Jump to content

Uptown Girl

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Uptown Girl (Westlife song))
For other uses, see Uptown Girl (disambiguation).

"Uptown Girl"
Artwork for U.S. and Canadian singles, also used for the Japanese release with its native language
Single by Billy Joel
from the album An Innocent Man
B-side"Careless Talk"
ReleasedSeptember 19, 1983
Recorded1983
Genre
Length3:18
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Billy Joel
Producer(s)Phil Ramone[5]
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Tell Her About It"
(1983) 		"Uptown Girl"
(1983) 		"An Innocent Man"
(1983)
Music video
"Uptown Girl" on YouTube

"Uptown Girl" is a song written and performed by American musician Billy Joel from his ninth studio album An Innocent Man (1983), released in September 1983 as the album's second single. The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy "uptown girl". The 12" EP has the tracks "My Life", "Just the Way You Are" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" (catalogue number TA3775),[6] whereas some 7" single versions featured "Careless Talk" as a B-side.[7]

"Uptown Girl" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks from November 12 to December 10, 1983.[8] It also reached number one in the United Kingdom for five weeks, his only number-one hit in the country. It was the second-best-selling single of 1983 in the United Kingdom behind only Culture Club's "Karma Chameleon", which Joel had knocked off the number-one position on November 1, 1983. The song was the 19th-best-selling single of the 1980s in the United Kingdom, selling 975,000 copies. It has sold over 1.2 million copies as of 2023.

Inspiration

[edit]

According to an interview with Howard Stern, Joel had originally titled the song "Uptown Girls", and it was conceived on an occasion when he was surrounded by Christie Brinkley, Whitney Houston, and his then-girlfriend Elle Macpherson. According to numerous interviews with Joel, the song was initially written about his relationship with Macpherson, but it ended up also becoming about his soon-to-be wife, Brinkley, both women being two of the most famous supermodels of the 1980s.[9] Joel said that the song was inspired by the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.[10]

Christie Brinkley, Joel's future wife, appears as the main character of the video

Reception

[edit]

Cash Box said that "sounding uncannily like Frankie Valli, Joel plays out the city uptown-downtown caste system, longing for a seemingly unavailable 'white-bread' lovely."[11] Four Seasons bassist Joe Long praised the record and considered it vindication for him, as he had been forced out of the band during its 1970s renaissance when it moved away from the classic sound; Long argued that the success of "Uptown Girl" had shown the Four Seasons had not needed to make those kinds of changes.[12]

Music video

[edit]

The video depicts Joel and his backup singers working as auto mechanics. Brinkley arrives in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce as Joel and the mechanics dance with her. A poster of Brinkley can be seen in the garage as well as on a billboard above the garage advertising "Uptown Cosmetics". At the end of the video Joel and Brinkley ride off on a motorcycle. Before the song starts, footage from the music video "Tell Her About It" is seen playing on a Portable TV.

Joel said, ""Uptown Girl" I wasn't too crazy about, because they wanted me to dance. I sort of said, OK, you know, I'll give it a try. We shot it on the two hottest days of the year. We were down on the Bowery, and all these bums kept butting in with 'A-a-ay Cri-i-ist-a-ay!'"[13]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[41] Gold 50,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[42] Platinum 90,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[43] Gold 300,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[44] Gold 50,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[45] Gold 20,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[46] Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[48] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

[edit]

Additional personnel

  • Mike Alexander – backing vocals
  • Tom Bahler – backing vocals
  • Rory Dodd – backing vocals
  • Frank Floyd – backing vocals
  • Lani Groves – backing vocals
  • Ullanda McCullough – backing vocals
  • Ron Taylor – backing vocals
  • Terry Textor – backing vocals
  • Eric Troyer – backing vocals

Legacy and impact

[edit]

Olivia Rodrigo mentioned the song and Joel in her hit single "Deja Vu", which became a top 3 U.S. hit.[49] Rodrigo made a surprise appearance at Joel's Madison Square Garden performance on August 24, 2022, singing "Deja Vu" with Joel on piano and "Uptown Girl" as a duet with Joel.[50][51]

Westlife version

[edit]
"Uptown Girl"
Single by Westlife
from the album World of Our Own
B-side"Angels Wings"
ReleasedMarch 5, 2001 (2001-03-05)[52]
StudioRokstone (London)
Genre
Length3:06
LabelBMG
Songwriter(s)Billy Joel
Producer(s)Steve Mac
Westlife UK/Ireland singles chronology
"What Makes a Man"
(2000) 		"Uptown Girl"
(2001) 		"Queen of My Heart" / "When You're Looking Like That"
(2001)
Westlife international singles chronology
"I Lay My Love on You"
(2001) 		"Uptown Girl"
(2001) 		"When You're Looking Like That"
(2001)
Music video
"Uptown Girl" on YouTube

