Format 7" single, 12" single Genre Pop | Recorded September 1985 | |
B-side A Cut Above the Rest
Set on You Released December 1986 (US)
2 February 1987 (UK) Length 4:40 (Album Version)
4:22 (US Single Version)
4:06 (Single Version) | ||
"A Trick of the Night" is a ballad recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It was written and produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and released as the final single from Bananarama's album True Confessions.
Contents
The song was remixed slightly for its single version, adding extra synthesizer lines and vocal harmony layering. It was also given a more "upbeat" remix by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) production trio, at the request of London Records for the UK release.
The cautionary message in the lyrics are directed towards a friend who has gone to seek his fortune in the big city and ended up a rentboy.
"A Trick of the Night" was a top-forty hit in the UK, peaking at number thirty-two (the SAW-remixed version received the most airplay in their home country), while the ballad version stalled at number seventy-six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The single spent one week in the Australian Kent Music Report top 100 singles chart, where it peaked at number ninety-nine. "A Trick of the Night" peaked at number twenty-four in Ireland.
The song was included on the CD version of Greatest Hits Collection as a bonus track; it was not included on the vinyl version nor their 2001 compilation The Very Best of Bananarama.
It was included on the soundtrack to the 1986 American film Jumpin' Jack Flash.
Music video
Two videos were filmed for the song. The North American version was directed by Andy Morahan featured the girls singing the song in a house at night, with their images projected on movie screens. The release of the single in the UK was delayed until February 1987, so that Bananarama could participate in a BBC television show called In at the Deep End. Each week Chris Serle or Paul Heiney would have to master a new skill - in this case, Paul Heiney had to master the art of directing a pop music video (the episode was similar to MTV's Making the Video program) for this song. Group members Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward hated the final product.
Track Listings
- "A Trick of the Night" (Single US version) 4:22
- "A Cut Above the Rest" (Album version) 3:40 S. Jolley/T. Swain/S. Dallin/S. Fahey/K. Woodward
- "A Trick of the Night" (The Number One Mix) - (8:13)
- "A Trick of the Night" (Tricky Mix) - (7:15)
- "A Trick of the Night" (Dub Mix) - (4:31)
- "A Trick of the Night" (Single Version) 4:06
- "A Trick of the Night" (Tricky Mix - Edit)
- "A Trick of the Night" (Single Version) 4:06
- "A Cut Above the Rest" 3:40
- "A Trick of the Night" (Alternative 7" Number One Edit) 4:27
- "Set on You" 3:56
- "A Trick of the Night" (Single Version) 4:06
- "A Trick of the Night" (Tricky Mix - Edit)
- "A Trick of the Night" (The Number One Mix) 8:14
- "A Trick of the Night" (Tricky Mix) 7:15
- "Set on You" 3:56
- "A Trick of the Night" (Dub Mix) 4:31
- "A Trick of the Night" (Instrumental) 4:13 #:Remixed by Stock/Aitken/Waterman
- "A Trick of the Night" (Album Version) - (4:38)
- "A Trick of the Night" (UK Video Version) - (4:20)
- "A Trick of the Night" (US Video Version) - (4:14)
Personnel
Bananarama
B-sides
"A Cut Above the Rest" also from the album True Confessions was the 7inch single b-side.
The 12 inch single's B-side, "Set on You", was the first in a series of club-oriented songs recorded specifically for Bananarama's single B-sides that demonstrated the group's shift towards the club market. It is an early version of what ultimately became the album version of "More Than Physical".