Up-Up and Away

by

The 5th Dimension

Album: Up-Up and Away      Released: 1967

US Chart: 7     

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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

Jimmy Webb wrote this song. He was a prolific songwriter who wrote "MacArthur Park," as well as many of Glen Campbell's hits.

Webb was inspired by a balloon that his friend William F. Williams flew on promotions for radio station KMEN. Both men thought the song could be used in a planned documentary, which never panned out. This song, more than any other, is associated with hot air ballooning. Learn more in Song Images.

This was the second Top 40 hit by The 5th Dimension, after the #16 "Go Where You Wanna Go."

This won 4 Grammy awards: Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, Other Pop/Rock&Roll/ Contemporary Awards or Instrumental, Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year. (thanks, Brad Wind - Miami, FL, for all above)

Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo of The 5th Dimension got married in 1969. In 2004, they released a book called Up, Up, and Away: How We Found Love, Faith, and Lasting Marriage in the Entertainment World.

Bones Howe was the engineer on this track. Over the next few years, he produced most of their hits.

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Comments:

In the film Spiderman our superhero is about to launch himself up a tall building. Before doing so he says "up up and away web." I remain unsure as to whether the last word has a second B in it but I suspect it does.
- Mike, Midhurst, United Kingdom

KMEN (1290), along with KFXM (590), were the premiere pop stations in the San Bernardino area for many years. According to one account, Webb became inspired by Williams' balloon, then went to a piano practice room at San Bernardino Valley College, where he was a student at the time, and composed the song. Sadly, though the college is still there, KFXM is now a conservative talk station and KMEN now broadcasts "Disney Radio."
- Dougee, San Bernardino, CA

The first dimension can be represented as a point in space. The second…? A line without depth or form. The third can be thought of as a cube, since it has depth of field. The fourth dimension is the flow of time. And the Fifth Dimension? Well, they got to number seven with Up-Up and Away.
- Robert, Houston, TX

The first time I heard this song was just after midnight October 13, 1967. I believe I was DXing a Philadelphia station. I was impressed. I'd never heard the 5th Dimension before.
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

First time I heard this song on the radio, I thought it was a commercial for an airline or something. Fantastic song.
- Richard, Talladega, AL

Also Pan Am, used this beautiful song for a commercial back in the 70s. At the end it said "At Pan Am, experience makes the difference".
- Geraldine, Miami, FL

Song was also released in England by Johnny Mann Singers. It too was used in a commercial on TV for Nimble Bread
- chris, preston, England

This song was written to commemorate the marriage of Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. They were married in a hot air balloon. This was a Grammy Winner for the 5th Dimension
- Adolph, Denver, CO

P.S....give it up there is no connection to the Cowsills.
- Adolph, Denver, CO

In Australia, during the 1970s, TAA (Trans Australian Airlines) used this song for an advertisment. "Up, up and away, with TAA, the friendly, friendly way."
- Chris, Currumbin, Australia

Arthur's probably thinking about "We Can Fly' by the Cowsills. (I'm originally from Philly-so Drexel Hill wasn't far)
- Steve, Jamesburg, NJ

5th Dimension member, Florence LaRue, married the group's then manager, Marc Gordon, in a balloon, in the summer of 1969 to honor the success of the song.
- Susan, Chantilly, VA

Somehow I remembered this song as being done by the Cowsills. Anybody know if there was ever a Cowsill connection to it?
- Arthur, Drexel Hill, PA

Nobody knew why then or now, but this song was once banned by a dictatorship in Asia--Malaysia, I believe.
- Mark, Lancaster, OH

To Pete Down Under: This song was also used in the USA in a TV commercial for Trans World Airlines (TWA): "up, up and awaaaaa... tee duuuuble-yew aaaaa"
- Bobodobo, Los Angeles, CA

"Up-Up And Away" was the first top 10 hit for The 5th Dimension, produced by Johnny Rivers on his Soul City label.
- Rick, San Juan, United States

the song was used for an airline company commercial in Australia, just a few of the words were changed
- pete, nowra, Australia

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