As a child, we didn’t see a video. We only heard the song. Today this song is transportive. It has its own kind of power, the power of music when it moves you. The song is upbeat. Accept it for what it is.
Congrats on being the first reactor to feature Petula. She was a huge star in the ‘60s. Classy woman, great singer. She kissed Harry Belafonte in a TV show. Was a cause celebre at the time. Scandalous! She’s still alive, now in her 80s. Wonderful singer & person. She lives in France.
You are correct, she is the first to react to the lovely Pet Clark, a fabulous singer and person. She is one of my favorite female singers of the swinging 60'S. God bless her and you sir.
@@SimSim-zf9if no, they aren't. They are quite racist. They even have a wider spectrum of it. Classism, anti-Irish, etc. Don't kid yourself, Europeans are, in general, far more racist than Americans.
A DAMEHOOD FOR PETULA CLARK A S A P PLEASE. Thank you very kindly for her lovely CBE but now is the time for this TERRIFIC LEGEND to become .... DAME Petula Clark.
Petula Clark Petula Clark (born November 15th, 1932 in Epsom, England) was an Singer-Songwriter who was best known for her career spanning more than seven decades & recording more than 1000 songs. Petula died on January 20th, 2023 (TBV) & her death was possibly because of her failing health. She was 90. 1965 “Downtown,” written by Tony Hatch, was released in late 1964 & ascended to No. 1 in the U.S.A. for two weeks in January 1965. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003.
There was nothing dark about this song. It was all about urging others not to sit around wallowing in the negatives, but to go out and grab hold of the possibilities that await downtown, or where ever they may be found. I grew up with this song. It was filled with hope and joy! Thanks for taking me back!
@@mbnahey I think it has to do with the song being used in the disturbing movie Girl Interrupted. Songs tend to pick up other meanings across the years depending on the context we've experienced them in.
This was an upbeat song. We used to go downtown for fun. People used to pull their coat collars up to embrace life as the thrill of it made for goose bumps. People used to embrace life with a positive attitude like this song. Thanks for showcasing Petula
Going downtown is what we did to shop when I was a young girl. I loved this song that came out when I was a preteen. Theaters were downtown too. This singer from England seemed so exotic to us. 😊
Before there were malls, most of the big stores were in the downtown or center of cities. Downtown areas were clean and safe back then. I remember taking the bus downtown and walking around with a friend. We'd visit the library, have a bite to eat, and go to Neiman Marcus and try on clothes and act uppity LOL
Yes, there was a HUGE difference in "Downtowns" from when this song came out and into perhaps the 70's. By 14 I was hanging out all night in downtown Seattle. Stayed off the waterfront, unless I was looking for trouble, and the same with the area around Pioneer Square before they built the King Dome. I picture that area in my mind and it's in black and white, very film noirish.
Here where I still live the downtown area was full of big name department stores and movie theatres and even dime stores if you can remember that. Like you said it was safe, clean, and full of people shopping, eating, and walking around. We had L S Ayres, Blocks, Wassons, J C Pennys,
Even true of Melbourne Australia in the sixties with trains and trams transporting us instead of buses. Different multiple department stores , hobby and toy stores attracting me as a kid. Was the only place to see first release films in one of dozens of theatres. Now a shell of it's former attractiveness with the help of State Government and City Hall and their focus on drug addicts and helping full time protesters and panhandlers. Darkness there a more recent development than 1964.
As a boy of about 10 I'll never forget how this song lit up my mind and created the expectation of excitement that awaited me in a few more years. The song made it seem as if there was endless fun to be had as a teenager with no inhibitions or cares. It was a memorable time and songs like this made my imagination go wild.
I remember listening to this song back in the '60s when I was a little kid. It's one of the first I can still remember learning to sing from end to end. Such a happy sound! I'm pretty sure the undercurrent of sarcasm you suspect may be in the song isn't actually there. That reaction is more of a reflection of the times we live in than anything in the music or performance.
@@sevenstarsofthedipper1047 - In 1965 I was 10 when I bought the 45 rpm single of 'Downtown' on an orange label Warner Bros. record. As I got older and her hits continued I started buying her albums, which are still very good. The 'I Know A Place' and 'These Are My Songs' albums are favorites. The later albums like 'Living For Today' released in 2017 are gems. Her voice has changed over the years and her songwriting is very good. Every year since 1965 Petula Clark's music has sustained me through thick and thin. My best friend, always available, always positive. I recommend Petula for your unending music pal.
Absolutely! I was 6 when it was released, but even at that age I knew an uplifting and powerful song when I heard it! "Downtown" to us Brits, even then only just recovering from post-war austerity, was where the action and fun and bright lights were.
@@ferdinandfrancis9673 I know, thanks. Indeed, I have posted precisely that, and with further explanation, elsewhere on this thread. Thanks for taking the time to post though, buddy.👍
@@adriangoodrich4306 And of course music and songwriting genius Tony Hatch encapsulated all those lovely feelings and excitement into this never to be forgotten CLASSIC. Also with the vocals of the Greatest Female Vocalist Of ALL TIME Petula Clark it was ALWAYS going to be a smash-hit.
I swear, the first time I heard this was on the bus going, yes, Downtown. Some kid was playing his transister radio and blased it. It was raining and I remember thinking how cool that was! lol ~ Janet Faye Elizabeth
No eerie vibe for me, really enjoyed it when it was released. Petula had a strong and vibrant voice. I was pretty young then and this song invoked a vision of a place where you could lose your problems, take in a movie, etc. The music was great too. Thx RR, great choice. :)
That was around 1964 and of course the Bosa Nova music was a very big deal and this song captures the culture back then. I was in high school and this lady, Petula Clark was almost old enough to be my mother but there she was singing songs that hit the top of the charts along with the Beatles and Rolling Stones. A wonderful time to be young.
