Released November 22, 1988 Recorded 1988 Label Virgin | Format 7"
12"
CD
cassette Length 4:11 Writer(s) Elliot Wolff | |
"Straight Up" is a song recorded by American singer Paula Abdul, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and brought her widespread public attention. It was written and produced by Elliot Wolff.
Contents
The song is a mid-tempo dance tune. The synthetic lead trumpet sound comes from the Roland D-50 (preset 1-5). Daniel J. Levitin's This Is Your Brain On Music praises the song as "hold[ing] a certain appeal over many, many listenings."
History
Paula says in a YouTube video that her mother found this song for her. She says that her mom knew someone whose boyfriend was an aspiring songwriter, and she got "Straight Up" as an 8-Track Demo. The Demo version was so bad that Paula's mom was "crying laughing" at it, and threw it in the trash. But Paula heard something she liked in it, and retrieved it. At that time she was a full-time choreographer, and on the side, late at night she was recording music. The music label didn't think the song was any good. But Paula made a deal with them that she would record 2 songs they wanted, which she didn't like, if they would let her do "Straight Up". The song was recorded at a cost of $3,000. Later a friend of hers told her that somebody with her same name was being played on a northern California radio station. "Literally, within 10 days I [it] sold a million copies." The song was originally recorded in a bathroom, and in the masters of the recording, you can hear someone in the next apartment yelling "Shut up". The Roland trumpet sound was previously used on Taylor Dayne's Tell It To My Heart.
"Straight Up" was the third single released from her debut album Forever Your Girl, after "Knocked Out" and "The Way That You Love Me." While the latter was enjoying success on the R&B charts, radio station KMEL in San Francisco started playing "Straight Up" from the album. The label decided to abandon "The Way That You Love Me" and refocus its attention on "Straight Up". The strategy paid off, as "Straight Up" was followed by three more number-one hits from the same album.
One of the 12" versions was remixed by LA "Powermixers" Chris Modig and Boris Granich, known for their special Power mixes at Power 106 during the 1980s.
After debuting at #79 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week of December 3, 1988, the single quickly rose up the chart, reaching #13 by January 21, 1989. It ultimately spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart beginning February 11, 1989. It was certified Platinum by the RIAA with sales of more than one million units. It reached number three in the UK and Germany.
Music video
The song became so popular that it ascended up the charts before a music video had even been shot for the song. The black and white video, directed by David Fincher and choreographed by Paula herself in mid-January 1989, won four 1989 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video, Best Editing, Best Choreography, and the first Best Dance Video. The video features a special appearance by Paula's friend, comedian Arsenio Hall, whose popular talk show had premiered a few weeks prior to the video shoot. Djimon Hounsou also made a special appearance. Released in February 1989, the video at the time went into very heavy rotation on MTV, and it also made Abdul known for her exceptionally creative and distinct videos.
Chart performance
In the US, "Straight Up" reached the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 11, 1989, where it stayed for three consecutive weeks. "Straight Up" was one of the most popular R&B and dance-pop singles of the entire year, remaining in the Top 10 for seven weeks, the Top 20 for nine weeks, and the Top 40 for sixteen weeks. It ultimately ranked as the 4th biggest hit of the year on Billboard's year-end chart for 1989. The success of "Straight Up" catapulted the "Forever Your Girl" album into the top 20 on the album chart. Two more number-one hits from the album boosted it up further into the top 5 where it lingered before it finally reached #1 in October after a record-setting 64 weeks on the market.
The single was a worldwide smash, reaching the top ten in many music markets all over the world. In addition to topping the charts in the United States, the single also reached the top in Norway and Canada. It reached #3 in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands. It also reached #8 in Austria, #5 in Belgium, and #2 in Sweden. In France, the single fell short of the top ten, reaching #12. In Oceania, the single received mixed success. The song fell short of the top twenty in Australia, reaching #27. In New Zealand, however, the single did much better, reaching #6.
US/UK/Euro 12"; UK 3"/Euro 5" CD singles
- Straight Up - 12" remix 6:53
- Straight Up - Power mix 3:05
- Straight Up - House mix 7:10 on 3", remix fades at 5:13
- Straight Up - Marley Marl mix 6:48 on 3", remix fades at 4:48
NB: the UK 12" and both CD singles feature shorter versions of the latter three mixes, as listed below.
ultimix 7" a straight up-ultimix 6:53 b opposites attract-1990 mix 6:49