Petula Clark paid tribute by Hollywood star with haunting Downtown cover

Last Night in Soho: Anya Taylor-Joy stars in trailer

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The iconic British singer Petula released her timeless track Downtown in 1964 on Pye records. The song was a smash hit, reaching the number one spot in Canada, the US, New Zealand and Germany. It also hit number two in the Singles Chart in the UK.

Downtown has been covered by countless artists over the years and the latest version comes from Anya Taylor-Joy.

A new video from Focus Features shows Anya performing Downtown with a live band.

She puts on a haunting display during the performance, which is interspliced with footage of her new movie, Last Night in Soho.

In the movie a young woman, Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie), finds a portal to 1960s London.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zx06XNfDvk0

Once Eloise journeys through the portal she becomes Sandy (Anya) where the mysteries continue.

Petula’s Downtown is featured prominently over the course of the movie, which utilises Edgar’s love of music – similar to his previous films.

Scroll down to see Anya’s cover of the legendary song.

Petula’s track has since been certified Gold for selling more than 1 million copies.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/k6E6zZy0B5M

Petula’s Downtown also won a Grammy Award in 1965.

The track was awarded the gong for Best Rock and Roll Recording.

She has since re-recorded the song in different styles, including a disco remix in 1984, and a charity single recording in 2010.

Petula’s song has also been covered by the Queen of Country – Dolly Parton.

Dolly released her country-infused version of Downtown in 1984 on her 26th album The Great Pretender.

However exciting the release was, it did not do very well in the charts.

Her version of the song peaked at number 36 on the singles charts in the USA.

Dolly’s version of the song altered the lyrics from Petula’s original, as well.

She changed “listen to the rhythm of a gentle bossa nova” to “listen to the rhythm of the music that they’re playing”.

Petula later called Dolly’s version of Downtown “cute”. She added: “She didn’t even try to sound like my recording.”

Last Night In Soho hits cinemas on October 29.

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