Especially to a Brit visiting NYC for the first time, as writer Tony Hatch was, and (wrongly) assuming that, as it would be in London, Broadway and Times Square was "Downtown".
I used to walk around the house "singing" this song at the top of my voice when I was about 3 or 4 years old. I only knew one word of the lyrics... DOWNTOWN.
I remember in the 60s downtown was magical. The old stores the window dressing...in the department store.. most of all at Christmas..it was where every thing was happening
I saw Petula Clark perform at least 35 years ago (a friend had a 78 record of her he wanted Autographed) we thought it would be a joke and went along for a laugh. It was one of the most fabulous 2hrs+ I have spent at a concert. If she wasn't singing, she told stories of some of the biggest names in England and the US of the previous 40odd years that she'd met. She's still going strong today. An amazing woman period.
I had all of Petula's albums. Aside from the popular singles, she had many, many gems in her albums. I saw her in person when she was touring and well into her 60"s. My wife and I had front row seats and I was thrilled to be that close to the stage. At the end of the show she took all of her bows and then came right up to me and shook my hand! A quick note....she lived in France and Charlie Chaplin ( old by then ) was her neighbor. She would visit him quite often. So I can say without a doubt that I shook the hand of a person that shook the hand of Charlie Chaplin! Not many people can say that.
She lives in Switzerland when she was friends with Charlie Chaplin... Geneva Switzerland is her primary residence although she has homes in London and Florida
Petula... damn I still have a crush on her. Must have wore out this "45" back when it came out. She has done a lot of great stuff, but this is my favorite. 😍 Thank you RogueRxyce
The thing to remember here is that cities were much cleaner and more prosperous and exciting as well as safer than they are today. People moved into cities then because they actually promised a bright future. That shifted in the 70's. Lou Reed's - Walk On the Wild Side demonstrated this shift.
I love your reaction, she is a great singer from Wales, a Principality in the UK. Other songs to check out by Petula Clark are: 'I Know A Place' and 'Don't Sleep In The Subway' she has many more great hits but these along with 'Down Town' are the best known. 🙂
@@mildredsparks6684 If that's the case then why is there a Prince of Wales? It's been a Principality since 1216. Here is a link to explain it to you. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Wales#:~:text=The%20Principality%20of%20Wales%20was,would%20pay%20homage%20to%20him.
Very nice reaction. "Downtown" was a massive international hit - literally a hit on six continents. It became Petula Clark's signature song, though she had many hits in various countries before and afterward. For American audiences, though, this was the song that put her on the map, while she was already a successful recording artist in her native U.K. and across Europe (especially France, where she enjoyed remarkable chart success). Petula has an extensive discography, well worth seeking out - and not just for the hits. The album tracks are often every bit as good as the single releases, and quite a few of her album selections she wrote or co-wrote. She continues to perform and record, into her late 80s.
Petula Clark is a British icon, she began her singing career during WW2, she was also a child film actress too. She had hits in French, German, Italian and Spanish as well as English, a true continental performer. She has always looked glamourous and is 88 years old now and still singing. I get what you're saying about 'Downtown' but I find it an uplifting song, I think in this TV performance her acting instincts are kicking in, she knows it's tight shot and wrapping up her raincoat is just something to do, imagining a cold or wet evening downtown, but still enjoying the thrill. A more darker urban song is another big hit of hers that I'd recommend, 'Don't sleep in the subway', but even that is a song of hope and reconciliation.
Thanks to music and songwriter genius Tony Hatch and the best female vocalist of all time Petula Clark this song is a totally unforgettable CLASSIC of ALL TIME.
I think you are absolutely right about the meaning of the song. Downtown is the place where you can drink your problems away... I used to listen to Petula Clark on repeat as a young girl! Brings back great memories! Thanks for that!
Petula was part of the so-called "British Invasion" of the mid-1960's, riding into the American radio airwaves right on the "coat-tails" of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals, etc. She had several wonderful pop hits, and she is still alive at the age of 88 ...... This was probably her biggest hit .....
I remember as a 7 year oldwatching her show on a tiny black and white tv around'65 .A great song as good as ever.the backing track was done at the tail end of the big dance band era.Standard for those days. No marshalls, just play harder..Listen to those drum fills touching the toes..
Loved this song in 65, still do. She has a beautiful voice, hard to believe she's 89 and I believe she did a concert not too long ago. Many hits. Don't Sleep in the Subway, I couldn't Live without yr Love, Kiss me Goodbye, A Sign of the Times. I suggest you react to DUSTY SPRINGFIELD from UK. One of the greatest singers ever, many hits. Actually in the R & R Hall of Fame. Thxs for reacting to this classic song, keeping good music alive!
In the Sixties, downtown London was where it was "happening"! Petula Clark as a child was the Shirley Temple of Britain. I was JUNIOR in H.S. We danced to this song. One of the true big hits of the decade. Petula was a great actress also!
I dont think London ever had a Downtown, I sort of worked out it was about the way the cool and hip places in NY were , but still had the vibe of the West End in London - Neon billboards around in Piccadilly Circus with the Talk of The Town cabaret nearby and Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club or the Theatres from The Strand or the cinemas in Leicester Square, Red Buses at night with their lights on inside illuminating the destinations they went to buzzing around Trafalgar Square. I suppose the Pet Shop Boys West End Girls echoed the 1980s vibe that London transitioned into. I dont think other cities in the UK got the downtown place either, mostly because they were compact, and effectively didnt have the wide estuary to the south that New York has. ( Southend on Sea or Newcastle might be very nice places but they are hardly comparable, close might be Hamburg in Germany, which was edgy and maybe a little too dangerous with the docks being far more covering of the city than was ever the situation in London. The BBC review programme on the telly I think was called In Town Tonight, and also the slightly later in the 1960s Simon Dee show echoed Tony Hatch's music in so many ways. Had Carnaby Street and The Kings Road become the places in 1964 or did it take a couple more years to really peak. London ( admittedly even in the late 1950s had the 2i's coffee bar and other hip modern and trad jazz places and the festival hall on the south bank ), really found itself by 1966/67 just as the USA ( Apollo programme notwithstanding) fell apart over Vietnam / Kennedy / Martin Luther King.
