Petula Clark: The Life Story Behind the Downtown Star
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Petula Clark is the singer who has been performing for longer than almost anyone else in popular music. She started as a child star on BBC radio during the Second World War, she became a star in France in the 1950s, and then she became a world star in the 1960s with Downtown, a song about going downtown when you are feeling low. She has sung in English and in French, she has acted in films and on stage, and she is still performing in her nineties. Her career has lasted for more than eighty years, a record that no other pop singer can match.
She was born in Epsom, Surrey, in 1932, the daughter of a nurse and a soldier. She sang for soldiers during the war, she made films as a child, and she grew up in public. She did not have a normal childhood, but she had a gift, a clear, warm voice, and a talent for languages. She learned French, she sang in French, and she became a star in Paris before she became a star in London or in America. Her story is about a child, a war, a voice, and a woman who never stopped singing, even when the world changed around her.
What makes Petula worth writing about is the length and the variety of her career. She has been a child star, a film star, a French pop star, an American pop star, a stage star, and a singer in her nineties. She has sung Downtown, My Love, This Is My Song, and many other songs that are still loved today. She has lived in Britain, in France, in America and in Switzerland, and she has kept her voice, her humour and her curiosity. Her life shows that a singer can last for a very long time, if she loves music, if she works hard, and if she keeps learning.
Epsom, the War and a Child on the Radio
Petula Sally Olwen Clark was born on 15 November 1932 in Epsom, Surrey, England. Her father, Leslie Clark, was a soldier, and her mother, Doris, was a nurse. The family lived in a modest house, and Petula grew up as an only child. She was a bright, musical girl, and she sang from a very young age. She sang at home, she sang at school, and she sang for anyone who would listen. Her voice was clear, sweet and strong, even as a child, and people noticed it.
When she was seven years old, the Second World War began. Petula’s father went to fight, and her mother worked as a nurse. Petula was sent to live with relatives in Wales for a time, to be safe from the bombing in London. She sang for soldiers, she sang on the radio, and she became a child star. In 1942, when she was nine, she sang on BBC radio, in a programme for children, and she became known as a young singer who could cheer people up during the war. She sang songs that made people smile, and she gave them hope in a dark time. It was a remarkable start to a career, and it showed that her voice could bring comfort to people who needed it.
She also began to act in films as a child, appearing in British films such as A Medal for the General in 1944, I Know Where I’m Going! in 1945, and many others. She was a natural actress, with a bright, friendly face, and directors liked her. She made more than twenty films as a child, and she became one of the most famous child stars in Britain. She did not have a normal childhood. She worked, she travelled, and she was in the public eye from a very young age. But she loved it, and she learned a great deal about performing, about working with adults, and about being professional.
Her parents supported her, and they looked after her. Her mother travelled with her, and her father, when he came home from the war, was proud of her. She was a child who had grown up quickly, and who had learned to be independent. She also learned French, a language that would become very important to her later in life. She was a curious girl, and she wanted to learn about the world. That curiosity stayed with her, and it led her to France, to America, and to a career that spanned the world.
Films, France and a Star in Paris
After the war, Petula continued to act in films, and she also began to sing more seriously. She made records in Britain, and she had hits in the early 1950s, including The Little Shoemaker in 1954, a cheerful song that became a hit. She was a popular singer, known for her clear voice and her friendly image. She was no longer a child star. She was a young woman, a singer and an actress, and she was building a career. She toured Britain, she appeared on television, and she became a familiar face.
In the late 1950s, she went to France, and she became a star there. She learned to sing in French, she made records in French, and French audiences loved her. She had hits in France with songs such as Chariot in 1962, which became the English song I Will Follow Him, and Monsieur in 1964, a song about a man she loves. She lived in Paris, she learned the language, and she became a part of French pop music. It was a brave move for a British singer, to sing in another language, in another country, but Petula did it with confidence and with joy. She loved France, and France loved her.
She married Claude Wolff, a French publicist, in 1961, and they had three children together, Barbara, Kate and Patrick. They lived in France and in Switzerland, and Petula balanced her career with family life. She was a working mother, a singer, an actress, and a wife, all at the same time. She did it with energy, with humour, and with a lot of hard work. She was a woman who could do many things, and who did them well. Her family was always important to her, and she kept her private life mostly private, away from the press.
