The Only Way Is Up
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| “The Only Way Is Up” | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by Yazz and the Plastic Population | ||
| Released | July 1988 | |
| Format | 7", 12", CD single, Cassette single | |
| Genre | Dance,Funk | |
| Writer(s) | George Jackson, Johnny Henderson | |
| Producer | Coldcut | |
"The Only Way Is Up" is a chart-topping single by Yazz and the Plastic Population.
Written by George Jackson and Johnny Henderson, the song was originally released as the title track to the 1982 album by soul singer Otis Clay.
The Yazz version was produced by Jonathan Moore and Matt Black (better known as dance duo Coldcut who had worked with Yazz on their hit single "Doctorin' the House"). Released as a single in July 1988, "The Only Way Is Up" became an instant smash, spending five weeks at #1 in the UK, and ultimately became the biggest selling single of the year. In the United States, however, it fared less well peaking at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100, though it did reach #2 on the Billboard dance chart. The song's opening horn blast is a sample from Sharon Redd's 1982 dance classic "Beat the Street".
A remix of the song was used in the 2008 Malta parliament elections by the Malta Labour Party (MLP) in their electoral campaign with a slight modification of the lyrics: 'The only way is up, Labour'. A Labour spokesperson said the song was chosen to reflect the positive attitude of Labour, and will blend in perfectly with message they are passing on. While there is no indication whether this remix was made with respect to copyright laws, the song was distributed freely on the internet through the party's website.
It was also used in the heyday of the multi-level marketing company National Safety Associates as an audience rouser and intro to recruitment meetings held in the UK and elsewhere in the 1990s
[edit] Chart performance
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia | 2 |
| Germany | 3 |
| The Netherlands[1] | 1 |
| New Zealand | 1 |
| United Kingdom | 1 |
| United States Billboard Hot 100 | 96 |
| United States Billboard dance chart | 2 |
| Preceded by "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" by Glenn Medeiros |
UK number one single August 7, 1988 - September 4, 1988 |
Succeeded by "A Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins |
[edit] References
- ^ De Nederlandse Top 40, week 39, 1988. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
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