The Only Way Is Up

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"The Only Way Is Up"
Only way Is Up Otis Clay.jpg
Single by Otis Clay
from the album The Only Way Is Up
B-side "Special Kind of Love"
Released1980
Genre
Length3:46
Label Echo
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Otis Clay
  • Troy Thompson

"The Only Way Is Up" is a song written by George Jackson and Johnny Henderson and originally released in 1980 as a single by American soul singer Otis Clay. In 1988, it became a chart-topping single in the United Kingdom for Yazz and the Plastic Population. The song is used as the theme tune to the popular ITV2/ITVBe reality television series The Only Way Is Essex .

Contents

Otis Clay version

The song was written by George Jackson and Johnny Henderson. [1] It was first recorded by Otis Clay and released as a single by Echo Records in 1980. [2] Though not a hit, the song became the title track of Clay's album The Only Way Is Up, [3] released in Japan in 1982 and then North America in 1985. [4] It is also included on his 2012 album Truth Is. [5]

Yazz version

  1. "The Only Way Is Up" — 4:02
  2. "Bad House Music" — 4:28
  1. "The Only Way Is Up" — 6:44
  2. "Bad House Music" — 7:07
  1. "The Only Way Is Up" (UK extended club mix) — 6:45
  2. "The Only Way Is Up" (the up up up mix) — 7:01
  3. "The Only Way Is Up" (acid dub) — 5:50
  1. "The Only Way Is Up" (UK extended club mix) — 6:43
  2. "The Only Way Is Up" (Lp version) — 4:01
  3. "The Only Way Is Up" (the popstand remix) — 6:57
  4. "The Only Way Is Up" (acid dub) — 5:50
  5. "The Only Way Is Up" (the up up up mix) — 7:01
  1. "The Only Way Is Up" (7" edit) — 4:02
  2. "The Only Way Is Up" (12" version) — 6:48
  3. "The Only Way Is Up" (speng) — 6:01
  4. "Bad House Music" — 3:00
  1. "The Only Way Is Up" (the Bam Bam remix) — 7:24
  2. "The Only Way Is Up" (the up up up mix) — 7:24
  3. "Bad House Music" — 4:28

Charts and sales

"The Only Way Is Up"
The Only Way Is Up (Yazz single).jpg
Single by Yazz and the Plastic Population
from the album Wanted
B-side
  • "Bad House Music"
  • Remix
Released11 July 1988 (1988-07-11) [6]
Genre
Length
  • 4:27(album version)
  • 4:02 (7" edit)
Label Big Life
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Coldcut
Yazz singles chronology
"Doctorin' the House"
(1988)		"The Only Way Is Up"
(1988)		"Stand Up for Your Love Rights"
(1988)
Music video
"The Only Way Is Up" on YouTube

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Solomon, Felicia Kate (2019). "Musical Acknowledgments". Lucia's Poltergeist. Leicestershire: Troubador Publishing. p. 516. ISBN   978-1789015-799.
  2. ↑ "Otis Clay – The Only Way Is Up / Messing With My Mind ", Northern Soul Direct. Retrieved 3 December 2020
  3. ↑ Jon Kutner, Spencer Leigh (eds.), 1,000 UK Number One Hits, Omnibus Press, 2010, p.
  4. ↑ Barr, Greg (23 September 1988). "Feats of Clay" . The Ottawa Citizen. Postmedia Network. p. B3. ISSN   0839-3222. ProQuest   239260543 . Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  5. ↑ Clay, Otis (22 May 2014). "Q&A: Singer Otis Clay's got the blues and more" . TCA Regional News (Interview). Interviewed by Johnson, Kevin C. Tribune Content Agency. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  6. 1 2 "British single certifications – Yazz and the Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  7. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 285.
  8. ↑ "Radio1 Rodos :: New Music :: U.K. Forthcoming Releases". Radio1.gr. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  9. ↑ "Yazz: The only way is up for the singer who is now a powerful woman of God". crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  10. ↑ Jeffery, Tim (16 July 1988). "RM Dance". Record Mirror . p. 18. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  11. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 31 July 1988 - 06 August 1988". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  12. 1 2 "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 5, no. 38. 17 September 1988. p. 18. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  13. ↑ Coleman, Bill (3 December 1988). "Yazz Is 'Wanted' For Assault With A Catchy Beat" (PDF). Billboard . p. 27. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  14. ↑ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 5, no. 32. 6 August 1988. p. 15. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  15. ↑ Collin, Matthew (23 July 1988). "RM Dance". Record Mirror . p. 20. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  16. ↑ "Yazz - The Only Way Is Up". YouTube . Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  17. ↑ "Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  18. ↑ "Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  19. ↑ "Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  20. ↑ Danish Singles Chart. 30 September 1988.
  21. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Yazz & The Plastic Population". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 286. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  22. ↑ "Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  23. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 10 (30. september 1988)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. Retrieved 23 July 2018.{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  24. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Only Way Is Up". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  25. ↑ 18 September 1988
  26. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 30 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Yazz".
  27. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Yazz And The Plastic Population" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  28. ↑ "Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  29. ↑ "Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  30. ↑ "Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up". VG-lista. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  31. ↑ Portuguese Charts Archive. January 1989.
  32. ↑ "Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  33. ↑ "Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  34. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  35. ↑ "Billboard > Yazz Chart History > Hot 100". Billboard . Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  36. ↑ "Billboard > Yazz Chart History > Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  37. ↑ "Billboard > Yazz Chart History > Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  38. ↑ "Yazz and the Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up (song)" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  39. ↑ "1988 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA . Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  40. ↑ "1988 Belgian Flanders Singles Chart" (in Dutch). ultratop.be. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  41. ↑ "Top 25 Dance Singles of '88" (PDF). RPM . Vol. 49, no. 10. 24 December 1988. p. 10. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  42. ↑ "1988 Year End Eurocharts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. 1 January 1988. p. 30. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  43. ↑ "Single top 100 over 1988" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  44. ↑ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart".
  45. ↑ Swiss Year-End Charts, 1988
  46. ↑ "Chart Archive - 1980s Singles". EveryHit.com. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  47. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 307.
  48. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – 1989". ARIA. Retrieved 7 January 2020– via Imgur.com. The circular symbol indicates gold certification.
  49. ↑ "French single certifications – Yazz and the Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 8 April 2022.Select YAZZ AND THE PLASTIC POPULATION and click OK. 
  50. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
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