Upside Down
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| “Upside Down” | |||||
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| Single by Diana Ross from the album diana |
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| B-side | "Friend to Friend" | ||||
| Released | 1980 | ||||
| Genre | Disco | ||||
| Length | 3:37 | ||||
| Label | Motown | ||||
| Writer(s) | Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards | ||||
| Producer | Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards for Chic | ||||
| Diana Ross singles chronology | |||||
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"Upside Down" is a song by Motown legend Diana Ross. It was the first single taken from her 1980 album "Diana" and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 6, 1980. The single was also a big hit internationally, reaching #2 in the UK, and topping the singles chart in Italy, Norway and Switzerland.
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[edit] History
The song was written and produced by Chic masterminds Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, apparently on a whim after Ross told the legendary songwriter-producer duo that she wanted a song her children could dance to.
The song would be later covered and sampled by the likes of Salt-N-Pepa, Missy Elliott, Puff Daddy and MC Lyte, who had a hit under the "Upside Down" sample in Lyte's 1996 hit, "Cold Rock a Party".
The song was later covered by Destiny's Child during a tribute show honoring Ross and her phenomenal career on a VH1 Divas special.
In 1994, the song was used in Disney Sing Along Songs: Let's Go to the Circus.
In 1997, Ross performed the song live with British artist Jamiroquai at "The Brit Awards" ceremony.
[edit] Music video
The music video was unique for its time in that Diana Ross is not actually seen singing the song in the video. Clips of Diana Ross dancing in various costumes, interspersed with still photos, are played on a loop and repeated many times over while the song plays.
[edit] Trivia
When the song hit number one on Billboard Hot 100 and Black Singles Chart, it made the then 36-year-old one of the oldest female artist to have a number-one single. She was bested by Barbra Streisand a few months before who reached #1 at the age of 37 with her duet with Donna Summer, "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" and a few weeks after when Streisand reached the pinnacle with "Woman in Love" at the age of 38. The streak was broken by Tina Turner's number-one single, "What's Love Got to Do with It?" three years later. Since then, songs by a 53-year-old Cher ("Believe" in 1999) and a 42-year-old Madonna ("Music" in 2000) have since eclipsed Ross but she remains the fourth oldest female artist to have a number-one charted single in the U.S. If Grace Slick (as a member of Starship) is counted for the singles "We Built This City" (1985), and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (1987), which charted when Slick was 45 and 47 respectively, this makes Ross the fifth-oldest female artist to have a number one hit in the U.S. However, since Slick is not credited as a solo artist on these records, but rather as a member of a band, those chart achievements may not count.
"Upside Down" rose to #2 on the UK Singles Chart, marking the highest peak performance from Ross as a solo artist since "I'm Still Waiting" in 1971.
| Preceded by "Sailing" by Christopher Cross |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single September 6, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen |
| Preceded by "Fame" by Irene Cara |
ARC Weekly Top 40 number one single September 13, 1980 - September 27, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen |
| Preceded by "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" by The SOS Band |
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number one single (with "I'm Coming Out") August 9, 1980 - August 23, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Fame" by Irene Cara "Red Light" / "Hot Lunch Jam" by Linda Clifford |
| Preceded by "Fame" by Irene Cara "Red Light" / "Hot Lunch Jam" by Linda Clifford |
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number one single (with "I'm Coming Out") September 6, 1980 - September 13, 1980 |
Succeeded by "Love Sensation" by Loleatta Holloway |