Her French career was a success, and it gave her a new audience and a new language. She sang in French, she acted in French films, and she became a star in Paris. She was not only a British singer. She was a European singer, a woman who could sing in two languages, and who could move between cultures. That ability made her unique, and it gave her a career that lasted longer than most singers of her generation. She was a bridge between Britain and France, and she built that bridge with her voice.
Downtown and the Night the World Sang Along
In 1964, Petula was in London, and she was introduced to the songwriter Tony Hatch. He wrote a song for her called Downtown, a song about going downtown when you are feeling low, when the lights are bright and the music is loud. The song was upbeat, joyful and hopeful, and Petula sang it with a clear, warm voice. It became a huge hit in Britain, reaching number two, and then it became a number one hit in America in 1965. Downtown made Petula a world star, at the age of thirty-two, after more than twenty years in show business. It was a remarkable achievement, and it showed that her voice could still surprise people.
Downtown is a song about a city, about lights, about music, about going out when you are sad. It is a simple idea, and it is a powerful one. Petula sang it as if she believed it, and listeners believed it too. The song became an anthem for cities, for nightlife, for hope. It is still played today, in films, on television, and on the radio. It is Petula’s signature song, and it is one of the most famous pop songs ever made. She sang it with joy, and that joy is still in the record.
She followed Downtown with more hits, including I Know a Place in 1965, a song about a place where you can go to be happy, My Love in 1966, a romantic song that became a number one hit in America, and This Is My Song in 1967, a song written by Charlie Chaplin for his film A Countess from Hong Kong. This Is My Song became a number one hit in Britain, and it showed a different side of Petula, a more romantic, more serious side. She was at the peak of her fame, a world star with hits in Britain, America and France. She toured the world, she appeared on television, and she became a household name.
Her success in America was especially important, because she was one of the few British singers to have a number one hit there in the 1960s, alongside the Beatles and other British stars. She sang on American television, she toured America, and she became known to millions of Americans. She was a British singer who could sing in French and in English, who had been a child star, and who was now a pop star. She was a unique figure, and audiences loved her for it. She was not a young pop star. She was a mature woman, a mother of three, and a professional singer with twenty years of experience. That maturity made her special.
My Love, This Is My Song and a Singer in Two Languages
My Love, released in 1966, was a romantic song that became Petula’s second number one hit in America. It was a simple, beautiful song, and she sang it with warmth and with feeling. The song showed that she could sing a love song as well as an upbeat pop song, and that her voice could carry a melody with grace. She also had hits with Don’t Sleep in the Subway in 1967, a song about a couple arguing, and I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love in 1966, a song about needing someone. Each song showed a different side of her, a different mood, a different story. She was a versatile singer, and she could sing many kinds of songs well.
This Is My Song, released in 1967, was written by Charlie Chaplin, the famous film star, for his film A Countess from Hong Kong. Chaplin wrote the song, and Petula sang it. It became a number one hit in Britain, and it is still one of her most loved songs. The song is romantic, nostalgic and beautiful, and Petula sang it with a tenderness that made people cry. It was a fitting song for her, a woman who had been singing for more than twenty years, and who was now singing a song by one of the greatest artists of the century. It was a meeting of two legends, and it produced a classic.
She continued to sing in French and in English, and she toured the world. She sang in Las Vegas, she sang in London, she sang in Paris, and she sang in many other cities. She was a star in three countries, a rare achievement. She also acted on stage, appearing in musicals such as The Sound of Music in London in 1981, in which she played Maria, and Sunset Boulevard in London in 1995, in which she played Norma Desmond. She was a talented actress, and she brought her singing and her stage presence to the theatre. She was not only a pop singer. She was a performer, a woman who could sing, act and dance, and who could hold a stage.
Her personal life stayed steady through these years. She and Claude Wolff raised their three children, and they lived in France and in Switzerland. She balanced work and family, and she kept her private life mostly private. She was a working mother, a singer, an actress, and a wife, and she did it all with grace. She was a woman who had grown up in public, who had been a child star, and who had learned to protect her family from the press. That protection was important to her, and it helped her to have a long, happy family life.
Stage, Later Years and Ninety Years of Singing
In later years, Petula continued to perform. She sang in concerts, she appeared on television, and she recorded new albums. She released the album Lost in You in 2013, at the age of eighty, and she toured Britain and France. She was still singing with power, with warmth, and with joy. She was a legend, a woman who had been performing for more than seventy years, and who was still here, still singing. Her fans were loyal, and they came to see her. She was a star, and she stayed a star.
She also received honours for her work. She was awarded a CBE in 1998, for her services to music, and she was a respected figure in British and French life. She was a patron of charities, she worked for good causes, and she used her fame to help others. She was a woman who had come from a small town in Surrey, who had sung for soldiers during the war, and who had become a world star. She was proud of that, and she was grateful to her fans. She often said that she owed everything to her audience, to the people who had listened to her for so many years.
Petula is now in her nineties, and she still performs. She lives in Switzerland and in France, and she keeps in touch with her family. Her children are grown, her grandchildren are a joy to her, and she is still singing. She has had a career that has lasted for more than eighty years, from a child on BBC radio in 1942 to a woman in her nineties still singing on stage. It is a record that no other pop singer can match, and it is a testament to her voice, her work, and her love of music. From a girl in Epsom who sang for soldiers, to a star in Paris, London and New York, she has lived a life that is full, joyful and inspiring. Her story is not finished, and her music is still being heard by new listeners every day.
I Know a Place, Don’t Sleep in the Subway and the Pop Star at Thirty
After Downtown, Petula had more hits that showed her range as a pop singer. I Know a Place, released in 1965, was a joyful song about a place where you can go to be happy, to dance, to forget your troubles. It became a hit in Britain and America, and it is still played today. The song is upbeat, hopeful and full of energy, and Petula sang it with a smile. It was a perfect follow-up to Downtown, a song about going out, about finding joy, about not staying at home when you are sad. Petula understood that feeling, and she sang it as if she believed it, because she did.
She also had a hit with Don’t Sleep in the Subway in 1967, a song about a couple arguing, about a woman telling her lover not to sleep in the subway, to come home. The song is dramatic, funny and sad, all at once, and Petula sang it with feeling. It became a hit in Britain and America, and it showed that she could sing a song with a story, a song with characters, a song that was like a small play. She was not only a singer of happy songs. She was a singer who could tell a story, and who could make the listener care about the people in the song.
In the late 1960s, she also recorded songs in French, and she toured France, Britain and America. She was a star in three countries, a rare achievement, and she was proud of it. She sang in Las Vegas, she sang in London, she sang in Paris, and she built a loyal following in each place. She was a working singer, and she took pride in that. She did not need to be at the top of the charts every week. She needed to sing well, to make her audience happy, and to keep going. That steady work gave her a long career, and it gave her a happiness that fame alone could not give.
Her personal life stayed steady through these years. She and Claude Wolff raised their three children, Barbara, Kate and Patrick, and they lived in France and in Switzerland. She balanced work and family, and she kept her private life mostly private. She was a working mother, a singer, an actress, and a wife, and she did it all with grace. She was a woman who had grown up in public, who had been a child star, and who had learned to protect her family from the press. That protection was important to her, and it helped her to have a long, happy family life. She was a star, but she was also a mother, and she took both roles seriously.
Downtown has become a song that belongs to cities themselves, and it is used in films, in musicals and in advertisements whenever a director wants to show a city at night, full of lights and music. The song has been covered by many singers, it has been used in the musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and it is played in shops, in restaurants and on the radio around the world. Young listeners who have never seen Petula on stage hear Downtown, and they want to know who sang it. They learn about a child star during the war, about a singer in Paris, about a world star in the 1960s, and they discover a career that spans eighty years. That is a rare kind of fame, a fame that renews itself with every new use of the song, and it means that Petula’s voice will be heard by generations who were not born when she first sang it.
My Take:
When I think about Petula Clark, I think first about time. She has been singing for more than eighty years, from a child on BBC radio during the Second World War to a woman in her nineties still performing on stage. That is a remarkable length of time, and it tells me something about her. She did not give up, she did not fade away, and she did not stop. She kept singing, kept learning, and kept finding new audiences. I admire that longevity, and I think it is a lesson for anyone who wants a long career. You need to love what you do, you need to work hard, and you need to keep going, even when the world changes around you. Petula did that, and she is still here.
I also think about her childhood during the war, and about the courage it took to sing for soldiers when she was only nine years old. She sang on BBC radio, she cheered people up, and she gave them hope in a dark time. That is a beautiful thing for a child to do, and it shows a generosity of spirit that has stayed with her. She did not sing for fame. She sang to help people, to make them smile, to give them a moment of joy in a war. I find that moving, and I think it is a good example. Music can help people, even in the darkest times, and Petula proved that when she was still a child.
