Up, Up and Away (song) explained

Up, Up and Away
Cover:	Up, Up and Away - single cover.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	the 5th Dimension
Album:	Up, Up and Away
B-Side:	Which Way to Nowhere
Released:	May 1967
Recorded:	February 22, 1967
Studio:	Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California
Length:	2:40
Label:	Soul City
Producer:	Johnny Rivers and Marc Gordon
Prev Title:	Another Day, Another Heartache
Prev Year:	1967
Next Title:	Paper Cup
Next Year:	1967

"Up, Up and Away" is a 1967 song written by Jimmy Webb and recorded (as "Up–Up and Away") by US soul-pop act the 5th Dimension with backing from members of The Wrecking Crew.^[1] Their original version reached no. 7 on Billboard's Hot 100 in July 1967 and no. 9 on its Easy Listening chart,^[2] and number one in both Canada and Australia. In 1999, Webb's song placed 43 on BMI's "Top 100 Songs of the Century".^[3]

A canonical example of sunshine pop, themed around images of hot air ballooning, it cleaned up at the 10th Annual Grammy Awards in 1968, winning for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best Performance by a Vocal Group, Best Performance by a Chorus and Best Contemporary Song. In 2003, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.^[4]

Personnel

The musical backing was dominated by members of The Wrecking Crew,^[5] including trumpeter Tony Terran.

According to the AFM contract sheet, the following musicians laid down the initial instrumental track on February 22, 1967:^[6]

• Hal Blaine (drums)
• Larry Knechtel (keyboards)
• Gayle Levant (harp)
• Joe Osborn (bass)
• Johnny Rivers (guitar)
• Tommy Tedesco (guitar)
• Jimmy Webb (piano)

Two other session players featuring prominently in the final mix were Al Casey (acoustic guitar) and Bud Shank (piccolo).^[7]

Chart history

Weekly charts

Chart (1967)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	1
Canada RPM Top Singles^[8]	1
New Zealand (Listener)^[9]	9
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[10]	7
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening	9
U.S. Cash Box Top 100^[11]	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1967)	Rank
Canada ^[12]	66
US Billboard Hot 100^[13]	48
US Cash Box ^[14]	57

Notable cover versions

• In the United Kingdom the 5th Dimension single failed to chart. Released first, a version by US vocal act the Johnny Mann Singers reached no. 6 in August 1967, and in 1968 won a Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Chorus.^[15]
• Frank Ifield released a cover version on EMI (UK) Columbia label as a 1967 A-side single (released on July 7, 1967).^[16]

Usage in media

• For a time, Dionne Warwick's song "I'll Never Love This Way Again" preceded reports about people with HIV/AIDS on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show.^[17] These later became "condom updates", preceded by "Up, Up and Away".^[18]
• The song was adapted, with new lyrics, as an advertising jingle for Trans World Airlines, which then used "Up, Up, and Away — TWA" as its slogan.^[19] It was also adapted into a jingle in Australia for the now defunct Trans Australia Airlines in the 1970s.^{[20] [21] [22]}

External links

• Guitar Tabs & Lyrics
• Images of 1967 Single

Notes and References

1. Web site: Song Lyric Sunday: The Fifth Dimension, "Up-Up And Away" . Holton . John . August 13, 2023 . The Sound of One Hand Typing . November 2, 2023.
2. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Joel Whitburn . 2002 . Record Research . 91.
3. Web site: BMI Announces Top 100 Songs of the Century . . December 13, 1999 . March 8, 2014 .
4. https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#u
5. Book: Hartman, Kent . 261–263 . 2012 . The Wrecking Crew . . 978-1-250-03046-7.
6. Web site: Up Up And Away AFM Contract. . The Wrecking Crew . January 1, 2023.
7. Webb, Jimmy (songwriter) . July 31, 2023 . The Musical Genius of 'Wichita Lineman': A One-on-One with Jimmy Webb . Videotape . August 1, 2023 . 43:45 . New York, NY . YouTube.
8. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . Collectionscanada.gc.ca . July 22, 1967 . August 19, 2020.
9. http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=649#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand, 6 October 1967
10. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 -
11. http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/19670729.html Cash Box Top 100 Singles, July 29, 1967
12. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.100151&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=dtlhqtcdftn9t40n27r4hds2h0 RPM Top 100 Singles of 1967
13. http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1967.htm Musicoutfitters.com
14. http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/60s_files/1967YESP.html Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 23, 1967
15. Web site: 1967 GRAMMY WINNERS . www.grammy.com . August 20, 2023.
16. Web site: Frank Ifield - Up-Up and Away.
17. News: Day of the Dittohead. Remnick. David. December 16, 1990. The Washington Post. C1.
18. Web site: The Rush Hours. Lewis. Grossberger. December 16, 1990. The New York Times Magazine. October 16, 2019. subscription .
19. Book: Jones, Dylan . The Wichita Lineman: Searching in the Sun for the World's Greatest Unfinished Song . Faber & Faber . 2019 . 9780571353422.
20. Web site: TAA 1971 advertisement on Youtube. .
21. Web site: TAA 1972 advertisement on Youtube. .
22. Web site: TAA 1975 advertisement on Youtube. .