Upside Down

This article is about the Diana Ross song. For other uses, see Upside Down (disambiguation).

"Upside Down"
File:DianaRossUpsideDown7InchSingleCover.jpg
Single by Diana Ross
from the album Diana
B-side	"Friend to Friend"
Released	June 25, 1980
Genre	Disco
Length	4:05
Label	Motown
Writer(s)	Nile Rodgers Bernard Edwards
Producer(s)	Nile Rodgers Bernard Edwards
Certification	Gold (RIAA) Silver (BPI)
Diana Ross singles chronology
"It's My House" (1979) "Upside Down" (1980) "I'm Coming Out" (1980)

"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 as a single through the Motown label on June 25, 1980, as the lead single from her self-titled tenth studio album, diana. "Upside Down" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 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.

The single 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.

"Upside Down" is listed at number 62 on Billboard's "Greatest Songs of All Time."

History

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)."

Music video

The music video consists of previously filmed scenes from Ross's other productions over the years cut together with some photographs.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	3
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)	1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	5
Denmark (IFPI)	1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)	1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)	3
France (IFOP)	2
Germany (Official German Charts)	3
Ireland (IRMA)	3
Italy (FIMI)	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	2
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	1
Norway (VG-lista)	1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)	1
Spain (AFYVE)	15
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	2
US Billboard Hot 100	1
US Billboard Hot Disco Singles	1
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles	1
US Cash Box	1
US Record World	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	15
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	12
Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)	52
France (IFOP)	40
Italy (FIMI)	8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	7
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	17
South Africa (Springbok Radio)	11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	4
US Billboard Hot 100	18
US Cash Box	4

All-time charts

Chart (1958–2015)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100	77

Order of precedence
Preceded by "Moskau" by Dschinghis Khan	Australian Kent Music Report number-one single September 29, 1980 – October 20, 1980 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "More Than I Can Say" by Leo Sayer
Preceded by "Don't Ask Me Why" by Billy Joel	Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary number-one single September 27, 1980 – October 11, 1980 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand
Preceded by "The Winner Takes It All" by ABBA	Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single October 16, 1980 – November 6, 1980 (4 weeks)
	South African number-one single November 8, 1980 – November 15, 1980 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "Man on the Moon" by Ballyhoo
Preceded by "Amico" by Renato Zero	Italian number one single November 8, 1980 – November 22, 1980 (3 weeks)	Succeeded by "You and Me" by Spargo
Preceded by "Food for Thought" by UB40	New Zealand number-one single October 12, 1980 – October 26, 1980 (3 weeks)	Succeeded by "Master Blaster (Jammin')" by Stevie Wonder
Preceded by "One More Reggae for the Road" by Bill Lovelady	Swedish number-one single October 3, 1980 – October 31, 1980 (3 weeks)
Preceded by "Donna musica" by Collage	Swiss number-one single September 7, 1980 – October 26, 1980 (8 weeks)
Preceded by "Forelska i lærer'n" by The Kids	Norwegian number-one single 44/1980 – 45/1980 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "D.I.S.C.O." by Ottawan
Preceded by "Sailing" by Christopher Cross	US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single September 6, 1980 – September 27, 1980 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen
	US Cash Box number-one single September 13, 1980 – September 27, 1980 (4 weeks)
Preceded by "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" by The S.O.S. Band "Fame" by Irene Cara "Red Light" / "Hot Lunch Jam" by "Linda Clifford	US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (with "I'm Coming Out") August 9, 1980 – August 23, 1980 (3 weeks) September 6, 1980 – September 6, 1980 (2 weeks)	Succeeded by "Fame" by Irene Cara "Red Light" / "Hot Lunch Jam" by "Linda Clifford "Love Sensation" by Loleatta Holloway
Preceded by "One in a Million You" by Larry Graham	US Billboard Hot Soul Singles number-one single August 16, 1980 – September 6, 1980 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "Give Me the Night" by George Benson

Covers, samples and uses

• The song would be later covered and sampled by Salt-n-Pepa, Kid Rock, Missy Elliott, Alcazar, Puff Daddy, Collette and MC Lyte, who had a hit under the "Upside Down" sample in Lyte's 1996 hit, "Cold Rock a Party (Remix)." The Salt-n-Pepa version was featured on the Space Jam soundtrack.
• The song was later covered by Destiny's Child during a tribute show honoring Ross and her career on a VH1 Divas special. Their version is featured on their album Single Remix Tracks.
• In 1994, the song was used in Mickey's Fun Songs: Let's Go to the Circus with a different arrangement and lyrics.
• In 1997, Ross performed the song live with British band Jamiroquai at the "Brit Awards" ceremony.
• In 2001, contemporary jazz/fusion group Pieces of a Dream offered their version from the release "Acquainted With the Night."
• In 2004, Alcazar sampled "Upside Down" in their song "This Is the World We Live In."
• 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." It was also used by Jaguar Cars in a parody of the Mercedes-Benz commercial.

See also

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1980

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics