Uptown Girl
Encyclopedia
"Uptown Girl" is a song
written and performed by musician Billy Joel
, first released in 1983 on his album An Innocent Man
. The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy
"uptown girl." The single peaked at #3 on the Billboard
charts in the US
, and #1 in the UK
, staying at that position for 5 weeks; it was the second biggest selling single of 1983 in the United Kingdom behind only Culture Club's "Karma Chameleon
", which Joel had knocked off the number one position on November 1, 1983; in 1988, Rolling Stone
ranked "Uptown Girl" #99 on their list of the 100 most important singles of the period 1963-1988. The song was the 19th biggest selling single of the 1980s in the United Kingdom.
The style of music, including the doo-wop
beat, the close harmonies and Joel's use of falsetto
singing, is reminiscent of Frankie Valli
and the Four Seasons
.
Elle Macpherson
, but ended up becoming about his soon-wife Christie Brinkley
. Joel also has said that the song was inspired by the Motown sound of the early 60s.
The title character in the music video
was played by Christie Brinkley
. Joel and Brinkley married in 1985 and divorced in 1994. Subsequently, the song was missing from the setlist during Joel's 1994 "River of Dreams" tour.
Different versions of the music video opening were produced, in which an auto mechanic
is watching the end of Joel's previous hit "Tell Her About It
" on a small TV. Then, depending on the version, the next image on the TV is either a blank screen or the logo
of the network
or TV show
the video was on. The only logos known to be used are MTV
and Friday Night Videos
. A fourth version, which skipped the prologue segment, aired on Night Tracks
, America's Top 10
and other music video shows. This is also the version posted on the music video website Vevo
.
In the most common music video, the mechanics gather around waiting for a customer just before closing time. A billboard for "Uptown Cosmetics" is above the mechanic shop. A towncar drives up with a beautiful woman with her hair hidden under a chic black hat, wearing a sexy sleeveless dress and high heels (played by Christie Brinkley
) in the back seat, and the men realize the woman is the model on the billboard. Joel begins singing as his mechanic friends help him clean the car and they serenade the woman, who watches, happy to be the center of attention. Joel leads her out of the car and the driver looks on at his passenger, urging her to come back, but instead she walks flirtatiously away, causing the men to follow her. Joel convinces his friends that the "uptown girl" is the one for him, and a dance sequence with everyone follows. Afterwards, Joel takes the woman's hand and leads her to his motorcycle. The woman takes off her hat and lets her long blond hair fall over her shoulders, the two grin before driving off, as Joel's friends cheer him on and continue dancing. Once the motorcycle drives off, the video shows the billboard once more.
covered the song for their 1997 album Have a Ball. Their version is often mistakenly accredited to Weezer
due to incorrectly named files available on the Internet
. To the published version of the one with the B-side Only the Good Die Young
Billy as Single and unlike the original, this version is very influenced by punk.
's second studio album, Coast to Coast (2000). It was released as 2001's Comic Relief
charity single
, and reached number one on in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The song became the 23rd best-selling single of the 2000s in the UK, with sales of 756,215 copies. It became the band's biggest-selling single in the UK, and also achieved the highest first week sale (292,318 copies) of any of their singles. The song was the sixth best-selling single of 2001 in the UK. "Uptown Girl" has since been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) for shipments of 600,000 copies. As of October 2011, the song had sold almost 800,000 copies.
as the title character, while Robert Bathurst
, James Wilby
, Ioan Gruffudd
, Crispin Bonham-Carter
and Tim McInnerny
were featured as high class customers.
CD1
CD2
DVD
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
written and performed by musician Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, first released in 1983 on his album An Innocent Man
An Innocent Man
An Innocent Man is the ninth album by American singer/songwriter Billy Joel, released in 1983 .This album is Joel's tribute to the music of his childhood...
