Up on the Roof” is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and recorded in 1962 by The Drifters

Released late that year, the disc became a major hit in early 1963, reaching #5 on the U.S. pop singles chart and #4 on the U.S. R&B singles chart.

In the UK the Drifters’ version of “Up on the Roof” failed to reach the Top 50, being trumped by two local cover versions, sung by, respectively, Julie Grant and Kenny Lynch. The Kenny Lynch version, which largely replicated the Drifters’ original, was the more successful, reaching #10 UK.

The Julie Grant version, which reached #33 UK, reinvented the song as a Merseybeat number; its producer Tony Hatch would later be inspired to write Petula Clark’s iconic hit “Downtown”, which was originally envisioned as being in the style of the Drifters, with whom Hatch hoped to place it. (source Wikipedia)