One of the greatest things about Amy Schumer's new movie Trainwreck , besides its use of the surprising comedic talents of Lebron James and the simple fact that it allows everyone to see Schumer for two hours outside of her TV show, is that Trainwreck features the song "Uptown Girl" prominently throughout the film. As I'm sure you're aware, "Uptown Girl" is a 1983 hit recorded by living-God Billy Joel, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest songs of all time (by me and Christie Brinkley, anyway). But this is hardly the first time "Uptown Girl" has been featured in a TV show or movie. The song is a pop culture staple (and deservedly so, as it's like money and chocolate delivered straight to your soul), and has maintained its popularity by showing up all over screens across the decades.
So bust out some cotton swabs and clean out your ears because you're going to want to hear every note of these angelic renditions as I bestow upon you the best instances of "Uptown Girl" appearing in pop culture over the years. It's tough to decide which one version is best, almost as tough as figuring out which supermodel the song was written about, so I'll leave that part up to you. For now though, kick back, relax, and enjoy.
1. The Simpsons
Apologies for the less-than stellar quality of the video, but I still think Homer's voice shines through here. Although Homer's idea that "Uptown Girl" is a protest song may seem silly to some, I'm of the opinion that this song works perfectly for all occasions.
2. Glee
Glee is obviously known for their elaborate covers of popular songs, but I don't think I'm exaggerating when I declare that this is the best thing that show ever did. No contest.
3. Ashes to Ashes
For those who don't know, Ashes to Ashes is a British police procedural that aired on BBC One from 2008 to 2010, and even though the show was a drama, the cast got pretty silly in this very faithful remake of the original "Uptown Girl" music video. Grease monkeys unite!
4. Beavis and Butthead
OK, I know making fun of music videos was kind of Beavis and Butthead's thing, but saying Billy Joel sucks? Come on, that's just insane. Plus, their "Piano Man" reference totally outs them as fans. Skip ahead to the 13-minute mark to see what I'm talking about.
5. The Movie Uptown Girls
While "Uptown Girl" doesn't appear on the soundtrack for this dramedy starring Brittany Murphy and Dakota Fanning, its presence is definitely felt throughout. I mean, Brittany Murphy plays the daughter of a New York City rock star... sound like anyone you know?
6. 30 Rock
How do you resolve issues with a co-worker? By singing Billy Joel songs and changing the lyrics to fit your situation, of course, just as Liz and Tracy do in this 2011 clip.
7. The Original Music Video
I'm fully aware that I said I wasn't going to pick a favorite, but I lied. Billy Joel's version is the best. Billy Joel is always the best.
And thanks to Trainwreck, viewers will get to experience the singer's greatness once more. Good luck getting "Uptown Girl" out of your head after this one — but why would you even want to?
Image: Universal Pictures