. The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
"uptown girl." The single peaked at #3 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and #1 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, staying at that position for 5 weeks; it was the second biggest selling single of 1983 in the United Kingdom behind only Culture Club's "Karma Chameleon
Karma Chameleon
"Karma Chameleon" is a song by British New Wave band Culture Club, featured on the group's 1983 album Colour by Numbers. The song spent three weeks at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1984, becoming the group's biggest hit and only US #1 among their many top ten hits...
", which Joel had knocked off the number one position on November 1, 1983; in 1988, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
ranked "Uptown Girl" #99 on their list of the 100 most important singles of the period 1963-1988. The song was the 19th biggest selling single of the 1980s in the United Kingdom.
The style of music, including the doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
beat, the close harmonies and Joel's use of falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
singing, is reminiscent of Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli is an American musician, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons. He is well-known for his unusually powerful falsetto singing voice...
and the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (group)
The Four Seasons are an American rock and pop band who became internationally successful in the mid-1960s. The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has stated that the group was the most popular rock band before The Beatles...
.
Inspiration
According to Joel in a Channel Five interview, the song was written about his relationship with his girlfriend, supermodelSupermodel
The term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
Elle Macpherson
Elle Macpherson
Elle Macpherson is an Australian model, actress, and businesswoman nicknamed "The Body". She is perhaps best known for her record five cover appearances for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue beginning in the 1980s...
, but ended up becoming about his soon-wife Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley is an American model and actress best known for her three consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, the longest ever of any model in history, and for her marriage...
. Joel also has said that the song was inspired by the Motown sound of the early 60s.
Music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was played by Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley is an American model and actress best known for her three consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, the longest ever of any model in history, and for her marriage...
. Joel and Brinkley married in 1985 and divorced in 1994. Subsequently, the song was missing from the setlist during Joel's 1994 "River of Dreams" tour.
Different versions of the music video opening were produced, in which an auto mechanic
Auto mechanic
An auto mechanic is a mechanic with a variety of car makes or either in a specific area or in a specific make of car. In repairing cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and quickly...
is watching the end of Joel's previous hit "Tell Her About It
Tell Her About It
"Tell Her About It" is a hit 1983 song performed by Billy Joel, from the hit album An Innocent Man. An apparent homage to the Motown Sound, the song was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for one week on September 24, 1983, replacing the Phil Ramone-produced song, "Maniac" by Michael Sembello. The...
" on a small TV. Then, depending on the version, the next image on the TV is either a blank screen or the logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
of the network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
or TV show
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
the video was on. The only logos known to be used are MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and Friday Night Videos
Friday Night Videos
Friday Night Videos is an American music video show broadcast on the NBC television network from July 29, 1983 to December 30, 2000, and was the network's attempt to capitalize on the emerging popularity of music videos as seen on MTV...
. A fourth version, which skipped the prologue segment, aired on Night Tracks
Night Tracks
Night Tracks was an American television series which ran from 1983 to 1992 on SuperStation WTBS on late night weekends...
, America's Top 10
America's Top 10
America's Top 10 was a television program of music hits based on Billboard's Hot 100, with the exception of the last season in 1992 which used the Radio and Records chart. It aired in syndication by Gold Key Media from 1980-1982 and by All American Television from 1982-1992. The show was hosted by...
and other music video shows. This is also the version posted on the music video website Vevo
Vevo
Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
.
In the most common music video, the mechanics gather around waiting for a customer just before closing time. A billboard for "Uptown Cosmetics" is above the mechanic shop. A towncar drives up with a beautiful woman with her hair hidden under a chic black hat, wearing a sexy sleeveless dress and high heels (played by Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley is an American model and actress best known for her three consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, the longest ever of any model in history, and for her marriage...
) in the back seat, and the men realize the woman is the model on the billboard. Joel begins singing as his mechanic friends help him clean the car and they serenade the woman, who watches, happy to be the center of attention. Joel leads her out of the car and the driver looks on at his passenger, urging her to come back, but instead she walks flirtatiously away, causing the men to follow her. Joel convinces his friends that the "uptown girl" is the one for him, and a dance sequence with everyone follows. Afterwards, Joel takes the woman's hand and leads her to his motorcycle. The woman takes off her hat and lets her long blond hair fall over her shoulders, the two grin before driving off, as Joel's friends cheer him on and continue dancing. Once the motorcycle drives off, the video shows the billboard once more.
