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"Memphis"
Single by Joe Jackson
from the album Mike's Murder
Released1983
Length4:44
Label A&M
Songwriter(s) Joe Jackson
Producer(s)
Joe Jackson singles chronology
"Cosmopolitan"
(1983) 		"Memphis"
(1983) 		"Moonlight"
(1983)

"Memphis" is a song by English singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, which was released in 1983 as a single from the soundtrack album of the American film Mike's Murder. The song was written by Jackson, and produced by Jackson and David Kershenbaum. "Memphis" reached No. 85 on the US Billboard Hot 100. [1]

Critical reception

On its release, Cash Box wrote, "Jackson gives a rockabilly-voiced recounting of a disastrously funny journey to the city of his cultural roots." They considered the organ intro to be similar to that of the 1966 Spencer Davis Group song " Gimme Some Lovin'" and the bass line to be the same as Jackson's 1982 hit " Steppin' Out". [2] In a review of Mike's Murder, Brett Milano of The Boston Globe felt the song "recalls the punkish sound of Jackson's early albums" and also drew similarities between the song's organ riff and "Gimme Some Lovin'". [3]

John Laycock of the Windsor Star stated that the song "consciously steals several musical references, especially the famous organ riff straight out of 'Gimme Some Lovin'.'" [4] Gary Graff of the Detroit Free Press identified further musical similarities and stated that Jackson uses "Memphis" as a "tossing ground for licks" from the Spencer Davis Group's " I'm a Man", the Ventures' " Wipe Out" and the Steve Miller Band's "Living in the U.S.A." [5] Jim Zebora of the Record-Journal noted the similarity to "Steppin' Out", writing, "If you can tell this song from 'Steppin' Out' with your eyes closed, you can probably do the same with identical twins." [6]

Track listing

7-inch single [7]
  1. "Memphis" - 4:44
  2. "Laundromat Monday" - 3:31
7-inch single (US/Canada release) [8]
  1. "Memphis" - 4:44
  2. "Breakdown" - 3:59
7-inch single (US promo) [9]
  1. "Memphis" - 4:44
  2. "Memphis" - 4:44
12-inch single (Spanish release) [10]
  1. "Memphis" - 4:44
  2. "Laundromat Monday" - 3:31
  3. "Moonlight Theme" - 3:25

Personnel

Production

  • Joe Jackson – producer and arranger (all tracks)
  • David Kershenbaum – producer of "Memphis"
  • Brad Leigh – engineer
  • Larry Franke – assistant engineer
  • Phil Jamtaas – remix engineer
  • David Bianco – assistant remix engineer

Charts

Chart (1983) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [11] 85

References

  1. ^ "Joe Jackson - Memphis". Billboard. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Reviews - Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. 45, no. 25. 19 November 1983. p. 8. Retrieved 10 October 2021 – via World Radio History.
  3. ^ Milano, Brett (20 October 1983). "Records - Danceable Lenny/Joe's soundtrack light as air/A very special fiddler". The Boston Globe.
  4. ^ Laycock, John (10 November 1983). "Pop reviews". The Windsor Star. p. D11.
  5. ^ Graff, Gary (1 October 1983). "Old tunes and new in the flicks". Detroit Free Press. p. 8D.
  6. ^ Zebora, Jim (30 December 1983). "Off the record". Record-Journal. p. 21.
  7. ^ Memphis (European 7-inch single sleeve). Joe Jackson. A&M Records. 1983. AMS 9711.{{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link)
  8. ^ Memphis (US/Canada 7-inch single sleeve). Joe Jackson. A&M Records. 1983. AM-2601.{{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link)
  9. ^ Memphis (US 7-inch promotional single). Joe Jackson. A&M Records. 1983. AM-2601.{{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link)
  10. ^ Memphis (Spanish 12-inch single sleeve). Joe Jackson. A&M Records. 1983. AMS 12.9711.{{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link)
  11. ^ "Joe Jackson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
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