Uptown Festival
Encyclopedia
Uptown Festival is the first album credited to American
R&B group Shalamar
, released in 1977 on the Soul Train
label. (The album was in fact recorded by session singers
). Uptown Festival peaked at #22 on the US R&B chart
and #48 on the Billboard Albums chart
.
The title track, a medley
of ten Motown
classics sung over a 1970s disco
beat, was a hit in both the USA and the UK.
Side Two
#25, US R&B
#10, UK
#30)
"Ooo Baby Baby" (US R&B #59)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B group Shalamar
Shalamar
Shalamar was an American music group, primarily of the 1970s and 1980s, that was originally a disco-driven vehicle created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator Don Cornelius. They went on to be an influential dance trio, masterminded by Soul Train producer Don Cornelius...
, released in 1977 on the Soul Train
Soul Train Records
When Soul Train creator Don Cornelius & his partner Dick Griffey launched Soul Train Records in 1975, they had one smashing group of their own called The Soul Train Gang...
label. (The album was in fact recorded by session singers
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
). Uptown Festival peaked at #22 on the US R&B chart
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
and #48 on the Billboard Albums chart
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
.
The title track, a medley
Medley (music)
In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces, usually three, played one after another, sometimes overlapping. They are common in popular music, and most medleys are songs rather than instrumental. A medley which is a remixed series is called a megamix, often done with tracks...
of ten Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
classics sung over a 1970s disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
beat, was a hit in both the USA and the UK.
Track listing
Side One- "Inky Dinky Wang Dang Doo" (Toney/Williams) 4:03
- "Beautiful Night" 5:14
- "Uptown Festival" (RobinsonSmokey RobinsonWilliam "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
/Moore/HollandBrian HollandBrian Holland is an American songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland. That songwriting and production team that was responsible for much of the Motown sound and numerous hit records by artists such as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Four Tops,...
/DozierLamont DozierLamont Herbert Dozier is an American songwriter and record producer, born in Detroit, Michigan. Dozier has either co-written or produced several US Billboard #1 hits.-Career:...
/HollandEdward Holland, Jr.Edward Holland, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter and record producer....
/WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
/MoySylvia MoySylvia Moy is a songwriter and record producer, formerly associated with the Motown Records group. The first woman at the Detroit-based music label to write and produce for Motown acts, she is probably best known for her songs written for Stevie Wonder....
/CosbyHenry CosbyHenry "Hank" R. Cosby was an African American songwriter and record producer for Motown Records...
/WhitfieldNorman WhitfieldNorman Jesse Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s...
/Stevenson) 8:49 (Medley: Going to a Go-GoGoing to a Go-Go (song)"Going to a Go-Go" is a 1965 single recorded by The Miracles for Motown's Tamla label. Issued in December 1965, "Going to a Go-Go" peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States the following spring...
/ I Can't Help Myself / Uptight (Everything's Alright)Uptight (Everything's Alright)"Uptight " is a 1966 hit single recorded by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla label. One of his most popular early singles, "Uptight " was the first Stevie Wonder single to be co-written by the artist....
/ Stop! In the Name of LoveStop! In the Name of Love"Stop! In the Name of Love" is a 1965 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Stop! In the Name of Love" held the number-one position on the Billboard pop singles chart in the United States from March 21, 1965...
/ It's the Same Old SongIt's the Same Old Song"It's the Same Old Song" is a 1965 hit single recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is today one of The Tops' signature songs, and was notably created—from initial concept to commercial...
/ Tears of a Clown / Love Is Like an Itching In My HeartLove Is Like an Itching In My Heart"Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" is a 1966 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.Written and produced by Motown's main production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song was recorded in June 1965 and not released until April 1966...
/ This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)"This Old Heart of Mine " is an Isley Brothers song from 1966 that was a hit for them during their brief tenure on Motown's Tamla label...
/ Baby LoveBaby Love"Baby Love" is a 1964 song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label.Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland ,...
/ He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'"He Was Really Sayin' Somethin is a soul song written by Motown Records songwriters Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Edward Holland, Jr. in 1964...
)
Side Two
- "High On Life" (CorneliusDon CorneliusDonald Cortez "Don" Cornelius is an American television show host and producer who is best known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance/music franchise Soul Train, which he hosted from 1971-1993...
) 3:35 - "Ooo Baby BabyOoo Baby Baby"Ooo Baby Baby" is a 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla label, today considered the group's signature song. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the song #262 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time....
" (Robinson/Moore) 3:46 - "You Know" 4:01
- "Forever Came TodayForever Came Today"Forever Came Today" is a 1967 song written and produced by the Motown collective of Holland–Dozier–Holland, and was first made into a hit as a single for Diana Ross & the Supremes in early 1968...
" (Holland/Dozier/Holland) 5:49
Singles
"Uptown Festival Part 1" (US Hot 100Billboard 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...
#25, US R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
#10, UK
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 ...
#30)
"Ooo Baby Baby" (US R&B #59)