B-side "Friend to Friend" Genre Disco Label Motown | Released 1980 Length 4:05 | |
Writer(s) Nile Rodgers
Bernard Edwards | ||
"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 in 1980, as the lead single from her self-titled tenth studio album, diana. "Upside Down" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart 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.
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"Upside Down" 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 for "Upside Down" consists of previously filmed scenes from Ross's other productions over the years cut together with some photographs.