Down to Zero

"Down to Zero" is a 1976 song by Joan Armatrading.

History

The song first appeared on the 1976 album ‘Joan Armatrading’, distributed by A & M records, Armatrading’s third album in as many years. (AMLH 64588). The album was produced and engineered by Glyn Johns, and recorded at the independent Olympic Studios in Barnes, London. "Down To Zero" was released as a single, also in 1976, by A&M (‘Down to Zero/Like Fire’ - AMS 7270), and it followed the success of the single of "Love and Affection" which was released in August 1976.

"Down To Zero" has since been re-released on numerous collections, among them: Live at the Bijou Bijou Club, Philadelphia Superstar Radio Network (1977, (Promotional LP); Track Record (1983), Joan Armatrading: Greatest Hits (1987), Joan Armatrading: 25th Anniversary Series (1987), Love And Affection (1996), Joan Armatrading: Master Series (1999); Joan Armatrading: Millennium Edition (2000); The best of Joan Armatrading: The Millennium Collection (2000); Joan Armatrading: Best (2001); Classic Joan Armatrading (2001); Love and Affection: Joan Armatrading Classics 1975-1983 (2003); All the Way from America (2004); Joan Armatrading: Gold (2005).

Performances

"Down to Zero" was performed live by Joan at a seminal concert for German TV (Studio L in Cologne) on 15 February 1979, accompanied by a band especially put together for the tour. The band featured Red Young on keyboards, Rickie Rick Hirsch on guitar, Richie Haywood on drums, Bill Bodine on bass and Lon Price on saxophone. Joan played the song again, with the same band, live at the Rockpalast in Grugahalle, Essen, Germany on 19 and 20 April 1980. It was during the fourteen months between these two concerts that Joan Armatrading became internationally famous, and "Down to Zero" helped her to achieve this. The band that played with her at these concerts went on to perform with her on subsequent tours.

The song was played by Joan on an edition of The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1976, introduced by Bob Harris.

Joan has played "Down to Zero" many times in her shows over the years, almost as many times as the top 10 hit, "Love and Affection". She played it on the live concert tour of 2005, "All The Way From America", which was released in 2005, with a DVD.

Covers

"Down to Zero" was recorded by soul and blues singer Bettye LaVette, and issued on her 2005 album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise. "Down To Zero" was also recorded by Lili Anel and issued on her 2007 CD "Dream Again" and released by ESC Records on the CD titled "Life or Death"

References

• Sleeve notes of ‘'Joan Armatrading’' 1976, A & M Records.
• Mayes, Sean (1990). Joan Armatrading – A Biography (unauthorised). Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-81058-8. 

External links

• "Down to Zero" lyrics from Joan Armatrading's official website