I Know a Place by Petula Clark

Album: I Know a Place (1965)

Charted: 17 3

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Songfacts®:

This was written by Tony Hatch, who wrote Clark's hits "Downtown," "My Love" and "Don't Sleep In The Subway." It was just Clark's second single in the US (she had several UK and French hits before getting an American record deal), and was conceived as a follow-up to her first single, "Downtown." Both songs are set in the city with similar musical elements.

In our 2013 interview with Petula Clark, she explained: "Warner Bros., they had this great #1 record, they said, 'Come on, we want another one.' I wasn't writing, Tony was doing all the writing. I was just singing the songs. He came up with 'I Know A Place,' which I thought was a good song. I didn't think it was quite up to the standards of 'Downtown,' but it went in on the wave of 'Downtown,' really."
This won a Grammy in 1966 for Best Contemporary (R&R) Vocal Performance, Female; it was Clark's second Grammy. >>
Suggestion credit:
Jerro - New Alexandria, PA
When this went to #3 in the US, Clark became the first female solo act to chart her first two singles in the top 3 of the Hot 100. The next artist to accomplish this feat was Cyndi Lauper, who did it in 1984 with "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" and "Time After Time."

Comments: 7

Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 1, 1966, Petula Clark performed "I Know A Place" and "Round Every Corner" on the Dick Clark produced ABC-TV network weekday-afternoon program 'Where The Action Is'...
Interestingly, she didn't perform "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love", and at the time it was at #16 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, two weeks later it would peak at #9 (for 2 weeks}...
Both "I Know A Place" and "Round Every Corner" had charted on the Top 100 a year earlier in 1965.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 16th 1965, Petula Clark performed "I Know A Place" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
Two months earlier on March 14th, 1965 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #94; and on March 25th it peaked at #3 (for 1 week) and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 6 of those 12 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
And on April 12th, 1965 it reached #1 (for 1 week) on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart...
The week it was at #3 on the Top 100, the #1 record was "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" by Herman’s Hermits and #2 was "Game of Love" by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders...
Ms. Clark will celebrate her 82nd birthday this coming November 15th, 2014.
Howard from St. Louis Park, MnI have been a fan of Petula Clark ever since I have been in contact with a radio in the mid 60s and this is one of my favorite songs from one of the most talented female British singers of all-time. The place she describes as "fine and the lights are always low" remains a mystery.
Sante from Windsor, OnI heard the same thing about the Cavern. Song was written in 1965 so it makes sense.
Mark from Worcester, United KingdomThe Song Could Also Be About The 100 Club,London
Steve from Salt Lake City, UtIt may be that "Downtown" as good as it is was over exposed,so if stuck on a desert island to choose that song or "I Know A Place" I would choose the latter!
Mike from New Point, VaThis song may be about the Cavern Club in Liverpool, with it's references of going downstairs from street level and a "cellar full of noise" which is the title of the biography of the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein.

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