Downtown is a pop song originally released as a single in 1964 by Petula Clark.  Due to the songs success an album was released titling the song the following year.  The song was written by Tony Hatch who was apparently writing the finishing touches for this song just before recording.  Downtown won a Grammy award for Best Rock and Roll Song in 1965.

What we like

• Apart from the meaningful lyrics the music is dynamic. The completed track on an orchestral level included eight violinists, two viola players and two cellists, four trumpeters and four trombonists, five woodwind players with flutes and oboes, percussionists, a bass player and a pianist. The song also had three guitarists, a drummer and a vocal chorale

Mind experience

• The song takes us to a place where at some point or another we have all been. A place of loneliness that can be lifted out of if we change our focus. It may happen when we focus on to a destination or others and in that space we can lift ourselves from that state of loneliness. In seeking to make others less lonely we can achieve this for ourselves. So go downtown…

To think about

• 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

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