You Take Me Up

"You Take Me Up"
Single by Thompson Twins
from the album Into The Gap
B-side	Passion Planet Leopard Ray (UK 12")
Released	23 March 1984 (UK) 2 August 1984 (U.S.)
Format	7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, picture discs, cassette single
Recorded	1983
Genre	Pop rock
Length	3:55
Label	Arista Records
Writer(s)	Tom Bailey Alannah Currie Joe Leeway
Producer(s)	Alex Sadkin & Tom Bailey
Thompson Twins singles chronology
"Doctor! Doctor!" (1984) "You Take Me Up" (1984) "Sister Of Mercy" (1984)

"You Take Me Up" is a song by the British pop group Thompson Twins. It was the third single to be taken from their 1984 album Into the Gap and was released in the UK on 23 March 1984.^[1] It was written by Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway, and prominently features harmonica and a melodica solo. The single peaked at #2 in the UK, making it their highest chart position for a song, and spent eleven weeks on the chart.^[2] In addition to the regular 7" and multiple 12" releases, Arista Records also released four different shaped picture discs for the single, three of which were part of a jigsaw.

In the US the single spent nine weeks on the Billboard 100, peaking at #44.^[3] The promotional music video for this single was directed by Dieter Trattmann.

The B-side of the single was a non-album track entitled "Passion Planet".

Formats

7" UK vinyl single (Arista TWINS 4)

Side A

1. "You Take Me Up" – 4:04

Side B

1. "Passion Planet" – 3:43

12" UK vinyl single (Arista TWINS 124)

Side One

1. "You Take Me Up" (Machines Take Me Over) – 7:33
2. "Down Tools" – 4:18

Side Two

1. "Leopard Ray" – 3:50
2. "Passion Planet" – 3:44

12" UK vinyl single (Arista TWINS 224) [U.S. 12" Remix, Strictly Limited Edition]

Side One

1. "You Take Me Up" (High Plains Mixer) – 8:30

Side Two

1. "You Take Me Up" (Instrumental) – 6:20
2. "Passion Planet" – 3:44

4 UK shaped picture discs

(Arista TWISD 4) [Round shape with globe and spaceships]

(Arista TWIJ P14) [Part 1 of a 3-part "jigsaw" of a logo/globe map]

(Arista TWIJ P24) [Part 2 of a 3-part "jigsaw" of a logo/globe map]

(Arista TWIJ P34) [Part 3 of a 3-part "jigsaw" of a logo/globe map]

Side A

1. "You Take Me Up" – 4:04

Side B

1. "Passion Planet" – 3:43

7" U.S. vinyl single (Arista AS1-9244)

Side A

1. "You Take Me Up" – 3:55

Side B

1. "Passion Planet" – 3:42

12" U.S. vinyl single promo (Arista ADP-9250)

Side One

1. "You Take Me Up" (Club Mix) – 8:27

Side Two

1. "You Take Me Up" (Album Version) – 4:23

7" U.S. vinyl single promo (Arista AD1-9244)

Side One

1. "You Take Me Up" (Special Edit) – 4:09

Side Two

1. "You Take Me Up" (Album Version) – 3:55

Australian cassette single (Arista C14069/X14069/CX14069)

Side One

1. "You Take Me Up/Machines Take Me Over"
2. "Down Tools"

Side Two

1. "You Take Me Up" (U.S. Dance Mix) – 8:30
2. "Passion Planet" – 3:44

Chart performance

Chart (1984)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart[4]	2
Australian Singles Chart	47
Dutch Singles Chart[5]	50
German Singles Chart[6]	24
Irish Singles Chart	5
Italian Singles Chart	42
New Zealand Singles Chart[7]	24
US Billboard 100[8]	44

Official versions

Version	Length	Comment
Album version	4:23	Found on the album Into The Gap, and on the majority of the various greatest hits compilation CDs.
7" single version	3:55*	Only found on the 7" vinyl singles (Arista TWINS 4) and (Arista AS1-9244). *Listed track times varied between 3:55, 4:04, 4:08. Not available on CD.
Machines Take Me Over	7:33	Found on the UK 12" vinyl single (Arista TWINS 124), the Australian cassette single, and the double CD reissue of Into The Gap (2008 Edsel Records).
High Plains Mixer/U.S. 12" Remix/Club Mix/U.S. Dance Mix	8:30	Found on the UK 12" Limited Edition vinyl single (Arista TWINS 224), the Australian cassette single, and on the compilation The Best of Thompson Twins: Greatest Mixes and double CD reissue of Into The Gap (2008 Edsel Records).
Instrumental	6:20	Found on the UK 12" Limited Edition vinyl single (Arista TWINS 224) and the double CD reissue of Into The Gap (2008 Edsel Records).
"Down Tools"	4:18	Instrumental remix version of "You Take Me Up" found on the UK 12" vinyl single (Arista TWINS 124), the Australian "You Take Me Up" cassette single & longplay cassette for Into The Gap, and the double CD reissue of Into The Gap (2008 Edsel Records).
Machines Take Me Over	7:25	Shorter version that fades out, found on the double CD reissue of Into The Gap (2008 Edsel Records).
Special Edit	4:09	Only found on the U.S. 7" vinyl single promo (Arista AD1-9244).

Personnel

Written by Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, and Joe Leeway.

• Tom Bailey – vocals, synthesizer, contrabass, harmonica, melodica, drum programmes
• Alannah Currie – lyrics, marimba, xylophone, backing vocals, percussion
• Joe Leeway – backing vocals, congas, Prophet V
• Produced by Alex Sadkin with Tom Bailey
• Recorded and mixed by Phil Thornalley
• Photography – Paul Cox
• Artwork/Design – Satori (Andie Airfix)
• Art Direction – Alannah and Nic Marchant

References

1. "Record News". NME (London, England: IPC Media): 36. 17 March 1984.
2. "Thompson Twins – UK chart history". ChartArchive.org. Retrieved 30 Sep 2012.
3. "Thompson Twins – You Take Me Up". Billboard.com. Retrieved 30 Sep 2012.
4. "Thompson Twins – UK chart history". ChartArchive.org. Retrieved 30 Sep 2012.
5. "Thompson Twins – You Take Me Up". DutchCharts.nl. Retrieved 30 Sep 2012.
6. "Thompson Twins – German Chart History". Musicline.de. Retrieved 30 Sep 2012.
7. "Thompson Twins – You Take Me Up". Charts.org.nz. Retrieved 30 Sep 2012.
8. "Thompson Twins – You Take Me Up". Billboard.com. Retrieved 30 Sep 2012.

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics