Uptown Festival (song) explained

Type:Single
Artist:Shalamar
Album:Uptown Festival
B-Side:Simón's Theme (Instr.)
Released:March 1977
Recorded:1976
Studio:Bolic Sound, Inglewood, California
Genre:Funk, disco, R&B
Length:8:52 (album)
3:59 (single)
Label:Soul Train
Producer:Simon Soussan
Next Title:Ooo Baby Baby
Next Year:1977

"Uptown Festival" is the debut single by the band Shalamar, released on Soul Train Records in 1977. The song is a medley of ten Motown classics sung over a 1970s disco beat. The radio edit, "Uptown Festival (Part 1)", became a hit peaking at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 10 on the R&B chart and No. 2 on the Dance chart. It also charted internationally. After the success of the single, Dick Griffey, the booking agent for Soul Train, formed a vocal group, resulting in the first incarnation of Shalamar with Jody Watley, Jeffrey Daniels and Gary Mumford.[1]

Recording and songs

The medley "Uptown Festival" was recorded at Ike & Tina Turner's Bolic Sound studio in Inglewood in 1976. It features various session musicians, including Mike Lewis and Laurin Rinder from El Coco, and the Motown musicians, including Eddie "Bongo" Brown and Jack Ashford.[2]

List of songs

  1. "Going to a Go-Go"
  2. "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)"
  3. "Uptight (Everything's Alright)"
  4. "Stop! In the Name of Love"
  5. "It's the Same Old Song"
  6. "The Tears of a Clown"
  7. "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart"
  8. "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)"
  9. "Baby Love"
  10. "He Was Really Saying Somethin'"

Chart performance

!Chart (1977)!PeakPosition
US Billboard Hot 100[3] 25
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[4] 10
US Disco Action Top 40[5] 2
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 20
Belgium[7] 16
Canada RPM Top 100 Singles[8] 69
New Zealand15
United Kingdom[9] 30

Notes and References

  1. Book: All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Bogdanov. Vladimir. Woodstra. Chris. Erlewine. Stephen Thomas. Hal Leonard Corporation. 2002. 978-0-87930-653-3. 997. en.
  2. Web site: Ian Dewhirst. Red Bull Music Academy. en.
  3. June 4, 1977. Billboard Hot 100. Billboard. 74.
  4. May 21, 1977. Billboard Hot Soul Singles. Billboard. 52.
  5. April 2, 1977. National Disco Action Top 40. Billboard. 51.
  6. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 270.
  7. Web site: Shalamar - Uptown Festival (Song). charts.org.nz. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand.
  8. July 9, 1977. RPM Top 100 Singles. RPM Weekly. 27. 15. Library and Archives Canada.
  9. Web site: "Uptown Festival (song by Shalamar). Music VF, US & UK hits charts.

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