Yazz and the Plastic Population - The Only Way Is Up

The Only Way Is Up is a song written by George Jackson and Johnny Henderson and originally released in 1980 as a single by soul singer Otis Clay. In 1988, it became a chart-topping single in the United Kingdom for Yazz and the Plastic Population. Yazz' cover of "The Only Way Is Up" was very successful globally. In Europe, it peaked at number-one in Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the last of these, it hit the top spot in its third week at the UK Singles Chart, on 31 July 1988. The single spent a total of five weeks on the top of the chart, becoming the second biggest selling single of the year. It made it to the top 10 also in Austria, Finland, France, West Germany, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, where it peaked at number two. On the Eurochart Hot 100, the song hit number one in September 1988. Outside Europe, "The Only Way Is Up" went to number-one in New Zealand, while it hit number two in Australia. On the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the United States, it peaked at number two.