Irish boy band Westlife covered the song for their third studio album, World of Our Own. It was released on March 5, 2001 as the lead single from the album and the 2001 Comic Relief charity single. The song was also released as the fifth single for the European Special Edition and Asian Deluxe Edition Bonus Disc of the group's second album, Coast to Coast (2000). The Westlife version is slightly shorter than the Billy Joel version because one of the verses was not repeated. The music video was a parody of the Billy Joel one, with the members of Westlife playing workers in a burger bar, Robert Bathurst, Crispin Bonham-Carter, Ioan Gruffudd, Tim McInnerny and James Wilby play the snobby uptown customers and Claudia Schiffer is in the Christie Brinkley role.

"Uptown Girl" reached number one in Ireland, Mexico and the United Kingdom. It became the best-selling single of 2001 and the tenth-best-selling single of all time in Ireland. In the United Kingdom, it was the sixth-best-selling single of 2001 and the 24th-best-selling single of the decade in the UK charts, with sales of 756,215 copies. It became the band's best-selling single (paid-for and combined sales categories) in the UK and also achieved the highest first week sales (292,318 copies) of any of their singles. It has since been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for shipments of 600,000 copies.[53] By March 2017, the song had sold almost 800,000 copies in the country from physical and digital copies which make up 81% of the total units.[54] As of January 2019, it has 920,000 total sales. It is also their second most streamed song in the United Kingdom of all-time. In 30 November 2021, it has 1.1 million total sales with 67% of it or 748,000 were physical sales.[54] This makes the single as part of the list of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom and the first one for the group.

In Mexico, the song was the fourth-best-selling single of 2001.[citation needed]

Track listing

[edit]
  • United Kingdom
CD1
  1. "Uptown Girl" (Radio Edit) – 3:06
  2. "Angel's Wings" (2001 Remix) – 4:14
  3. "Uptown Girl" (Video) – 3:14
CD2
  1. "Uptown Girl" (Radio Edit) – 3:06
  2. "Uptown Girl" (Extended Version) – 5:02
  3. "Behind the Scenes Footage & Band Messages"
VHS
  1. "Uptown Girl" (The Video) – 3:14
  2. "The Making of Uptown Girl" (Mini-Documentary)
  3. "The Bits That Didn't Quite Go to Plan ..."
DVD
  1. "Uptown Girl" (The Video) – 3:14
  2. "The Making of Uptown Girl" (Mini-Documentary)
  3. "The Bits That Didn't Quite Go to Plan ..."
  4. "Comic Relief Weblink"
  5. "Photo Gallery"
  • Japan
  1. "Uptown Girl" (Radio Edit) – 3:06
  2. "Uptown Girl" (Extended Version) – 5:02
  3. "Angel's Wings" (Original Version) – 4:02
  4. "Close Your Eyes" – 4:32
  5. "Uptown Girl" (Video) – 3:14
  6. "Behind the Scenes Footage & Band Messages"

