musicals of its time. The Grease soundtrack produced several major hits for him, including the No. 1 duet “You’re the One That I Want” with Newton-John, and “Summer Nights,” which reached the Top 5. Additional singles like “Greased Lightnin’” and “Sandy” also found success, though not to the same extent as his biggest Grease hits.
Despite the fame from Grease, “Let Her In” remains Travolta’s only solo Top 10 hit in the U.S. The track was later included on his 1978 compilation album, Travolta Fever, which came out after his rise to stardom with the film.
Travolta continued his musical pursuits beyond Grease. In 1980, he released “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” followed by various singles and collaborations.
Notably, he reunited with Newton-John in 1983 for “Take a Chance,” featured on the soundtrack of their film Two of a Kind, which became another Top 5 hit. Over the years, Travolta also partnered with artists like Carly Simon on “Two Sleepy People” in 1997 and Miley Cyrus on “I Thought I Lost You” in 2008.
John Travolta’s musical journey, starting with “Let Her In,” showcases a versatile entertainer who successfully bridged acting and singing long before his Grease days.