Uptown Girl

"Uptown Girl"
Single by Billy Joel
from the album An Innocent Man
Released	September 29, 1983
Format	7" vinyl[1]
Recorded	1983
Genre	Pop rock
Length	3:18
Label	Columbia
Writer(s)	Billy Joel
Producer(s)	Phil Ramone[1]
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Tell Her About It" (1983) "Uptown Girl" (1983) "An Innocent Man" (1983)

"Uptown Girl" is a song written and performed by American musician Billy Joel. It was released on September 29, 1983, on his ninth studio album An Innocent Man (1983). The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy "uptown girl."

The 12" EP featured the tracks "My Life", "Just the Way You Are" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" (catalogue number TA3775). Whereas some 7" single versions featured 'Careless Talk' as a B-side (TBC).

Inspiration

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).^[2][3] Joel also has said that the song was inspired by the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.^[4]

Success

Although "Uptown Girl" was not as successful in the U.S. as previous single "Tell Her About It", it was still a big hit. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100,^[5] and number one in the United Kingdom, staying at that position for five weeks; it was the second biggest-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 biggest-selling single of the 1980s in the United Kingdom, selling 975,000 copies. It has sold 1.02 million copies as of 2013.^[6]

Music video

Christie Brinkley appears as the main character of the video and later married Joel.

The title character in the music video was played by Christie Brinkley.

Different versions of the music video opening were produced, in which an auto mechanic is watching the end of Joel's previous hit "Tell Her About It" on a small TV. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons Then, depending on the version, the next image on the TV is either a blank screen or the logo of the network or TV show the video was on.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1983) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 18 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 3 Canada (RPM)[10] 4 Denmark (Tracklisten)[11] 8 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[12] 26 Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 18 Ireland (IRMA) 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 10 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[16] 3 South Africa (RiSA)[17] 8 UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 1 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 3 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[19] 2 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard) 22 Zimbabwe Singles (ZIMA)[20] 9

Year-end charts Chart (1983) Position Canada (RPM) 46 UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 2 Chart (1984) Position US Billboard Hot 100 39 Certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Platinum 1,020,000[6] ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Westlife version

"Uptown Girl"
Single by Westlife
from the album World of Our Own
Released	March 5, 2001
Format	CD single, cassette
Recorded	Rokstone Studios, London
Genre	Teen pop, dance-pop
Length	3:06
Label	BMG
Producer(s)	Steve Mac
Certification	Platinum (UK) Gold (Sweden)
Westlife singles chronology
"I Lay My Love on You" (2001) "Uptown Girl" (2001) "When You're Looking Like That" (2001)

"Uptown Girl" was recorded by Irish boy band Westlife for their third studio album, World of Our Own (2001). It was released on March 5, 2001 as the fifth single from the album. It was also the 2001 Comic Relief charity single. The song was also included on 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 the one of the verses was repeated in the Billy Joel version which wasn't repeated in the Westlife version.

"Uptown Girl" reached number one on in Ireland and the United Kingdom. It became the sixth best-selling single of 2001 and the 24th best-selling single of the decade in the UK, with sales of 756,215 copies. It became the band's biggest-selling single 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.^[22] As of October 2011, the song had sold almost 800,000 copies.^[23]

Music video

The video for this song was shot in a Cafe setting with the band working there. Claudia Schiffer starred as the title character, while Robert Bathurst, James Wilby, Ioan Gruffudd, Crispin Bonham-Carter and Tim McInnerny were featured as high class customers. The video starts with Shane Filan taking the orders of the five customers while Mark Fehily passes by. One of the customers starts the Jukebox and the song starts. The video ends with Claudia Schiffer leaving the Cafe to which the five members and several other customers followed her while the Cafe closes leaving the five customers at the cafe.

