Song Of The Day Outtakes 2016 -- This was cut from
British Hits, American Misses II, a series in which we examined songs that topped the UK charts that sank in transit across the Atlantic. Yazz & the Plastic Population scored with "The Only Way Is Up" in 1988. Yazz is not to be confused with the Alison Moyet/Vince Clarke duo Yaz, who lacked a "z" and a plastic population, and were actually named Yazoo anyway. This Yazz was a singer from Shepherd's Bush, and this single (a cover of a disco-era
song from R&B singer Otis Clay) was one of four Top 10 hits she had in Britain. In fact "The Only Way Is Up" was a huge hit in almost all European markets. Not sure what our deal was. It's pleasant enough. The Reagan years were ending and we were all getting full-time jobs.