I remember going on field trips with this song playing on the radio in the Bus. All of us were singing along with it. But,,, we though it was down down instead of down town
I remember this song. My mother listened to it often and I remember going shopping with her when I was small. Looked just like it sounded back on the 50's to 70's
How does anyone get an eerie vibe from this song? Been listening to this since I was a kid and it's simply saying if you're feeling down or depressed then maybe a trip downtown to see the lights, go dancing, see a movie, etc. might make you feel better than to stay at home and mope. She smiles throughout the whole song after all. No hidden meanings here. Sheesh.
One of my favorite songs by one of my favorite performers. My husband took me to see her perform live for my birthday. It was in a small venue and fabulous…this was just six years ago.
I was 3 years old when this song came out living in tiny Key West and my mother and I would walk to downtown. I could hear Petula Clark singing in my head.. Lol I thought I was big. Listen to "To Sir With Love" then watch the movie. Sidney Poitier and Petula Clark won't disappoint. ♥️
Through the 1950s and into the '60's, downtown was a happening place (that's all there was). Then people moved out to the suburbs and businesses followed them, first into shopping centers (we now call strip malls), and then into giant indoor malls. Downtowns (except in the largest cities) became dead. Now, people are moving back into cities and the suburban malls are dying.
Pet Clark was around 32 when this came out in the early 60s. Part of the British Invasion (of Am radio airwaves and record stores!). She starting singing as a child during the 2nd World War !! A true professional who found a way to stay relevant in the world of music for decades. Basically she has worked her %ss off since the 40s !!! Right at the Top of the List for quality entertainers during My lifetime.
I saw Petula Clark in concert at the Norwood town Hall in May of 2019. She performed many different styles of song but to be able to do Don't Cry For Me Argentina at 87 and only clip a couple of notes was amazing. Sometime who really knows her craft as well à being a natural talent.
Generations will feel this DownTown !! Thx for this Heir ! @RogueRxyce THIS Music mad it all great as it is today... we need all this composers and mind today to continue this era !!
I was only 10 when this came out in 1964. I immediately had a crush on Petula - lol. So many other hits from her: "I Know a Place", "My Love", "A Sign of the Times", "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love", "Who Am I", "Colour My World", "This Is My Song" (by Charlie Chaplin), "Don't Sleep in the Subway"
During the early 1980s in Australia, Down Town was the name of an amusement arcade in Adelaide, South Australia. The TV promo ads used this song as its jingle. But that was how I discovered this song aged 14, before I even knew it was actual song dating back to the 1960s!
I was 12-13 when this song was on the radio all the time, and my older sisters sang and enjoyed it at home. When they began working in Manhattan, they did indeed enjoy a positive experience, as the stresses of life in our ‘hood were eclipsed by the bright lights and sounds of the greatest city in the world. Later, I worked much in Manhattan and enjoyed the excitement thereof as well. No eeriness.
I`m glad you enjoyed it, I grew up in the `60`s & I`ve always loved this song. For me at that time as a kid, it was an adventure to go downtown with my Mam & somewhat rare. You are the first, but I hope many more young reactors will rediscover more of the amazing hits of the `60`s. Another favourite, I think is similar is (Georgy Girl) by (The Seekers, 1966). :)
I think its a positive song, Petula Clarke is still on the stage in her 80s! Its a good song, written by Tony Hatch, I think this is his best, sung beautifully by a very elegant lady
Back in the 60s, I lived in Los Angeles. Downtown L.A. was a place to escape to. Movie houses, department stores, and small stores to venture to. It was even better in the Fall, with the monthly seasonal changes from Halloween to Christmas being displayed in the windows of the stores. We, the kids, loved watching the animation and stories being told. I felt perfectly safe. The song sings of a time. Unfortunately, that doesn't exist anymore. But, my memories of the time are still strong and warm with images I enjoyed. And this song brings it all back. Enjoy!
Hey gorgeous !!! I thought you needed to know something about this song. First, she is totally serious, and definitely NOT sarcastic. It came out in a time when most people (except in places like Chicago, New York City, Detroit, etc.) lived outside of "downtown". There were no malls ... everything was either found at a stand-alone store, or in a plaza (a group of maybe 4-12 stores standing side-by-side). Usually the theater was NOT located with the stores so it was sort of a huge thing to go downtown, but there wasn't a lot to do outside of it, so it could get a little boring. So, this song is spot on, as far as that goes. Now, about you ... when are you going to get that show ??? I want to be able to say "I knew her when ..." 😁😉😊. I just love you and that infectious personality you have ... and I believe in you girl !!! Go get 'em !!! The world is waiting ... they need you ...
I was a mere lad of 5 years old, when this song hit the airwaves. Whenever I hear it, sweet childhood memories come flooding back... and I start to long for those carefree days... *sigh*
I was 9 years old when this came out. She was my first radio sweetheart.....LOL. I recently watched another video on her backstory. This was her first big hit (....in the USA )....but I think it was written by a male composer, who was visiting from London......& fell in love with the lights of Times Square in NYC. Petula was already a big deal in England since she was a child. I think she was the first 'screen kiss' for the young Alec Guinness. Maybe it was on the stage.
This was at one time my favorite song. When I was a child, I always enjoyed knowing when my parents were heading to town. To me, it was an exciting place with lots to see and do. This song was like my reaction to being able to go there with them. The downtown for me at that time was Asheville, NC.
