One 2 Many - "Downtown"

Hard to find indeed, and from the reactions I've gotten from listeners over the years, much beloved from the handful of people that ever heard it on the radio in the US.

I have the LP version (printed 4:27 and runs 4:27) on these CDs:

• Mirror (A&M CD 5237, 1988)
• The Hits Album 10 (CBS/Phonogram/Polydor/WEA Holland HITSCD 10, 1989)
• Another Lost Decade: The '80s: Hard To Find Hits (Time-Life M19133, 2005)

I don't have the 45, but the timing in Joel Whitburn's book is 4:27, and I would assume that the 45 is the same as the LP version.

There were two promo CD singles released for this song.

A&M promo CD 17708 has only one track, labelled as "edit" (printed 3:47, runs 3:47). It features a 0:06 intro that can't be recreated from the LP version, then from the drumbeat at 0:06 (corresponding to 0:46 in the LP version) onward, it's identical to the LP version. I believe this version was the "hit", because it's the one included on my promo The "A" List collection.

A&M promo CD 17743 has two tracks, both with different mixes from the LP and earlier single - there's a "mix and additional production by ..." credit on the CD. Track 1 is labeled 7" Edit, with a printed time of 4:13, and track 2 is labeled Way Downtown Mix, with a printed time of 5:48. I'd never heard these mixes before I found the promo CD single.

Since the database currently displays DJ CD single information for One 2 Many's "Downtown", I thought I'd also add that commercial 45 copies run 4:26. (Timing info compliments of abagon. The printed record label time is 4:27.)

Edited by Todd Ireland