Maps of Music
Come Upstairs (1980)
Where the lyrics of Come Upstairs take you, and where it was really made.
Carly Simon's first Warner Bros. album traded her piano-and-acoustic singer-songwriter sound for electric guitars and synthesizers.
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Recorded at Power Station Studios (1980)
Recording site Power Station Studio — Discogs credits list Power Station Studios in New York City as the recording location. The album was recorded there, according to the credits. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Album story
Overview
- Come Upstairs is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon
- Released by Warner Bros. Records on June 16, 1980
- First of her three albums for Warner Bros.
- Harder and more rock-oriented than her previous albums
- Earlier records were prime examples of the singer-songwriter genre, built mainly on piano and/or acoustic guitar
- This album uses electric guitars and synthesizers prominently
- Commercial success: reached No. 36 on the Billboard 200
Background
- The first single, 'Jesse', was an acoustic ballad closer to Simon's earlier style than to her new sound
- 'Jesse' peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100
- Italian track listing credits Simon and Mike Mainieri as composers, except where noted
Recording
- Recorded at Power Station Studios, New York City
- Recording and mixing credited to Scott Litt
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · it.wikipedia.org
Tracklist
| 1 | Come Upstairs | 4:19 |
| 2 | Stardust | 4:16 |
| 3 | Them | 3:47 |
| 4 | Jesse | 4:21 |
| 5 | James | 2:28 |
| 6 | In Pain | 6:11 |
| 7 | The Three of Us in the Dark | 4:17 |
| 8 | Take Me as I Am | 4:53 |
| 9 | The Desert | 4:42 |
Sources: musicbrainz.org
Artist
Formation
- Born June 25, 1943 in New York City; American singer-songwriter and author.
- In 1963 began performing as the Simon Sisters with sister Lucy Simon; released Meet the Simon Sisters, which produced the minor hit "Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod".
- Signed to Elektra Records in 1970 and went solo.
Career
- Debut album (1971) won the Grammy for Best New Artist; "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" was her first top 10 single.
- No Secrets (1972) topped the Billboard 200 for five weeks; "You're So Vain" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Recorded "Nobody Does It Better" for the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.
- Won an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Grammy for "Let the River Run" from Working Girl (1988).
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
Reappraisal
- AllMusic: reviewer William Ruhlmann retrospectively named 'Jesse' the album's highlight and a Top Ten hit
- Ruhlmann called the title track frisky and seductive, and 'Take Me as I Am' an upbeat raver
- Ruhlmann compared 'Them' to the band Devo
- Ruhlmann said Simon's emotions were unusually close to the surface throughout the album
Records
- Billboard 200: No. 36, on the chart for eight months
- 'Jesse' single: Billboard Hot 100 No. 11, over six months on the chart
- 'Jesse': RIAA Gold for more than 1,000,000 copies sold in the United States
- 'Jesse': No. 12 in Canada, No. 4 in Australia, Simon's biggest Australian hit since 'You're So Vain' (1973)
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- Scott Litt is credited with both recording and mixing the album
- Simon and Mike Mainieri are credited as composers of the album's songs, except where noted
- AllMusic's Ruhlmann compared the track "Them" to the band Devo
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com
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