The Only Way Is Up

"The Only Way Is Up" is a song written by George Jackson and Johnny Henderson and originally released in 1980 as a single by soul singer Otis Clay. In 1988, it became a chart-topping single 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.

This article is about the Yazz song. For the Drugs EP, see The Only Way Is Up (EP). For the Tiësto and Martinsoss Garrix song, see The Only Way Is Up (Martin Garrix and Tiësto song).

"The Only Way Is Up"
Single by Otis Clay
from the album The Only Way Is Up
B-side"Special Kind of Love"
Released1980
GenreDisco, soul, funk
Length3:46
LabelEcho
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Otis Clay
  • Troy Thompson

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
"The Only Way Is Up"
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)
LabelBig 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

The Yazz version was produced by Jonathan More and Matt Black (better known as dance duo Coldcut, who had worked with Yazz on their hit single "Doctorin' the House"). "The Only Way Is Up" was Yazz's first solo single, credited to her under the name Yazz and the Plastic Population. Released as a single in July 1988, the song became an instant smash hit, spending five weeks at number one in the United Kingdom, and ultimately becoming the second biggest selling single of the year. In the United States it reached number two on the Billboard dance chart, although only making number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7]

A 2009 remix was released in the United Kingdom on 7 September 2009.[8]

Background and release

After leaving school, Yazz got a job in a nightclub in Soho and got into her first band called The Biz. She then met the managers of English musical duo Wham! who would be her managers. She took singing lessons and made demo songs that was introduced to electronic music duo Coldcut.[9] Together, they wrote "Doctorin' the House" which incorporates samples from various sources, mainly TV and film dialogue. It reached number six on the UK Singles Chart in March 1988 and was very popular in the clubs. Their second single was the pumping house version of "The Only Way Is Up". It was released in July 1988 and become a huge hit in the clubs and on the charts.

Chart performance

Yazz' cover of "The Only Way Is Up" was very successful globally. In Europe, it peaked at number-one in Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the latter, it hit the top spot in its third week at the UK Singles Chart, on 31 July 1988.[10] The single spent 5 weeks on the top of the chart, becoming the second biggest selling single of the year. It managed to climb into the Top 10 also in Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, where it peaked at number 2. It was held off reaching number-one by Koreana's "Hand In Hand". Outside Europe, "The Only Way Is Up" went to number-one in New Zealand, while it hit number 2 in Australia. On the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play in the United States, it peaked at number 2. It earned a gold record in Australia and the UK, with a sale of 50,000 and 400,000 singles. And in France, it earned a silver record, after 200,000 units were sold there.

Music video

A music video was made to accompany the song. It was uploaded to YouTube in August 2018. By September 2020, the video had more than 3 million views.[11]

Formats and track listings
7" single / CD single / cassette
  1. "The Only Way Is Up" — 4:02
  2. "Bad House Music" — 4:28
12" maxi
  1. "The Only Way Is Up" — 6:44
  2. "Bad House Music" — 7:07
12" maxi
  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
12" US Promo vinyl
  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
CD maxi
  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
12" maxi – Remixes
  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

See also

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. "BPI Certified Awards > Search Results > Yazz". Imgur. Archived from the original on 14 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  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. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 31 July 1988 - 06 August 1988". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  11. "Yazz - The Only Way Is Up". YouTube. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
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  13. "Austriancharts.at – Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
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  15. Danish Singles Chart 30 September 1988
  16. "Lescharts.com – Yazz And The Plastic Population – The Only Way Is Up" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
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  18. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 10 (30. september 1988)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. Retrieved 23 July 2018. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Only Way Is Up". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
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  27. "Billboard > Yazz Chart History > Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  28. "Billboard > Yazz Chart History > Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  29. "1988 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  30. "1988 Belgian Flanders Singles Chart" (in Dutch). ultratop.be. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  31. "1988 Year End Eurocharts" (PDF). Music & Media. 1 January 1988. p. 30. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  32. "Single top 100 over 1988" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  33. http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/?chart=3877
  34. Swiss Year-End Charts, 1988
  35. "Chart Archive - 1980s Singles". EveryHit.com. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  36. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 307.
  37. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – 1989". ARIA, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 7 January 2020. N.B. The circular symbol indicates gold certification. Prior to 1989, ARIA gold certification was awarded for shipments of 50,000 copies.
  38. "Les certifications depuis 1973, database" (in French). Infodisc. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
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