It's a fabulous song. I loved it as a kid. One thing you need to realize is this was a hit just as downtowns, at least in America, were beginning to die. I was really young at the time, but I'm guessing at that time, downtowns were really cheerful places as she describes them. But America's romance with the car was starting, and soon downtowns would be almost dead. People wanted easy and cheap parking, and downtowns didn't usually give you that. Shopping malls were set up on the sides of the freeways where there was abundant free parking. They kind of became our new downtowns in most places. But now the shopping malls are dying, too.
Thanks for reacting to perhaps my favourite song of the early 1960s! I'd suggest don't read too much into the video, or the use of "downtown". British writer and producer Tony Hatch, who also wrote loads of other hits and film and TV and soap themes (UK and Oz viewers will be familiar with Emmerdale, Crossroads and Neighbours...!) wrote it during his first visit to NYC. The bright neon lights and upbeat vibrancy of Broadway and Times Square (which he mistakenly assumed was "downtown", as it would have been seen as in the UK) made a huge impression on him. It was intended to be upbeat, an answer to loneliness in the city "...you'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over, happy again..." - and that was indeed how it was received at the time. I was 6 when it was released, and it was my favourite song then! It is still one of my favourites, and still sends tingles down my spine, even now - love it! IIRC, Tony hatch wanted the band to sound more like a rock band, to appeal to young people, and in a bit of Trivia, I believe one of the session musicians was a certain Mr Jimmy Page.... IIRC, from when I looked it up years ago, it was the first US #1 for many years, and the first ever US gold record, by a British female artiste?
Whenever I'm sad and alone at home I listen to this song. Then it occurs to me again, yes, I'm not the only person on this planet. It tingles in my stomach, only a little bit at first and then I know I have to go back to the city among people.
She once did a duet on Tv (60's)with the great Harry Belefonte (black ) and during the beautiful love song ,she touched his arm. Sponsors threatened to drop out if she wouldn't do a remake and she refused and the song went on air. Great lady !
I was 12. I was running away from home. I caught a passenger train in La Crosse, Wisconsin and rode it to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While on the train I talked someone into getting me a bus ticket from Milwaukee to Racine where my grandmother lived. Riding the bus and entering the downtown area of Racine in the snow, this song came on. I liked it then and I still enjoy it now. 1963, seems like 100 years ago.
I think I get it actually. Think of the way a creative movie director will put an uber happy old-timey song in a dark movie, when something sinister is going on
It only gives me eerie vibes coz I was born into a world where this was still a new song. It's probably one of many of my early baby memories. I get memories of late 60s 1st and 2nd birthday parties. Very vague, but I have photos of me as a 2 to 3 year old sitting in my PJs at a party table
As a child, we didn’t see a video. We only heard the song. Today this song is transportive. It has its own kind of power, the power of music when it moves you. The song is upbeat. Accept it for what it is.
Exactly!
Congrats on being the first reactor to feature Petula. She was a huge star in the ‘60s. Classy woman, great singer. She kissed Harry Belafonte in a TV show. Was a cause celebre at the time. Scandalous! She’s still alive, now in her 80s. Wonderful singer & person. She lives in France.
You are correct, she is the first to react to the lovely Pet Clark, a fabulous singer and person. She is one of my favorite female singers of the swinging 60'S. God bless her and you sir.
@@ferdinandfrancis9673 She also had quite a career in French. I'm from Quebec and she was huge over there.
Thats interesting. About Harry. Because he was black? I mean I'd kiss Harry Belafonte if I could! :)
@@SimSim-zf9if no, they aren't. They are quite racist. They even have a wider spectrum of it. Classism, anti-Irish, etc. Don't kid yourself, Europeans are, in general, far more racist than Americans.
@@SimSim-zf9if what's not "just not a thing"
“Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle bossa nova” always loved that line.
She did a very moving tribute to Karen Carpenter after Carpenter passed away. They were good friends.
Yes....and I wish these people would do more of her!!
Petula Clark is an amazing entertainer. She has been an active since 1944, that's 77 years!
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A DAMEHOOD FOR PETULA CLARK A S A P PLEASE.
Thank you very kindly for her lovely CBE but now is the time for this TERRIFIC LEGEND to become ....
DAME Petula Clark.
Petula Clark
Petula Clark
(born November 15th, 1932 in Epsom, England) was an Singer-Songwriter who was best known for her career spanning more than seven decades & recording more than
1000 songs.
Petula died on January 20th, 2023 (TBV) & her death was possibly because of her failing health.
She was 90.
1965
“Downtown,” written by Tony Hatch, was released in late 1964 & ascended
to No. 1 in the U.S.A.
for two weeks in
January 1965.
The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003.
There was nothing dark about this song. It was all about urging others not to sit around wallowing in the negatives, but to go out and grab hold of the possibilities that await downtown, or where ever they may be found. I grew up with this song. It was filled with hope and joy! Thanks for taking me back!
Totally agree! It was a great time in my childhood! Now 66!
@@johnbattles1002 me too. totally ditto.
This and "Don't Sleep in the Subway" are my favorites by Petula Clark.
Yes, I agree a fantastic tune
Yes, also "I Know a Place" and "My Love"...
Yes, also her hit “Avoid Times Square.” That was before it was revamped and riddled with seedy joints like whoore houses n such.
She was one of Dean Martin's favorite guests on his show.
Ed Sullivan's also
As per the producer of The Dean Martin Show Dean had a huge crush on Petula
Wonder why, mr Carr ?
@@blackbob3358 See Jeff's post.
I don’t feel there is anything dark about this song. I loved this song as a child and still do as a 64 year old! She is amazing!!
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Totally agree
I'm 60 Al and i remember this song as a little boy with 4 older siblings. still makes me smile today.
@@mbnahey I think it has to do with the song being used in the disturbing movie Girl Interrupted. Songs tend to pick up other meanings across the years depending on the context we've experienced them in.
