Upside Down (Diana Ross song)

"Upside Down" is a song written and produced by Chic members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. It was recorded by American singer Diana Ross. The song was issued from Motown as the lead single on June 18, 1980, from her eleventh studio album, Diana. "Upside Down" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on September 6, 1980. It also hit number one on the Billboard Disco and Soul charts. The single was released a full four weeks after the album was released. It held down the number one spot for four weeks.

"Upside Down"
Single by Diana Ross
from the album Diana
B-side"Friend to Friend"
ReleasedJune 18, 1980
GenreDisco[1][2]
Length4:05
LabelMotown
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Nile Rodgers
  • Bernard Edwards
Diana Ross singles chronology
"It's My House"
(1979)		 "Upside Down"
(1980)		 "I'm Coming Out"
(1980)

"Upside Down" was also a big hit internationally, topping the singles charts in Sweden, Italy, Norway, and Switzerland, while reaching number five in Canada. It also rose to number two on the UK Singles Chart, marking the highest peak performance from Ross as a solo artist since "I'm Still Waiting" in 1971. It also earned her a British Phonographic Industry silver disc award for sales in excess of 250,000 copies. The single earned Ross her ninth career Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, losing to "Never Knew Love Like This Before" by Stephanie Mills at the 1981 Grammy Awards.

"Upside Down" is listed at number 77 on Billboard's "Greatest Hot 100 Songs of All Time" (1958-2015).[2]

Background and recording

The song was written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers (of the band Chic).

In a 2011 interview, Nile Rodgers said "Diana Ross was the first big star we ever worked with and we took it very seriously." Rodgers and Edwards interviewed her for several days. "This was the first time in her life somebody cared about who she was; what she was — everyone previously had treated her the way we had treated Sister Sledge — they got her in and said 'Sing this'. We (took a more personal approach)."[3]

As would be widely reported later, their studio liaison with Ross was not a success. She disliked the results of their sessions and gave them specific remixing instructions; they made slight changes and suggested that if she still did not like them, she could get them remixed herself. Ross did so, reworking the whole album with Motown producer Russ Terrana to downplay the funk element and make her voice more prominent.

Rodgers and Edwards were initially furious, and considered having their production credit removed. They eventually decided to leave the track unedited, as the sound they used for Chic remained heavily influential on the album. The LP became a platinum-selling No. 1 that spent a year on the American chart. Ross left Motown soon afterwards for RCA.[4]

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[40] Platinum 150,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[41] Gold 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[42] Gold 10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[44] Gold 1,000,000^

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

Notable live performances

Ross performed the song live in 1981 during her television special Diana, with Michael Jackson joining her onstage towards the end of the song. In 1997, Ross performed the song live with British band Jamiroquai at the Brit Awards ceremony.

In film, television and videos

In 2013, the song was used in a Mercedes-Benz commercial featuring chickens being moved around while their heads remain stationary as an example of the car brand's "magic body control."[45] It was also used by Jaguar Cars in a parody of the Mercedes-Benz commercial.[46] In the Disney's Sing Along Songs video, Let's Go To The Circus!, "boy" is replaced with "Dad" in the chorus.

Influence and legacy

Contemporary jazz/fusion group Pieces of a Dream covered the song on their 2001 album Acquainted With the Night.[47] MC Lyte sampled "Upside Down" on her 1996 hit "Cold Rock a Party (Remix)", featuring Missy Elliott and Puff Daddy.[48] In 2003, Swedish band Alcazar interpolated the melody for their song "This Is the World We Live In", released in 2004.[49]

Risquée version
"Upside Down"
Single by Risquée
Released1999
Length3:30
LabelUniversal
Songwriter(s)Nile Rodgers, Bernard Edwards
Producer(s)Michael Vitoria, Funky Be

In 1998, the music group Risquée covered the song. Their cover version appears on the compilations Fan Club Vol. 3, Dance 99 and Funky Party Connection.

Track listings

CD maxi[50]

  1. Upside Down (Single Cut) – 3:30
  2. Upside Down (Club Version) – 4:32
  3. Enjoy Your Life – 3:12
  4. Enjoy Your Life (Long Version) – 4:56

Charts
Chart (1999) Peak
position
France (SNEP)[50] 25
Germany (Official German Charts)[51] 76

See also

References
  1. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Fireside. p. 704. ISBN 0-394-72107-1. the sessions produced such disco classics as "I'm Coming Out" (...) and "Upside Down.
  2. "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  3. "Twenty First Century Music". Twenty First Century Music. November 10, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  4. Sexton, Paul (September 6, 2017). "When Diana Ross Got a Chic Makeover with 'Upside Down'". uDiscover. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  5. "Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980's". World Charts. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  6. "Austriancharts.at – Diana Ross – Upside Down" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  7. "Ultratop.be – Diana Ross – Upside Down" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  8. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4701a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  9. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 0244." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  10. "Billboard – Hits of the World". Billboard. 92 (46): 87. November 15, 1980. ISSN 0006-2510.
  11. "MusicSeek.info – UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits". MusicSeek.info. Archived from the original on June 14, 2006.
  12. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  13. "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "Diana Ross" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Diana Ross – Upside Down". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Upside Down". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Diana Ross - Upside Down" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Diana Ross – Upside Down" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  18. "Charts.nz – Diana Ross – Upside Down". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  19. "Norwegiancharts.com – Diana Ross – Upside Down". VG-lista. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  20. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (R)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  21. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  22. "Swedishcharts.com – Diana Ross – Upside Down". Singles Top 100. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  23. "Swisscharts.com – Diana Ross – Upside Down". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  25. "Diana Ross – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  26. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 207.
  27. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending SEPTEMBER 13, 1980". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  28. "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. September 20, 1980. p. 21. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  29. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  30. "Jaaroverzichten 1980" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  31. "Top Singles – Volume 34, No. 6, December 20, 1980". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  32. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  33. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  34. "End of Year Charts 1980". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  35. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1980". Rock.co.za. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  36. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1980" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  37. "Top 100 Hits for 1980". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  38. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1980". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
  39. "Hot 100 Turns 60". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  40. "Canadian single certifications – Diana Ross – Upside Down". Music Canada. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  41. "Dutch single certifications – Diana Ross – Upside Down" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved November 6, 2019. Enter Upside Down in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  42. "New Zealand single certifications – Diana Ross – Upside Down". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  43. "British single certifications – Diana Ross – Upside Down". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Upside Down in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  44. "American single certifications – Diana Ross – Upside Down". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  45. Stone, Jason (October 2, 2013). "Ad break: Mercedes-Benz chickens, Carlsberg Premier League push". The Guardian. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  46. Kurczewski, Nick (December 18, 2013). "A fowl rivalry: Feathers are flying between Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz!". Daily News. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  47. Edelstein, Paula. "Pieces of a Dream – Acquainted With the Night". AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  48. "Diana Ross – Anthology". Vibe. 9 (5): 164. May 2001. ISSN 1070-4701.
  49. "The ARIA Report – Chartifacts!" (PDF). ARIA. August 23, 2004. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 23, 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  50. "Lescharts.com – Risquée – Upside Down" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  51. "Offiziellecharts.de – Risquée – Upside Down". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
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