Chart positions
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
18 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
4 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
10 |
| German Media Control Charts Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
18 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| Japan Oricon Singles Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
64 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norway Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
3 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
3 |
| U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
22 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1983) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | Gold | 1 November 1983 | 400,000 |
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes version
in 1996 Me First and the Gimme GimmesMe First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
covered the song for their 1997 album Have a Ball. Their version is often mistakenly accredited to Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
due to incorrectly named files available on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. To the published version of the one with the B-side Only the Good Die Young
Only The Good Die Young
"Only the Good Die Young" is a song from Billy Joel's 1977 pop rock album, The Stranger. The song was controversial for its time, with the lyrics describing a boy who tries to convince a Catholic girl who is a virgin to have sex with him....
Billy as Single and unlike the original, this version is very influenced by punk.
Track listing
Westlife version
"Uptown Girl" is the fifth single released from Irish pop band WestlifeWestlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
's second studio album, Coast to Coast (2000). It was released as 2001's Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
charity single
Charity record
A charity record is a release of a song for a specific charitable cause. Some of the earliest charity records came from the Music for UNICEF Concert, with ABBA's Chiquitita and the Bee Gees' Too Much Heaven among them released as singles, with all the royalties going to UNICEF...
, and reached number one on in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The song became the 23rd best-selling single of the 2000s in the UK, with sales of 756,215 copies. It became the band's biggest-selling single in the UK, and also achieved the highest first week sale (292,318 copies) of any of their singles. The song was the sixth best-selling single of 2001 in the UK. "Uptown Girl" has since been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) for shipments of 600,000 copies. As of October 2011, the song had sold almost 800,000 copies.
Music video
The video for this song was shot in a Cafe setting with Claudia SchifferClaudia Schiffer
Claudia Schiffer is a German model and occasional actress, who reached the peak of her popularity during the 1990s, initially due to her resemblance to Brigitte Bardot. Schiffer is one of the world's most successful models, having appeared on over 500 magazine covers...
as the title character, while Robert Bathurst
Robert Bathurst
Robert Guy Bathurst is an English actor. Bathurst was born in the Gold Coast in 1957, where his father was working as a management consultant. His family moved to Dublin, Ireland, in 1959 and Bathurst was enrolled at an Anglican boarding school...
, James Wilby
James Wilby
James Jonathon Wilby is an English film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Rangoon, Burma to a corporate executive father...
, Ioan Gruffudd
Ioan Gruffudd
Ioan Gruffudd is a Welsh actor.Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he started off in Welsh language film productions, then came to international attention as Fifth Officer Harold Lowe in the film Titanic , and as Lt. John Beales in Black Hawk Down...
, Crispin Bonham-Carter
Crispin Bonham-Carter
Crispin Bonham-Carter is an English actor and theatre director.Bonham-Carter is a distant cousin of Helena Bonham Carter. He is the son of Peter Bonham-Carter and Clodagh Greenwood. Educated at Glenalmond College, he graduated from the University of St Andrews, Scotland with a degree in classics...
and Tim McInnerny
Tim McInnerny
Tim McInnerny is an English actor. He is known for his role as Percy in Blackadder and Blackadder II, and as Captain Darling in Blackadder Goes Forth...
were featured as high class customers.