Track listing

• 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"

DVD

1. "Uptown Girl" (Video) – 3:14
2. "Behind The Scenes Footage & Band Messages"

• 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 and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2001) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[24] 6 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[25] 12 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[26] 5 Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[27] 2 Denmark (Tracklisten)[28] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[29] 8 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[30] 13 France (SNEP)[31] 8 Germany (Official German Charts)[32] 8 Ireland (IRMA) 1 Italy (FIMI)[33] 10 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[34] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[35] 4 Norway (VG-lista)[36] 3 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[37] 1 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[38] 7 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[39] 2 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[40] 13 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[41] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position Ireland (IRMA) 1 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[42] 6 Decade-end charts Chart (2000–2009) Position UK Top 100 Songs of the Decade[43] 23 Certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Platinum 785,000[45] ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Chart successions

Popular culture

"Uptown Girl" has appeared on the television series The Simpsons, Glee, Ashes to Ashes (which involved a dream sequence parodying the music video), and 30 Rock, and was featured in the film Trainwreck.^[46]

References

1. "Billy Joel - Uptown Girl". Discogs.
2. "Channel Five Interview" on YouTube
3. "Billy Joel Visits. 11/16/10. 7:55am". Howard Stern archive. Marksfriggin.com. November 16, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
4. Billy Joel Website Interview
5. Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. pp. 137–138. ISBN 0-87586-207-1.
6. Lane, Daniel (June 27, 2013). "Daft Punk's Get Lucky becomes one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
7. "Australian-charts.com – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
8. "Austriancharts.at – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
9. "Ultratop.be – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
10. Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada
11. "Danishcharts.com – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". Tracklisten.
12. "Billy Joel: Uptown Girl" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
13. "Musicline.de – Billy Joel Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Billy Joel search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
15. "Charts.org.nz – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". Top 40 Singles.
16. "Norwegiancharts.com – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". VG-lista.
17. ""Uptown Girl" on the South African Singles Chart". Springbok Radio. January 13, 1984. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
18. "Billy Joel – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Billy Joel.
19. "Billy Joel – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Billy Joel.
20. • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
21. "British single certifications – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Uptown Girl in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
22. "BPI Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
23. The nation’s favourite Westlife tracks revealed!
24. "Australian-charts.com – Westlife – Uptown Girl". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
25. "Austriancharts.at – Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
26. "Ultratop.be – Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
27. "Ultratop.be – Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in French). Ultratip.
28. "Danishcharts.com – Westlife – Uptown Girl". Tracklisten.
29. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (March 24, 2001). "Billboard".
30. "Westlife: Uptown Girl" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
31. "Lescharts.com – Westlife – Uptown Girl" (in French). Les classement single.
32. "Musicline.de – Westlife Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
33. "Italiancharts.com – Westlife – Uptown Girl". Top Digital Download.
34. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Westlife search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
35. "Charts.org.nz – Westlife – Uptown Girl". Top 40 Singles.
36. "Norwegiancharts.com – Westlife – Uptown Girl". VG-lista.
37. "Archive Chart: 2001-03-11". Scottish Singles Top 40.
38. "Spanishcharts.com – Westlife – Uptown Girl" Canciones Top 50.
39. "Swedishcharts.com – Westlife – Uptown Girl". Singles Top 100.
40. "Swisscharts.com – Westlife – Uptown Girl". Swiss Singles Chart.
41. "Westlife: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company.
42. "2001 UK Singles Chart" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
43. Radio 1 Official Chart of the Decade, as broadcast on BBC Radio 1 on December 29, 2009, presented by DJ Nihal
44. "British single certifications – Westlife – Uptown Girl". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Uptown Girl in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
45. Myers, Justin (April 25, 2014). "Official Charts Flashback 1999: Westlife – Swear It Again". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
46. Brayson, Johnny (July 16, 2015). "'Uptown Girl' In 'Trainwreck' Is A Great Reminder That The Billy Joel Classic Has Major Comedy Creed". Bustle. Retrieved January 10, 2016.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics