B-side "Oh, You Don't Know" Genre Rhythm and blues | Released 1957 (1957) Length 3:02 | |
Format 10-inch 78 rpm
7-inch 45 rpm record Recorded New York, October 1, 1957 | ||
"Night Time Is the Right Time" or "The Right Time" is a rhythm and blues song recorded by Nappy Brown in 1957. It draws on earlier blues songs and has inspired many subsequent versions, including hits by Ray Charles, Rufus and Carla, and James Brown.
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Earlier songs
Blues pianist Roosevelt Sykes (listed as "The Honey Dripper") recorded "Night Time Is the Right Time" in 1937 (Decca 7324). Called "one of his 'hits' of the day", it is a moderate-tempo twelve-bar blues that features Sykes on vocal and piano. It has been suggested that it was "drawn from the old vaudeville tradition":
In 1938, Big Bill Broonzy recorded the song with slightly different (and more suggestive) lyrics (Vocalion 4149). The same year, Roosevelt Sykes recorded a second version titled "Night Time Is the Right Time #2" (Decca 7438), also with slightly different lyrics. These earliest recordings of "Night Time Is the Right Time" are credited to Roosevelt Sykes and Leroy Carr. Although Carr died in 1935 without any known recordings of the song, "Night Time Is The Right Time" bears considerable similarity to Carr's "When The Sun Goes Down". The latter was phenomenally popular song at this time, having been covered by the Ink Spots and also serving as a model for "Love In Vain" by Robert Johnson.
Nappy Brown song
In 1957, Nappy Brown recorded the song as "The Right Time" (Savoy 1525). Called "a highlight of Brown's early career", his version features additional lyrics with background singers answering his vocal lines. The instrumental accompaniment is provided by Buster Cooper on trombone, Hilton Jefferson on alto sax, Budd Johnson on tenor sax, Kelly Owens on piano, Skeeter Best on guitar, Leonard Gaskin on bass, and Bobby Donaldson on drums. Brown's song opens with
Brown's version did not reach the national record charts, but was "borrowed by Ray Charles in short order". During his career, Brown recorded several versions of the song (sometimes varying the title). His original single lists the songwriter as "N. Brown".
Ray Charles version
Ray Charles recorded his version, titled "(Night Time Is) The Right Time", in October 1958. According to Brown, "The difference between me and Ray Charles's ‘Night Time Is the Right Time' ... is he had it up-tempo with Mary Ann and them behind him—the ladies [Charles' female backup singers, the Raelettes]. I had mine in a slow tempo with a gospel group behind me. That was my gospel group. But he got everything just like mine, note for note". Margie Hendricks with Charles' backup singers the Raelettes provided the accompaniment to Charles' vocals. The song became a hit in 1959, when it reached number five in the Billboard R&B chart and number 95 in the pop chart. The song is included on the albums Ray Charles at Newport and The Genius Sings the Blues, and on the soundtrack of Ray.
James Brown version
James Brown recorded the song for the small Churchill/Augusta record label. It was released in 1983 as the B-side of his single "Bring It On...Bring It On". Brown's version (subtitled "To be With the One That You Love") went on to reach number 73 in the Billboard R&B chart. Robert Christgau reviewed Brown's version favorably, singling out for praise the contribution of its unidentified female guest vocalist, "a Brownette who approaches any kind of note as if she owns it."
Other recorded versions and appearances
Numerous artists have recorded "Night Time Is the Right Time", including Alex Korner's Blues Incorporated from the expanded album R&B from the Marquee (1962); Rufus and Carla number 94 pop chart single (1964); the Animals from The Animals (1964); the Sonics on their album Here Are The Sonics (1965); (1965) Lulu from Something to Shout About (1965); Aretha Franklin from her album Aretha Now (1968); Creedence Clearwater Revival on their studio album Green River (1969) and on their live album The Concert (1980);J Geils Band from Love Stinks (1980); Tina Turner from Rough (1978); Roseanna Vitro from Catchin’ Some Rays: The Music of Ray Charles (1997); and John Scofield from That's What I Say: John Scofield Plays the Music of Ray Charles (2005). Albert Castiglia covered the song on his These Are the Days (2008) album.