What saddens me in her story is the loss of a normal childhood. She was a child star, she worked from the age of nine, she made films, she sang on the radio, and she did not have a normal life like other children. She grew up quickly, she learned to be professional, and she missed out on the simple joys of childhood. I feel sad about that, because every child deserves a childhood. But I also feel glad that she loved the work, and that she did not resent it. She has spoken about her childhood with fondness, saying that she enjoyed singing and acting, and that she was happy. I respect her for that, and I think it shows a positive attitude. She took what life gave her, and she made it good.
I respect her work in France, because it shows a real curiosity about other cultures. She learned French, she sang in French, she lived in Paris, and she became a star there. That takes courage, and it takes a willingness to learn a new language, a new culture, a new way of life. Many British singers would not have done that. Petula did it, and she succeeded. I admire that, and I think it is a good example for anyone who wants to learn about the world. Do not stay in one place. Learn a language, live in another country, sing in another tongue. It will make you richer, and it will make your work better. Petula proves that.
I also admire Downtown, because it is a song about hope. It tells a sad person to go downtown, where the lights are bright, where the music is loud, where there are people. It is a simple idea, and it is a powerful one. When I hear Downtown, I feel happy, I feel hopeful, and I want to go out and see the lights. That is a gift. A song that can make a sad person feel hopeful is a valuable thing, and Petula sang it with joy. I think that is why the song is still loved today, more than sixty years after it was recorded. Hope does not go out of fashion, and Downtown is a song about hope.
If I have a criticism, it is that Petula’s French career is sometimes forgotten in Britain and America, where people only know Downtown and My Love. Her French songs, such as Chariot and Monsieur, are beautiful, and they deserve to be heard. She was a star in France before she was a star in America, and her French work is a large part of her career. I think it is unfair to remember her only for her English hits. She was a singer in two languages, and both are important. I hope people listen to her French records, and discover how good she was in French too.
I also think about her work on stage, in The Sound of Music and Sunset Boulevard, and about how brave it was to take on those roles in her forties and sixties. She was a pop singer, and she became a stage actress, playing Maria and Norma Desmond. That takes talent, and it takes a willingness to try new things. Many pop singers would not have tried the stage. Petula did, and she succeeded. I admire that, and I think it is a good lesson. Do not be afraid to try something new, even when you are older. You might discover a new talent, and a new audience. Petula did, and I am glad for her.
For a young reader, I think the lesson of Petula’s life is about learning and curiosity. She learned French, she learned to act, she learned to sing in different styles, and she kept learning throughout her life. She did not stop at one thing. She kept growing, kept changing, and kept finding new ways to perform. That curiosity has kept her career alive for eighty years, and it is a good model for a young person. Do not stop learning. Learn a language, learn a new skill, try a new thing. It will make your life richer, and it will make your work better. Petula proves that.
I also think about her family, and about how she balanced work and motherhood. She had three children, she lived in France and Switzerland, and she kept singing. That takes strength, and it takes love. She did not give up her career, and she did not give up her children. She did both, and she did them well. I respect her for that, and I think it is a good example for any working parent. It is hard, but it is possible, and Petula proves it.
There is also something about her voice that I love, and it is the clarity. Her voice is clear, warm and honest, like a bell. It does not hide behind noise. It sings clearly, and it lets the words do the work. I admire that clarity, and I think it is a lesson for anyone who sings or speaks. Say what you mean, say it clearly, and let the listener hear it. Petula does that, and her songs are still loved because of it. A clear voice is a gift, and she has used it well.
In the end, I think Petula Clark teaches us that a life in music can last a very long time, if the person loves music and keeps working at it. She started as a child during the war, she became a star in France, she became a world star with Downtown, she acted on stage, and she is still singing in her nineties. She has sung in English and in French, she has lived in many countries, and she has kept her voice, her humour and her curiosity. When I hear Downtown now, I do not just hear a song from 1964. I hear a girl who sang for soldiers during the war, who became a star in Paris, who became a world star, and who is still singing. That is a full life, and it is a life worth learning from.
One more thought stays with me, and it is about the war. Petula sang on BBC radio when she was nine, during a war that killed millions of people. She sang to cheer people up, to give them hope. That is a small thing, and it is a big thing. A song cannot stop a war, but it can help people to get through it. Petula’s singing did that, and I am grateful for it. It reminds me that music matters, even in the darkest times, and that a child’s voice can bring light to a dark world. I find that hopeful, and I think it is a good reminder that I should use my voice, whatever it is, to help others.
