Down to London
"Down to London" | ||||
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Single by Joe Jackson | ||||
from the album Blaze of Glory | ||||
B-side | "You Can't Get What You Want ('Til You Know What You Want)" | |||
Released | 2 October 1989[1] | |||
Length | 4:15 | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Songwriter(s) | Joe Jackson | |||
Producer(s) | Joe Jackson | |||
Joe Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Down to London" on YouTube |
"Down to London" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, released in 1989 as the second single from his eighth studio album Blaze of Glory. The song was written and produced by Jackson.[2]
Background
"Down to London" is one of a number of autobiographical tracks from Blaze of Glory and was inspired by the early days of Jackson's music career in London.[3][4] In an interview on VH1's New Visions in 1989, Jackson commented,
"The song is from the point of view of a teenager who's going to the big city for the first time. The songs on Blaze of Glory are loosely a journey through time from the perspective of someone who's getting older as it goes along. The song is the third on the album. To me, it's when I was about 17. It's an old story that's retold everyday – people going to the big city to seek excitement, fame or just a job. The ambivalence of the song, I think, is although it's your first exposure to that big city excitement, at the same time you're exposed to a certain amount of harshness. You can't afford to stay in a nice hotel, you're sleeping on someone's floor. There's an element of that, but on the whole I think the song is pretty positive."[5]
Promotion
The song's music video was directed by Julien Temple and produced by Amanda Temple for Limelight.[6] During July 1989, Jackson and his band performed the song on The Arsenio Hall Show and Jackson also performed a solo piano version on VH1 New Visions.[7]
Critical reception
Upon its release as a single, David Giles of
In a review of Blaze of Glory,
Track listing
- 7" and cassette single
- "Down to London" – 4:15
- "You Can't Get What You Want ('Til You Know What You Want)" (Live) – 5:32
- CD single
- "Down to London" - 4:40
- "You Can't Get What You Want ('Til You Know What You Want)" (Live) – 5:49
- "Sunday Papers" (Live) – 5:12
- CD single (US promo)
- "Down to London" (LP Version) – 4:15
Personnel
Down to London
- Joe Jackson – vocals, piano, fake harmonica
- Joy Askew – vocals
- Tom Teeley – guitar
- Chris Hunter – alto saxophone
- Tony Aiello – tenor saxophone
- Steve Elson – baritone saxophone
- Michael Morreale, Tony Barrero – trumpet
- Charles Gordon – trombone
- Graham Maby – bass
- Gary Burke – drums
Production
- Joe Jackson – producer, arranger
- Ed Roynesdal – associate producer and programming on "Down to London"
- David Kershenbaum, Joe Jackson – producers of "You Can't Get What You Want" and "Sunday Papers"
- Joe Barbaria – engineer
- Thom Cadley – assistant engineer
- Bridget Daly – mixing assistant
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
Other
- Stylorouge – design
Charts
Chart (1989) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA Charts)[16] | 126 |
References
- ISSN 0265-1548.
- ^ a b "Blaze of Glory - Joe Jackson | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
- ^ Smith, Richard; Scheibe, Amy (1997). This Is It (CD). Joe Jackson. Europe: A&M Records. 540 402-2.
- ^ Daly, Mike (25 May 1989). "Songs of new notes". The Age.
- ^ Joe Jackson, Ben Sidran (July 1989). New Visions (TV). VH1 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Music Video: New videoclips". Billboard. 19 August 1989. p. 53.
- ^ "TV Appearances". The Joe Jackson Archive. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
- ^ Giles, David (21 October 1989). "A&R: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 25. Retrieved 19 April 2022 – via World Radio History.
- ^ Hirst, Andrew (25 November 1989). "Reviews: Singles". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. p. 15.
- Cambridge Evening News. p. 14.
- ^ Denselow, Robin (21 April 1989). "Records: Down to earth in Mali". The Guardian. p. 28.
- ^ Okamoto, David (7 May 1989). "Recordings: Jackson fades out in 'Blaze of Glory'". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2F.
- ^ Faurest, Kristin (1 July 1989). "Tune In: Reviews". The Courier-Journal. p. 8.
- ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Blaze of Glory". People. 12 June 1989. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
- ^ Handler, Shane (15 June 2009). "Volume 26: Joe Jackson". Glide Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
- ^ "Week commencing 31 July 1989". Bubbling Down Under. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2021.