Tracklisting
- United Kingdom
CD1
- "Uptown Girl" (Radio Edit) - 3:06
- "Angel's Wings" (2001 Remix) - 4:14
- "Uptown Girl" (Video) - 3:14
CD2
- "Uptown Girl" (Radio Edit) - 3:06
- "Uptown Girl" (Extended Version) - 5:02
- "Behind The Scenes Footage & Band Messages"
DVD
- "Uptown Girl" (Video) - 3:14
- "Behind The Scenes Footage & Band Messages"
- Japan
- "Uptown Girl" (Radio Edit) - 3:06
- "Uptown Girl" (Extended Version) - 5:02
- "Angel's Wings" (Original Version) - 4:02
- "Close Your Eyes" - 4:32
- "Uptown Girl" (Video) - 3:14
- "Behind The Scenes Footage & Band Messages"
Chart performance
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
6 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
12 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 5 |
| Denmark Singles Chart | 2 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
2 |
| Finnish Singles Chart Mitä hittiä The Official Finnish Charts is a national record chart in Finland composed by Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.The singles chart was started in January 1991 as Radiomafian lista and was broadcast on the radio station Radiomafia of the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE. This chart is based on a... |
13 |
| French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
8 |
| German Media Control Charts Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
8 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
10 |
| Japanese Oricon Singles Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
64 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
4 |
| Norway Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
3 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
13 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
| UK Radio Airplay Chart | 9 |
Chart successions
End of year charts
| End of year chart (2001) | Position |
|---|---|
| Irish Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 6 |
| Chart (2000–2009) | Peak position |
| UK Top 100 Songs of the Decade | 23 |
Other cover versions
- A cover of the song was recorded by Aaron CarterAaron CarterAaron Charles Carter is an American singer. He came to fame as a pop and hip hop singer in the late 1990s, establishing himself as a star among pre-teen and teenage audiences during the early-first decade of the 21st century....
as a child and his older brother Nick CarterNick Carter (musician)Nickolas Gene "Nick" Carter is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, entertainer and actor. He is best known as a member of the pop group, Backstreet Boys. He went on to release a solo album called Now Or Never during their hiatus. He has made occasional television appearances and...
of Backstreet BoysBackstreet BoysThe Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
fame. - GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
singer/band leader Max RaabeMax RaabeMax Raabe is a German singer. He is particularly noted as the founder and leader of the Palast Orchester....
and Palast Orchester covered in cabaretCabaretCabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
/big bandBig bandA big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
style for his 2002 album Super Hits 2. - Tinchy StryderTinchy StryderKwasi Danquah III , better known by his pseudonyms Tinchy Stryder and Star In The Hood, is a Ghanaian British recording artist, music executive, A&R executive, and businessman...
did a rap version on his mixtape Back U Know, the track featured WileyWiley (rapper)Richard Kylea Cowie , better known by his stage name Wiley is a prolific British music producer, MC and recording artist, and rapper with roots from Trinidad...
. - A Folk / Acoustic version of the song appears as a hidden track on Allan MoonAllan MoonAllan Moon is a Canadian / Israeli Artist, Poet, Singer-Songwriter and Producer.-Geography:Moon was born in Toronto, Canada and grew up in New York City. In 1992, Moon emigrated to Israel and settled in Tel Aviv at the age 17...
's EP from 2006. - The song was featured in the cold openCold openA cold open in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown...
of the second episode of Ashes to Ashes'Ashes to Ashes (TV series)Ashes to Ashes is a British science fiction and police procedural drama television series, serving as the sequel to Life on Mars.The series began airing on BBC One in February 2008. A second series began broadcasting in April 2009...
third series as a dream of Alex DrakeAlex DrakeDI Alexandra "Alex" Drake is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Ashes to Ashes. The character is portrayed by Keeley Hawes and as a child by Lucy Cole.-Character history:...
(portrayed by Keeley HawesKeeley HawesKeeley Hawes is an English actress and model, known for many television roles. She is best known for her roles as Zoe Reynolds in Spooks and Alex Drake in Ashes to Ashes and Lady Agnes in the remake of Upstairs, Downstairs...
). It is Billy Joel's original music, but the characters in the video are replaced by DCI Gene HuntGene HuntDCI Gene Hunt is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama Life on Mars and its sequel, Ashes to Ashes. The character is portrayed by Philip Glenister in both Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, whereas in the American version he is portrayed by Harvey Keitel.The...