Remember being really ill as a young boy and this song when played on the radio made me feel so much better. 57 years later it still perks me up.
Try "To Sir, with Love" by Lulu. It was from around the same time I believe.
Great movie too if she hasn't seen it! Harry Belafonte? if IIRC?
@@KimmyGibson Agree! "To Sir with Love" was a great movie and great song!
@@KimmyGibson Sidney Poitier
@@John_Chu Right!!!
Oh yes, I love this song!
This was an upbeat song. We used to go downtown for fun. People used to pull their coat collars up to embrace life as the thrill of it made for goose bumps. People used to embrace life with a positive attitude like this song. Thanks for showcasing Petula
My mom was a teenager when this song came out, she loves the song so much! I showed her your video and she said she loves you. ❤️
Going downtown is what we did to shop when I was a young girl. I loved this song that came out when I was a preteen. Theaters were downtown too. This singer from England seemed so exotic to us. 😊
Her name is Petula Clark and she is a World Class MEGA-STAR and is extremely talented indeed.
@@darrenplumpton9737 I knew her name but wanted to point out her provenance. Thanks, though. 😊
@@patriciamoore6492 Do'nt mr "Plumpton" is quite "with it", love.
@@blackbob3358 I don't understand your comment. Sorry.
Before there were malls, most of the big stores were in the downtown or center of cities. Downtown areas were clean and safe back then. I remember taking the bus downtown and walking around with a friend. We'd visit the library, have a bite to eat, and go to Neiman Marcus and try on clothes and act uppity LOL
Oh yes! I remember that too!
Yes, there was a HUGE difference in "Downtowns" from when this song came out and into perhaps the 70's. By 14 I was hanging out all night in downtown Seattle. Stayed off the waterfront, unless I was looking for trouble, and the same with the area around Pioneer Square before they built the King Dome. I picture that area in my mind and it's in black and white, very film noirish.
Very similar to my childhood experiences downtown with my nephews or cousin or Mom in the 60's!
Here where I still live the downtown area was full of big name department stores and movie theatres and even dime stores if you can remember that. Like you said it was safe, clean, and full of people shopping, eating, and walking around. We had L S Ayres, Blocks, Wassons, J C Pennys,
Even true of Melbourne Australia in the sixties with trains and trams transporting us instead of buses.
Different multiple department stores , hobby and toy stores attracting me as a kid.
Was the only place to see first release films in one of dozens of theatres.
Now a shell of it's former attractiveness with the help of State Government and City Hall and their focus on drug addicts and helping full time protesters and panhandlers.
Darkness there a more recent development than 1964.
This was written and was a HUGE hit in the 60's. And true. It was a happy time that nowadays you younger folks have never known.
As a boy of about 10 I'll never forget how this song lit up my mind and created the expectation of excitement that awaited me in a few more years. The song made it seem as if there was endless fun to be had as a teenager with no inhibitions or cares. It was a memorable time and songs like this made my imagination go wild.
“Just listen to the rhythm of the gentle Bossa Nova” …. that is such a great line!! Love this song I was a child when it came out.
I remember listening to this song back in the '60s when I was a little kid. It's one of the first I can still remember learning to sing from end to end. Such a happy sound! I'm pretty sure the undercurrent of sarcasm you suspect may be in the song isn't actually there. That reaction is more of a reflection of the times we live in than anything in the music or performance.
This was the first record that my parents got just for me back when I was 10. Wow.
@@sevenstarsofthedipper1047 - In 1965 I was 10 when I bought the 45 rpm single of 'Downtown' on an orange label Warner Bros. record. As I got older and her hits continued I started buying her albums, which are still very good. The 'I Know A Place' and 'These Are My Songs' albums are favorites. The later albums like 'Living For Today' released in 2017 are gems. Her voice has changed over the years and her songwriting is very good. Every year since 1965 Petula Clark's music has sustained me through thick and thin. My best friend, always available, always positive. I recommend Petula for your unending music pal.
A pick-me-up song. I love it! Always have loved it! Nearly 62 and still feel a sense of joy hearing this song.
Remember it's British ... & back in the day 'Downtown' here was a great place to go 😁 don't read to much into the 60's 😁
Absolutely! I was 6 when it was released, but even at that age I knew an uplifting and powerful song when I heard it! "Downtown" to us Brits, even then only just recovering from post-war austerity, was where the action and fun and bright lights were.
@@adriangoodrich4306 This song was written by British Song writer Tony Hatch while on a visit to NY in 1964.
@@ferdinandfrancis9673 I know, thanks. Indeed, I have posted precisely that, and with further explanation, elsewhere on this thread. Thanks for taking the time to post though, buddy.👍
@@adriangoodrich4306 And of course music and songwriting genius Tony Hatch encapsulated all those lovely feelings and excitement into this never to be forgotten CLASSIC.
Also with the vocals of the Greatest Female Vocalist Of ALL TIME Petula Clark it was ALWAYS going to be a smash-hit.
I swear, the first time I heard this was on the bus going, yes, Downtown. Some kid was playing his transister radio and blased it. It was raining and I remember thinking how cool that was! lol ~ Janet Faye Elizabeth
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No eerie vibe for me, really enjoyed it when it was released. Petula had a strong and vibrant voice. I was pretty young then and this song invoked a vision of a place where you could lose your problems, take in a movie, etc. The music was great too. Thx RR, great choice. :)
@@CaptWalker lol
YES!
I just get a really happy feeling, even though I am not a bit fan of my downtown area. She sells it well and is so POSITIVE!
I don't like downtown either; looking at tall buildings gives me vertigo. I'm a suburbanite. But I've loved this song since I first heard it in 1983.
That was around 1964 and of course the Bosa Nova music was a very big deal and this song captures the culture back then. I was in high school and this lady, Petula Clark was almost old enough to be my mother but there she was singing songs that hit the top of the charts along with the Beatles and Rolling Stones. A wonderful time to be young.
