Petula Clark - Downtown Lyrics

Petula Clark Lyrics

"Downtown"

When you're alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go
Downtown
When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know
Downtown

Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

So go
Downtown
Things will be great when you're
Downtown
No finer place for sure
Downtown
Everything's waiting for you

Don't hang around and let your problems surround you
There are movie shows
Downtown
Maybe you know some little places to go to
Where they never close
Downtown

Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle bossa nova
You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over
Happy again
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

So go
Downtown
Where all the lights are bright
Downtown
Waiting for you tonight
Downtown
You're gonna be alright now
Downtown

Downtown
Downtown

And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you
Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to
Guide them along
So maybe I'll see you there
We can forget all our troubles, forget all our cares

So go
Downtown
Things will be great when you're
Downtown
Don't wait a minute more
Downtown
Everything is waiting for you
Downtown

Downtown (downtown)
Downtown (downtown)
Downtown (downtown)
Downtown (downtown)

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Writer(s): Tony Hatch

Petula Clark recorded this song at the Pye Studios in Marble Arch on the 16th of October 1964. Upon the release, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA and number two on the Singles Chart in the UK.

Tony Hatch, who wrote this song, was inspired by his first visit to New York City in the autumn of 1964. He said of the time, "I was staying at a hotel on Central Park and I wandered down to Broadway and to Times Square and, naively, I thought I was downtown. [...] I loved the whole atmosphere there and the [music] came to me very, very quickly." When Petula Clark first heard "Downtown" from him, she told Hatch, "Get that finished. Get a good lyric in it. Get a great arrangement and I think we'll at least have a song we're proud to record even if it isn't a hit."

"Downtown" by Petula Clark played from a vehicle parked outside an AT&T building near Second Avenue and Commerce Stree in Nashville before its explosion on 2020 Christmas morning.