"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. It spent four weeks on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was Jackson's sixth-highest charted song in America when it peaked at number 85 the week of December 10, 1983.
Critical reception
On its release, ''
Cash Box
''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
'' 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". In a review of ''Mike's Murder'', Brett Milano of ''
The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' 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'".
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'.'" Gary Graff of the ''
Detroit Free Press
The ''Detroit Free Press'' (commonly referred to as the ''Freep'') is a major daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest local newspaper owned by Gannett (the publisher of ''USA Today''), and is operated by the Detro ...
'' 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
The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band formed in Tacoma, Washington, in 1958, by Don Wilson (musician), Don Wilson and Bob Bogle. The band, which was a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar acro ...
' "
Wipe Out" and the
Steve Miller Band
The Steve Miller Band is an American rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1966. The band is led by Steve Miller (musician), Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles ...
's "Living in the U.S.A." 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."
Track listing
;7-inch single
#"Memphis" - 4:44
#"Laundromat Monday" - 3:31
;7-inch single (US/Canada release)
#"Memphis" - 4:44
#"Breakdown" - 3:59
;7-inch single (US promo)
#"Memphis" - 4:44
#"Memphis" - 4:44
;12-inch single (Spanish release)
#"Memphis" - 4:44
#"Laundromat Monday" - 3:31
#"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
References
{{authority control
1983 songs
1983 singles
Joe Jackson (musician) songs
Songs written by Joe Jackson (musician)
A&M Records singles