Rememebr when this came out. Downtown was a place of lights and traffic and happiness. There was no dark downtown in 1964.
Great song , great singer and please, a mention for a great BAND! The great Tony Hatch, conducting.
Petula Clark was a major sensation in the 60's She has so many great hits. Sign of The Times, Don't Sleep in The Subway. I know a Place and so on
The song was written when downtown was the hub/center of excitement. That is not true today, but nice song.....
Especially to a Brit visiting NYC for the first time, as writer Tony Hatch was, and (wrongly) assuming that, as it would be in London, Broadway and Times Square was "Downtown".
I used to walk around the house "singing" this song at the top of my voice when I was about 3 or 4 years old. I only knew one word of the lyrics... DOWNTOWN.
I remember in the 60s downtown was magical. The old stores the window dressing...in the department store.. most of all at Christmas..it was where every thing was happening
I saw Petula Clark perform at least 35 years ago (a friend had a 78 record of her he wanted Autographed) we thought it would be a joke and went along for a laugh. It was one of the most fabulous 2hrs+ I have spent at a concert. If she wasn't singing, she told stories of some of the biggest names in England and the US of the previous 40odd years that she'd met. She's still going strong today. An amazing woman period.
I had all of Petula's albums. Aside from the popular singles, she had many, many gems in her albums. I saw her in person when she was touring and well into her 60"s. My wife and I had front row seats and I was thrilled to be that close to the stage. At the end of the show she took all of her bows and then came right up to me and shook my hand! A quick note....she lived in France and Charlie Chaplin ( old by then ) was her neighbor. She would visit him quite often. So I can say without a doubt that I shook the hand of a person that shook the hand of Charlie Chaplin! Not many people can say that.
How cool is that
She lives in Switzerland when she was friends with Charlie Chaplin... Geneva Switzerland is her primary residence although she has homes in London and Florida
One of my earliest memories as a five or six year old! Loved this song then and now!
Saw her live when I was a kid. She has a booming voice that does not require a microphone
Petula... damn I still have a crush on her. Must have wore out this "45" back when it came out. She has done a lot of great stuff, but this is my favorite. 😍 Thank you RogueRxyce
The thing to remember here is that cities were much cleaner and more prosperous and exciting as well as safer than they are today. People moved into cities then because they actually promised a bright future. That shifted in the 70's. Lou Reed's - Walk On the Wild Side demonstrated this shift.
In the 70s we used to skate to this song at the roller rink. When she would sing Downtown we had to bend down.
Oh the memories!!!
Back when Cities had an actual downtown. Stores, Restaurants, Bars, Theaters, Night Clubs.
I love your reaction, she is a great singer from Wales, a Principality in the UK. Other songs to check out by Petula Clark are:
'I Know A Place' and 'Don't Sleep In The Subway' she has many more great hits but these along with 'Down Town' are the best known. 🙂
Wales isn’t a principality.
@@mildredsparks6684 If that's the case then why is there a Prince of Wales? It's been a Principality since 1216. Here is a link to explain it to you.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Wales#:~:text=The%20Principality%20of%20Wales%20was,would%20pay%20homage%20to%20him.
bloody beautiful!!!! great vibe. memories of a great time!
Vivid memories of this great song. I was just a lad but remember it so well. Loved it then, love it still.
Very nice reaction. "Downtown" was a massive international hit - literally a hit on six continents. It became Petula Clark's signature song, though she had many hits in various countries before and afterward. For American audiences, though, this was the song that put her on the map, while she was already a successful recording artist in her native U.K. and across Europe (especially France, where she enjoyed remarkable chart success). Petula has an extensive discography, well worth seeking out - and not just for the hits. The album tracks are often every bit as good as the single releases, and quite a few of her album selections she wrote or co-wrote. She continues to perform and record, into her late 80s.
Petula Clark is a British icon, she began her singing career during WW2, she was also a child film actress too. She had hits in French, German, Italian and Spanish as well as English, a true continental performer. She has always looked glamourous and is 88 years old now and still singing. I get what you're saying about 'Downtown' but I find it an uplifting song, I think in this TV performance her acting instincts are kicking in, she knows it's tight shot and wrapping up her raincoat is just something to do, imagining a cold or wet evening downtown, but still enjoying the thrill. A more darker urban song is another big hit of hers that I'd recommend, 'Don't sleep in the subway', but even that is a song of hope and reconciliation.
Hearing the mode change about 2/3 of the way through really stands out. It's kind of a lost art you don't really hear any more.
Thanks to music and songwriter genius Tony Hatch and the best female vocalist of all time Petula Clark this song is a totally unforgettable CLASSIC of ALL TIME.
I worked with Petula Clark many years on in a concert version for radio of SUNSET BOULEVARD - She was fierce!
I think you are absolutely right about the meaning of the song. Downtown is the place where you can drink your problems away... I used to listen to Petula Clark on repeat as a young girl! Brings back great memories! Thanks for that!
One of the greatest hits of the 60's.
Petula was part of the so-called "British Invasion" of the mid-1960's, riding into the American radio airwaves right on the "coat-tails" of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals, etc. She had several wonderful pop hits, and she is still alive at the age of 88 ...... This was probably her biggest hit .....
I remember as a 7 year oldwatching her show on a tiny black and white tv around'65 .A great song as good as ever.the backing track was done at the tail end of the big dance band era.Standard for those days. No marshalls, just play harder..Listen to those drum fills touching the toes..
Loved this song in 65, still do. She has a beautiful voice, hard to believe she's 89 and I believe she did a concert not too long ago. Many hits. Don't Sleep in the Subway, I couldn't Live without yr Love, Kiss me Goodbye, A Sign of the Times. I suggest you react to DUSTY SPRINGFIELD from UK. One of the greatest singers ever, many hits. Actually in the R & R Hall of Fame. Thxs for reacting to this classic song, keeping good music alive!