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[91] Platinum 70,000^
France (SNEP)[92] Gold 250,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[93] Gold 5,000*
Sweden (GLF)[94] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[95] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Billboard Staff (October 19, 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2024. 1960s doo-wop meets 1980s pop-rock in an endlessly-singable ragtag love story...
  2. ^ "Billy Joel - An Innocent Man (album review)". Subjective Sounds. September 27, 2023.
  3. ^ Tomlin, Edward (March 20, 2023). "10 Best Billy Joel Songs of All Time - Singersroom.com". Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  4. ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (August 18, 1983). "An Innocent Man". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  5. ^ "Billy Joel - Uptown Girl". Discogs. Archived from the original on November 27, 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2009.
  6. ^ "Billy Joel - Uptown Girl - Discogs". Discogs. Archived from the original on November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  7. ^ "Billy Joel - Uptown Girl". Discogs. Archived from the original on November 27, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  8. ^ Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. pp. 137–138. ISBN 0-87586-207-1.
  9. ^ "Billy Joel Visits. 11/16/10. 7:55am". Howard Stern archive. Marksfriggin.com. November 16, 2010. Archived from the original on May 28, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  10. ^ "Billy Joel Website Interview". Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  11. ^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 24, 1983. p. 8. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  12. ^ Mark, Voger (July 2, 2016). "Four Seasons singer a real Jersey". Nj.com. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Barry Millman (June 1985). "Billy Joel Talks Back". Spin. No. 2. p. 53.
  14. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 156. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  15. ^ "Billy Joel – Uptown Girl" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  16. ^ "Billy Joel – Uptown Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  17. ^ Lwin, Nanda (1999). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Mississauga, Ont.: Music Data Canada. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
  18. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  19. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. December 3, 1983. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  20. ^ "Las canciones más escuchadas en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). June 24, 1984. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  21. ^ "Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". Tracklisten.
  22. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 263. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  23. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 49, 1983" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  24. ^ "Billy Joel – Uptown Girl" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  25. ^ "Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". Top 40 Singles.
  26. ^ "Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". VG-lista.
  27. ^ ""Uptown Girl" on the South African Singles Chart". Springbok Radio. January 13, 1984. Archived from the original on November 19, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  28. ^ "Billy Joel: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  29. ^ "Billy Joel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  30. ^ "Billy Joel Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  31. ^ "Billy Joel Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  32. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  33. ^ Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  34. ^ "Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 22, 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1983". Ultratop. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  36. ^ "Top 100 Singles of 1983 – Volume 39, No. 17, December 24 1983". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
  37. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1983". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  38. ^ "Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 23, 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  39. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1984/Top 100 Songs of 1984" Archived May 30, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, musicoutfitters.com (retrieved April 9, 2017).
  40. ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1984". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  41. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". Music Canada. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  42. ^ "Danish single certifications – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  43. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Billy Joel; 'Uptown Girl')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  44. ^ "Italian single certifications – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  45. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  46. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  47. ^ "British single certifications – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  48. ^ "American single certifications – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  49. ^ "Olivia Rodrigo Makes History on Streaming Songs Chart". Billboard. April 15, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  50. ^ "Watch Olivia Rodrigo Sing 'Deja Vu' and 'Uptown Girl' with Billy Joel". Rolling Stone. August 25, 2022.
  51. ^ "Billy Joel with Olivia Rodrigo - "deja vu" and "Uptown Girl" - Madison Square Garden 8/24/2022". August 24, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via www.youtube.com.
  52. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting March 5, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. March 3, 2001. p. 35. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  53. ^ "BPI Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on September 1, 2009. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
  54. ^ a b John, Alan (November 22, 2019). "Charts analysis: Westlife reach summit with first album in nine years". musicweek.com. Music Week. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  55. ^ a b "Official Physical Singles Chart Top 100: 20 November 2011 - 26 November 2011". Official Charts. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  56. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  57. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  58. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  59. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in French). Ultratip.
  60. ^ "Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija". Croatian Radiotelevision. Archived from the original on July 1, 2001. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  61. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl". Tracklisten.
  62. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. March 24, 2001.
  63. ^ "Westlife: Uptown Girl" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  64. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in French). Les classement single.
  65. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  66. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl". Top Digital Download.
  67. ^ "{title}". Archived from the original on May 19, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  68. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 18, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  69. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  70. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl". Top 40 Singles.
  71. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl". VG-lista.
  72. ^ "Polish Airplay Charts - Lista krajowa 27/2001". PiF PaF Production. Archived from the original on February 28, 2002. Retrieved December 27, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  73. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  74. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl" Canciones Top 50.
  75. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl". Singles Top 100.
  76. ^ "Westlife – Uptown Girl". Swiss Singles Chart.
  77. ^ "Westlife: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  78. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  79. ^ "Australian End of Year 2001 Singles Chart". ARIA. Archived from the original on August 8, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  80. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2001". Ultratop. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  81. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2001 p.14" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  82. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  83. ^ "Best of 2001 Irish Singles Chart". IRMA (Would required to select the "Best of 2001" tab). Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  84. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2001". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  85. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2001". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  86. ^ "New Zealand Top Selling Singles of 2001". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  87. ^ "Årslista Singlar – År 2001" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  88. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2001". hitparade.ch. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  89. ^ "2001 UK Singles Chart" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  90. ^ Radio 1 Official Chart of the Decade, as broadcast on BBC Radio 1 on December 29, 2009, presented by DJ Nihal
  91. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  92. ^ "French single certifications – Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  93. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Westlife – Uptown Girl". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  94. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2001" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  95. ^ "British single certifications – Westlife – Uptown Girl". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Uptown_Girl&oldid=1251594578#Westlife_version"