Set to a "faux European waltz tune"[3] and described as "a romantic novel in song",[4] it won an Ivor Novello Award.

[5] Sarstedt continued to tour mainly in 1960s revival-type shows, until his retirement in 2010 due to ill health.

[3][10] He later moved to Calcutta; in 1954, Sarstedt's father died and the family relocated to Britain,[3][10] settling in south London just before the rock 'n' roll boom.

[2] Sarstedt was best known for writing and performing his 1969 UK number one single, released on the United Artists label, "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?

[4] Lovely followed his earlier single "I Am A Cathedral" which didn't attain chart success, and his debut self-titled vinyl LP album was released in 1969 and reached number eight on the British charts[13] his follow-up single, "Frozen Orange Juice", reached number 10 in the UK in 1969.

Sarstedt's recorded songs include "Beirut", "Take Off Your Clothes"[9] Another selection from the album Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?, from which his single of the same title had been released, was an instrumental called "Overture".

Sarstedt composed it in collaboration with Ian Green and Ray Singer and it was later used as the theme music for Keep America Beautiful's famous "Crying Indian" public service announcement, which starred Iron Eyes Cody.

[20] He sang harmonies on "Don't Think Twice" and "The Last Thing on My Mind" on Canadian singer Peter Thompson's 2007 album, Taking a Dive (Heart First).

New interest was sparked in his music after "Where Do You Go To" was used in the 2007 Wes Anderson films Hotel Chevalier and The Darjeeling Limited.