Oh i remember this song ! Was first none marching song i learned on the trumpet !t
Thanks for the memories !
In the Sixties, downtown London was where it was "happening"! Petula Clark as a child was the Shirley Temple of Britain. I was JUNIOR in H.S. We danced to this song. One of the true big hits of the decade. Petula was a great actress also!
I dont think London ever had a Downtown, I sort of worked out it was about the way the cool and hip places in NY were , but still had the vibe of the West End in London - Neon billboards around in Piccadilly Circus with the Talk of The Town cabaret nearby and Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club or the Theatres from The Strand or the cinemas in Leicester Square, Red Buses at night with their lights on inside illuminating the destinations they went to buzzing around Trafalgar Square. I suppose the Pet Shop Boys West End Girls echoed the 1980s vibe that London transitioned into. I dont think other cities in the UK got the downtown place either, mostly because they were compact, and effectively didnt have the wide estuary to the south that New York has. ( Southend on Sea or Newcastle might be very nice places but they are hardly comparable, close might be Hamburg in Germany, which was edgy and maybe a little too dangerous with the docks being far more covering of the city than was ever the situation in London. The BBC review programme on the telly I think was called In Town Tonight, and also the slightly later in the 1960s Simon Dee show echoed Tony Hatch's music in so many ways. Had Carnaby Street and The Kings Road become the places in 1964 or did it take a couple more years to really peak. London ( admittedly even in the late 1950s had the 2i's coffee bar and other hip modern and trad jazz places and the festival hall on the south bank ), really found itself by 1966/67 just as the USA ( Apollo programme notwithstanding) fell apart over Vietnam / Kennedy / Martin Luther King.
I remember going on field trips with this song playing on the radio in the Bus. All of us were singing along with it. But,,, we though it was down down instead of down town
I was 7 when this came out and listened on the radio a lot. You should listen to Dusty Springfield same era also British " Son of a Preacher man"
I remember this song being released and down towns were different to how they are today
I would always play this driving down Michigan Avenue to Tiger Stadium! One of the most beautiful memories from my teens and twenties. Thank you!
This was my mom’s favorite song. I always love your reactions.
Pet Clark, as my mum used to say, has a great voice, especially singing downtown. .... . Magic music.
Adult contemporary pop music from an era before the guitar totally took over the airwaves.
I was 12, great song. Kinda reminds me of the Lovin Spoonful "Summer in the City." Different vibe but the same dirty city love.
Unit 4 + 2 Concrete and Clay
I remember this song. My mother listened to it often and I remember going shopping with her when I was small. Looked just like it sounded back on the 50's to 70's
How does anyone get an eerie vibe from this song? Been listening to this since I was a kid and it's simply saying if you're feeling down or depressed then maybe a trip downtown to see the lights, go dancing, see a movie, etc. might make you feel better than to stay at home and mope. She smiles throughout the whole song after all. No hidden meanings here. Sheesh.
I fervently agree!
One of my favorite songs by one of my favorite performers. My husband took me to see her perform live for my birthday. It was in a small venue and fabulous…this was just six years ago.
I was 3 years old when this song came out living in tiny Key West and my mother and I would walk to downtown. I could hear Petula Clark singing in my head.. Lol I thought I was big.
Listen to "To Sir With Love" then watch the movie. Sidney Poitier and Petula Clark won't disappoint. ♥️
Great song. Immortalized in an episode of Seinfeld.
Through the 1950s and into the '60's, downtown was a happening place (that's all there was). Then people moved out to the suburbs and businesses followed them, first into shopping centers (we now call strip malls), and then into giant indoor malls. Downtowns (except in the largest cities) became dead. Now, people are moving back into cities and the suburban malls are dying.
Pet Clark was around 32 when this came out in the early 60s. Part of the British Invasion (of Am radio airwaves and record stores!). She starting singing as a child during the 2nd World War !! A true professional who found a way to stay relevant in the world of music for decades. Basically she has worked her %ss off since the 40s !!! Right at the Top of the List for quality entertainers during My lifetime.
I saw Petula Clark in concert at the Norwood town Hall in May of 2019. She performed many different styles of song but to be able to do Don't Cry For Me Argentina at 87 and only clip a couple of notes was amazing. Sometime who really knows her craft as well à being a natural talent.
One of my favorite songs growing up
Generations will feel this DownTown !! Thx for this Heir ! @RogueRxyce THIS Music mad it all great as it is today... we need all this composers and mind today to continue this era !!
Love her.Great song
1964. I was 6, and I loved it.
Pet Clark is 88 now and has been in the entertainment business for 80 years. 💖
I was only 10 when this came out in 1964. I immediately had a crush on Petula - lol. So many other hits from her: "I Know a Place", "My Love", "A Sign of the Times", "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love", "Who Am I", "Colour My World", "This Is My Song" (by Charlie Chaplin), "Don't Sleep in the Subway"
During the early 1980s in Australia, Down Town was the name of an amusement arcade in Adelaide, South Australia. The TV promo ads used this song as its jingle.
But that was how I discovered this song aged 14, before I even knew it was actual song dating back to the 1960s!
I was 12-13 when this song was on the radio all the time, and my older sisters sang and enjoyed it at home. When they began working in Manhattan, they did indeed enjoy a positive experience, as the stresses of life in our ‘hood were eclipsed by the bright lights and sounds of the greatest city in the world. Later, I worked much in Manhattan and enjoyed the excitement thereof as well. No eeriness.
I`m glad you enjoyed it, I grew up in the `60`s & I`ve always loved this song. For me at that time as a kid, it was an adventure to go downtown with my Mam & somewhat rare. You are the first, but I hope many more young reactors will rediscover more of the amazing hits of the `60`s. Another favourite, I think is similar is (Georgy Girl) by (The Seekers, 1966). :)
Great song!! Brings back OLD memories. 😆 🌹🌹🌹
I think its a positive song, Petula Clarke is still on the stage in her 80s!