(Philip GlenisterPhilip GlenisterPhilip Haywood Glenister is an English actor, known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in British television series Life On Mars and its sequel Ashes To Ashes.-Television and films:...
) as Billy Joel, Drake as Christy Brinkley, Hunt's Audi QuattroAudi QuattroThe Audi Quattro is a road and rally car, produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi, now part of the Volkswagen Group. It was first shown at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show on 3 March.The word quattro is derived from the Italian word for "four"...
as the limousine, Sergeant Viv James (Geff FrancisGeff FrancisGeoffrey "Geff" Francis, most known as Geff Francis is a Black British actor who portrayed Lynford, a hoodlum in For Queen and Country...
) as the chauffeur, while the mechanics are DI Ray CarlingRay CarlingDC/DS/DI Raymond Milton "Ray" Carling is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes.-Life on Mars:...
(Dean AndrewsDean AndrewsDean Andrews is a British actor.He is most famous for his role as DS Ray Carling in the BBC Television drama Life on Mars...
), DC Chris SkeltonChris SkeltonPC/DC Christopher "Chris" Skelton is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama, Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes.- Life on Mars :...
(Marshall LancasterMarshall LancasterMarshall Lancaster is a British actor. He has appeared in many television dramas, including Coronation Street, Holby City, The Lakes and Family Affairs, but is probably best known for playing DC Chris Skelton in the BBC time-travel police dramas, Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes.Lancaster is a...
) and an unnamed detective. - John BarrowmanJohn BarrowmanJohn Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...
covered the song on his CD Music Music MusicMusic Music MusicMusic Music Music is a 2008 album by John Barrowman preceded by the digital-only single "What About Us?", written by Gary Barlow and Chris Braide...
. - Liz LemonLiz LemonElizabeth Miervaldis "Liz" Lemon is the main character of the American television series 30 Rock. She is portrayed by Tina Fey, who is also the creator of the series and its showrunner.-Personal history:...
and Tracy JordanTracy JordanOgbert Jordan, better known by his stage name, Tracy, is a fictional character on the American television series 30 Rock, based on and played by Tracy Morgan.-Brief overview:...
sing their own version on the 30 Rock30 Rock30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
episode "Operation Righteous Cowboy LightningOperation Righteous Cowboy Lightning"Operation Righteous Cowboy Lightning" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the American television comedy series 30 Rock. It was written by executive producer Robert Carlock. The director of this episode was Beth McCarthy-Miller. It originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company ...
". - Trinity College (Oxford) Boat Club recorded an alternate music video to the song, featuring the Men's 1st VIII.\
- In 2011, the song was parodied by The FringemunksThe FringemunksThe Fringemunks are a music group created by Seattle musician David Wu in 2008 consisting of three "cloned" anthropomorphic chipmunks: Feebo, Notchy and Pie. They are known mostly for recapping all episodes of Fox television series Fringe with song parodies...
to recap FringeFringe (TV series)Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
episode 3.06, "6955 kHz." - In the Glee episode The First TimeThe First Time (Glee)"The First Time" is the fifth episode of the third season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 49th overall. Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and directed by co-executive producer Bradley Buecker, it first aired on Fox in the United States on November 8, 2011...
, Blaine AndersonBlaine AndersonBlaine Anderson is a fictional character from the American musical comedy-drama television series Glee. Played by Darren Criss, Blaine was introduced in the sixth episode of the second season as the openly gay lead singer of the Dalton Academy Warblers, a rival show choir to New Directions, the...
(Darren CrissDarren CrissDarren Everett Criss is an American actor, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and a founding member and co-owner of the theater company StarKid Productions. He currently portrays Blaine Anderson, an openly gay high school student, on the FOX television series Glee...
) goes to visit his old friends at Dalton Academy to invite them to see him star as Tony in the New Direction's performance of West Side StoryWest Side StoryWest Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
. When he arrives they are singing an accapella version of the song which he joins in and they flirtaciously chase the French teacher.