Let Your Body Go Downtown Explained

"Let Your Body Go Downtown" is a song co-written by Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran,[1] [2] [3] and recorded by the Martyn Ford Orchestra as a single on 18 March 1977 on the Mountain record label. A 12-inch single was also released.[4] It was also released in France, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands on Vertigo Records.[5] It was a BBC Radio 1 "Record of the Week" and playlist by a number of UK regional radio stations.[6] As noted by Record World magazine, it took the single three months to enter the UK Singles Chart.[7] However, the song reached No. 38 on that chart,[8] [9] No. 34 on the NME singles chart,[10] No. 37 on the EveryHit Retrocharts[11] and No. 12 on the UK Disco Chart, published by Record Mirror.[12] It was also released as a track on the album Ronnie Jones Presents Let-Your-Body-Go-With-The-Disco released on the Phillips record label in Italy[13] and it received numerous radio plays there as listed in "Radiocorrier".[14] A live performance of the song featuring Ford, his orchestra and backing singers was shown on the 12 May 1977 edition of Top of the Pops.[15]

The song was followed by another de Paul/Moran penned release, "Going to a Disco",[16] in a similar vein,[17] also released on the Mountain record label in 1977 as a 7 inch and 12 inch single[18] but did not chart although it received a positive review from the British DJ James Hamilton,[19] [20] as well as in the British mainstream press.[21] It is also mentioned alongside "Let Your Body Go Downtown" in the books The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music[22] and Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2006.[23]

"Let Your Body Go Downtown" is still played on the radio,[24] [25] most recently on the Ana Matronic Disco Devotion radio show on BBC Radio 2,[26] on Funky Tuesday[27] and on Disco Magic.[28]

Notes and References

  1. http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=862219&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID
  2. Web site: Martyn Ford. IMDb.com. 28 January 2018.
  3. Eurovision 2023: The Eurovision Song Contest singers you didn’t know were from Yorkshire by Nathan Hydepublished 17th Jun 2022, Yorkshire Post
  4. Web site: Martyn Ford Orchestra - Let Your Body Go Downtown. 45cat.com. 2016-10-12.
  5. Web site: The Martyn Ford Orchestra - Let Your Body Go Downtown. Discogs.com. 1977 . 8 January 2018.
  6. 26 March 1977, Record Week
  7. Record World, 28 May 1977, p. 73
  8. Web site: let+your+body+go+downtown - full Official Chart History . Official Charts Company. 2016-10-12.
  9. Web site: A CANTERBURY TALE -. Recordcollectormag.com. 23 March 2023.
  10. New Musical Express, 28 May 77
  11. Web site: Retrochart for Mid May 1977. Everyhit.com.
  12. Web site: Record Mirror articles, interviews and reviews from Rock's Backpages. Rocksbackpages.com. 2016-10-12.
  13. Web site: Ronnie Jones Presents Various - Let Your Body Go With The Disco. Discogs.com. 1977 . 4 December 2021.
  14. Radiocorriere, 26 August 1979
  15. Web site: 12/05/77, Top of the Pops - BBC One. Bbc.co.uk. 2016-10-12.
  16. Web site: Martyn Ford - Going To A Disco. 45cat.com. 2016-10-12.
  17. Web site: Martyn Ford. IMDb. 2 March 2019.
  18. Web site: Martyn Ford - Going To A Disco. Discogs.com. 12 August 1977 . 2 March 2019.
  19. Web site: James Hamilton - Biography & History . AllMusic. 17 August 2017.
  20. Web site: September 10, 1977: Meco, Eddie Henderson, Pioneers, Smokey Robinson, Giorgio. 10 September 1977. Jameshamiltondiscopage.com. 17 August 2017.
  21. Kent Evening Post, 19 August 1977, p. 21
  22. The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music, Colin Larkin, Virgin, 2002,
  23. Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2006, Graham Betts, Collins, 2006,
  24. Web site: The Martyn Ford Orchestra - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music. BBC. 28 January 2018.
  25. Web site: DISCO Magic with Dr. Rob - The World's Most Sophisticated Radio Show (Remembering the Glory). Discomagic.org. 28 January 2018.
  26. Web site: 21/05/2017, Ana Matronic's Disco Devotion - Music Played - BBC Radio 2. BBC. 28 January 2018.
  27. Web site: Funky Session 2 hours of pure Fun(k!) #14 . Funkytuesday.dk. 30 January 2018 . 23 March 2023.
  28. Web site: DISCO Magic with Dr. Rob - The World's Most Sophisticated Radio Show (Remembering the Glory). Discomagic.org. 23 March 2023.

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