Its a good song, written by Tony Hatch, I think this is his best, sung beautifully by a very elegant lady
Back in the 60s, I lived in Los Angeles. Downtown L.A. was a place to escape to. Movie houses, department stores, and small stores to venture to. It was even better in the Fall, with the monthly seasonal changes from Halloween to Christmas being displayed in the windows of the stores. We, the kids, loved watching the animation and stories being told. I felt perfectly safe. The song sings of a time. Unfortunately, that doesn't exist anymore. But, my memories of the time are still strong and warm with images I enjoyed. And this song brings it all back. Enjoy!
I never thought it had a dark side so glad i listening to it now. I still don't feel a dark side.
Hey gorgeous !!! I thought you needed to know something about this song. First, she is totally serious, and definitely NOT sarcastic. It came out in a time when most people (except in places like Chicago, New York City, Detroit, etc.) lived outside of "downtown". There were no malls ... everything was either found at a stand-alone store, or in a plaza (a group of maybe 4-12 stores standing side-by-side). Usually the theater was NOT located with the stores so it was sort of a huge thing to go downtown, but there wasn't a lot to do outside of it, so it could get a little boring. So, this song is spot on, as far as that goes. Now, about you ... when are you going to get that show ??? I want to be able to say "I knew her when ..." 😁😉😊. I just love you and that infectious personality you have ... and I believe in you girl !!! Go get 'em !!! The world is waiting ... they need you ...
I was a mere lad of 5 years old, when this song hit the airwaves. Whenever I hear it, sweet childhood memories come flooding back... and I start to long for those carefree days... *sigh*
I was 9 years old when this came out. She was my first radio sweetheart.....LOL. I recently watched another video on her backstory. This was her first big hit (....in the USA )....but I think it was written by a male composer, who was visiting from London......& fell in love with the lights of Times Square in NYC. Petula was already a big deal in England since she was a child. I think she was the first 'screen kiss' for the young Alec Guinness. Maybe it was on the stage.
Miss just seeing you smile make me smile you have a beautiful spirit may God always be by your side thank you for making me smile
This was at one time my favorite song. When I was a child, I always enjoyed knowing when my parents were heading to town. To me, it was an exciting place with lots to see and do. This song was like my reaction to being able to go there with them. The downtown for me at that time was Asheville, NC.
Yes! Love that you picked this!!! I remember this as a kid...and I knew YOU would love it.
It's a fabulous song. I loved it as a kid. One thing you need to realize is this was a hit just as downtowns, at least in America, were beginning to die. I was really young at the time, but I'm guessing at that time, downtowns were really cheerful places as she describes them. But America's romance with the car was starting, and soon downtowns would be almost dead. People wanted easy and cheap parking, and downtowns didn't usually give you that. Shopping malls were set up on the sides of the freeways where there was abundant free parking. They kind of became our new downtowns in most places. But now the shopping malls are dying, too.
It's reminds me when I was a child in the early 70s going downtown San Diego when it was simple...I miss those days....when it was so simple...
There are certain songs that get you singing or humming along for decades, this is one!
Thanks for reacting to perhaps my favourite song of the early 1960s! I'd suggest don't read too much into the video, or the use of "downtown". British writer and producer Tony Hatch, who also wrote loads of other hits and film and TV and soap themes (UK and Oz viewers will be familiar with Emmerdale, Crossroads and Neighbours...!) wrote it during his first visit to NYC. The bright neon lights and upbeat vibrancy of Broadway and Times Square (which he mistakenly assumed was "downtown", as it would have been seen as in the UK) made a huge impression on him. It was intended to be upbeat, an answer to loneliness in the city "...you'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over, happy again..." - and that was indeed how it was received at the time.
I was 6 when it was released, and it was my favourite song then! It is still one of my favourites, and still sends tingles down my spine, even now - love it! IIRC, Tony hatch wanted the band to sound more like a rock band, to appeal to young people, and in a bit of Trivia, I believe one of the session musicians was a certain Mr Jimmy Page.... IIRC, from when I looked it up years ago, it was the first US #1 for many years, and the first ever US gold record, by a British female artiste?
Thanks for the background info, Adrian!
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Whenever I'm sad and alone at home I listen to this song. Then it occurs to me again, yes, I'm not the only person on this planet. It tingles in my stomach, only a little bit at first and then I know I have to go back to the city among people.
This song always came on the radio when our mother took us downtown Indianapolis school shopping! This one and Dusty Springfield's "Wishin' and Hopin"
My Mom loves Petula Clark so much, as this is her favorite song, I have it on my cellphone as her’s and only her ringtone.
She once did a duet on Tv (60's)with the great Harry Belefonte (black ) and during the beautiful love song ,she touched his arm. Sponsors threatened to drop out if she wouldn't do a remake and she refused and the song went on air. Great lady !
I was 12. I was running away from home. I caught a passenger train in La Crosse, Wisconsin and rode it to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While on the train I talked someone into getting me a bus ticket from Milwaukee to Racine where my grandmother lived. Riding the bus and entering the downtown area of Racine in the snow, this song came on. I liked it then and I still enjoy it now. 1963, seems like 100 years ago.
I don’t see how this could be eerie in any way.
I totally agree. I never had that vibe.
I think I get it actually. Think of the way a creative movie director will put an uber happy old-timey song in a dark movie, when something sinister is going on
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It only gives me eerie vibes coz I was born into a world where this was still a new song. It's probably one of many of my early baby memories. I get memories of late 60s 1st and 2nd birthday parties. Very vague, but I have photos of me as a 2 to 3 year old sitting in my PJs at a party table
We used to sing this in music lessons in school. My word that was around 1987/88.