I also think about what will happen when Petula finally stops. The records will remain, the songs will remain, and young singers will keep learning from her voice. That is a legacy that few people achieve. Petula has already achieved it, and she is still adding to it. I am glad that she is still here, still singing, still learning, and I hope she keeps going for as long as she wants to. Music is her home, and I think she knows it.
I also think about I Know a Place, because it is a song about finding joy when you are sad. It tells you to go to a place where you can dance, where you can forget your troubles, where you can be happy. That is a simple idea, and it is a powerful one. When I hear I Know a Place, I feel happy, I feel hopeful, and I want to go out and find that place. That is a gift. A song that can make a sad person feel hopeful is a valuable thing, and Petula sang it with joy. I think that is why her songs are still loved today, more than sixty years after they were recorded. Hope does not go out of fashion, and Petula’s songs are about hope.
I also think about Don’t Sleep in the Subway, because it is a song with a story, a song about a couple arguing, about a woman telling her lover to come home. It is dramatic, funny and sad, all at once, and Petula sang it with feeling. That shows her talent as a storyteller. She could take a small story, a couple arguing, and make it into a song that millions of people wanted to hear. I admire that, and I think it is a lesson for anyone who writes or sings. A good story, told well, will always find an audience. Petula told good stories, and audiences loved them.
There is also something about her work in three countries that I find remarkable. She was a star in Britain, in France, and in America, and she sang in two languages. That is a rare achievement, and it shows a real talent for languages and for cultures. Many singers are stars in one country. Petula was a star in three. That takes hard work, it takes learning, and it takes a willingness to travel, to live in other places, to learn new ways. I admire her for that, and I think it is a good example. Do not stay in one place. Learn, travel, sing in another language. It will make your life richer, and your work better.
I also think about her stage work in The Sound of Music and Sunset Boulevard, because it shows a brave willingness to try new things in her forties and sixties. She was a pop singer, and she became a stage actress, playing Maria and Norma Desmond. That takes talent, and it takes courage. Many pop singers would not try the stage. Petula did, and she succeeded. I admire that, and I think it is a good lesson. Do not be afraid to try something new, even when you are older. You might discover a new talent, and a new audience. Petula did, and I am glad for her.
I also think about her family again, and about how she balanced work and motherhood. She had three children, she lived in France and Switzerland, and she kept singing. That takes strength, and it takes love. She did not give up her career, and she did not give up her children. She did both, and she did them well. I respect her for that, and I think it is a good example for any working parent. It is hard, but it is possible, and Petula proves it. Her children are grown now, and they are proud of their mother, as they should be.
I also think about her CBE, awarded in 1998, because it shows how respected she is. She was a child star during the war, she became a star in France, she became a world star with Downtown, and she was honoured by the Queen. That is a remarkable journey, and it is a sign of how much Britain loves her. She was not a distant star. She was a national treasure, a woman who sang for soldiers during the war, and who is still singing in her nineties. I admire her for that, and I think it is a good example. A girl from Epsom can become a world star, if she is talented, if she works hard, and if she never stops learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Petula Clark born, and how did she become a child star?
Petula Clark was born on 15 November 1932 in Epsom, Surrey, and she became a child star at nine, singing on BBC radio during the Second World War. She sang for soldiers and for children, cheering people up in a dark time, and she also acted in films as a child.
What made Petula Clark famous in France?
Petula became a star in France in the late 1950s and early 1960s by learning French and singing in French, with hits such as Chariot in 1962 and Monsieur in 1964. She lived in Paris, became part of French pop music, and built a career in two languages.
What is Downtown about, and when was it a hit?
Downtown, released in 1964 and written by Tony Hatch, is a joyful song about going downtown when you are feeling low, where the lights are bright and the music is loud. It became a number one hit in America in 1965, and it remains Petula’s signature song.
Which other Petula Clark songs were hits in America and Britain?
Petula’s other hits include I Know a Place in 1965, My Love in 1966, which was a number one hit in America, Don’t Sleep in the Subway in 1967, and This Is My Song in 1967, written by Charlie Chaplin, which was a number one hit in Britain.
What stage roles did Petula Clark play?
Petula played Maria in The Sound of Music in London in 1981 and Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard in London in 1995, showing her talent as a stage actress as well as a singer. She brought her singing and stage presence to the theatre in her forties and sixties.
How long has Petula Clark been performing?
Petula has been performing for more than eighty years, from BBC radio in 1942 as a child to concerts in her nineties. She released the album Lost in You in 2013 at eighty, and she is still singing, a record no other pop singer can match.
