Released October 5, 1979 Recorded 1979 Length 6:38 (LP version) | Format 7" Genre R&B
funk
disco | |
B-side "If You Feel Like Dancin'"
"Too Hot" | ||
"Ladies' Night" is the hit title track single on the album Ladies' Night released in 1979 by Kool & the Gang. The song is a play on the popular use of "Ladies Nights" at bars and clubs that were meant to draw in more female patrons in order to draw in even more male clientele. The song as a single was a success, and became a radio staple. It was also a chart success, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980.
Contents
Track listing
De-Lite Records - DE-801 - 6168.771:
Heavy D version
1993 Heavy D recorded the song under the title "This Is Your Night". The majority of the text passages in his version he wrote himself, but kept the chorus of the original. It also sampled George Benson's biggest hit "Give Me the Night". In addition to the album Nuttin' But Love, it is also on the albums The Gold Seal Collection: R & B's Greatest Hits 1985-1995, Hot Hits [TL 541/21], R & B Masters II and Black Winter Party - Best Of - 2013.
Atomic Kitten version
In 2003, "Ladies' Night" was re-recorded by English girl group Atomic Kitten, and released as the second single from their third studio album, also entitled Ladies Night (2004), in honor of the collaboration. The song is a collaboration with Kool and the Gang, who asked the group to record an updated version of the song. The single peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart, outpeaking the original version of the track, and number 39 in Australia.
Chart performance
The single peaked and debuted at number eight in the United Kingdom. Despite "Ladies Night" being Atomic Kitten's first single to not reach the top 5 in over two years since "Whole Again" topped the charts, it still managed to sell 84,192 copies in the United Kingdom, making it their 7th best selling single in the United Kingdom. It stayed in the top 40 for 8 weeks, 3 of which were in the top 10, making Ladies Night a success in their homeland. Ladies Night peaked at No.14 on the European charts, making it a success. In Spain, it was their only top 10 hit over there, peaking at #3, and lasting 3 weeks in the top 10. The song became a top 20 hit in Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium (Flanders), Belgium (Wallonia) and Denmark. It also became a top 40 hit in German speaking Europe, peaking at No. 33 in Germany, No. 32 in Austria, and No.38 in Switzerland. The song was a huge success in south-east Asia. It debuted at No. 6 in China, and in its second week rose to No. 2 - Its peak position in that country. It last 5 weeks in the top 20, 4 of which were in the top 10. In Taiwan, the song debuted at No. 10, and peaked at No. 4. It lasted 9 weeks in the top 10, making it a huge success in that country. In Oceania, the song didn't do as well as their previous singles. "Ladies Night" was never released in New Zealand, and it only managed to peak at No. 39 in Australia. It lasted 5 weeks in the top 50. This is due to low promotion of the single over there.
Music video
The video begins with many people anxiously crowded around the entrance of a club, trying to get in. Suddenly a pink plasma waves sweeps through the middle of the crowd, from the door, pushing them off to either side. The group head into the Kitten Club, and the crowd follows them in, until only the bouncer is left standing outside. In the well-lit club, the group groove about and sing, a great deal of which is on a pure white discothèque dance floor. They primarily dance in a row, with two rows of men behind them, though occasionally they are straddling the fellows, or performing other dance moves with them. Drag queens are spotted in the video, and appear repeatedly, including in the women's washroom, near the video's conclusion. The metrosexual or homosexual bartender, bearing resemblance to Boy George, appears throughout the video. Jenny Frost starts to flirt with him, as if going in for a kiss; in actuality, she's stealing his drink from behind him. While a man hits on Liz McClarnon, he is in turn hit on by another man. There is also a man dancing in a cage with a round top; there is no suggestion if this is to entertain the straight or homosexuals in attendance, or both. The group repeatedly flip their hands in the air, creating pink plasma as appeared earlier in the video. This transports them to the opposite side of the club, where they appear on rollerskates, in different outfits. They use their magic again, instantly stripping three men down to pink lycra underwear. The men, in their skivvies, visit the girls at their booth. Tash is so amused at the provided crotch view that she brings out American money which she waves around; money is never actually transferred. At the very start of the video, when Jen blows a kiss, lip marks appear on the screen as a graphic.
Track listing
- "Ladies Night" (radio mix) – 3:06
- "The Tide Is High" (Radio mix) – 3:26
- "Ladies Night" (radio mix) – 3:06
- "Ladies Night" (Kurtis Mantronik 7") – 3:25
- "Somebody" – 3:11
- "Ladies Night" (video)
- "Ladies Night" (radio mix edit) – 3:01
- "Ladies Night" (Kurtis Mantronik 12") – 10:05
- "Be with You" (Todd Terry 12") – 7:58
- "Be with You" (Todd Terry vs. TNT Edit) – 3:27