Recorded Labelle Studio Length 3:40 | Genre Eurodance | |
Released 29 November 1993
(See release history) Format 12" Single
Cassette Single
CD Single Label Prodisc (Spain)
Systematic (UK)
ZYX Music (Germany)
Curb (U.S.) | ||
"Saturday Night" is a song performed by Danish Eurodance artist Whigfield. It was first released in November 1993 in Spain through Prodisc. It was re-released in 1994 in Europe and experienced worldwide success. The song was written by Italian producers Larry Pignagnoli and Davide Riva, and it was produced by Pignagnoli.
Contents
- Background
- Chart performance
- Music video
- Associated dance routine
- Controversy
- Usage in popular culture
- References
"Saturday Night" went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart - dethroning Wet Wet Wet's 15-week chart-topper "Love Is All Around", despite that single increasing its sales from 65,000 the previous week to 104,000. As of October 2015, it has sold a total of 1.18 million copies in the UK.
Background
Italian producer Larry Pignagnoli had already had success with Spagna in the late 1980s and early 1990s before he produced "Saturday Night" with Danish former model Sannie Carlson, aka Whigfield. The track was first released in Italy in January 1994 and then became a huge hit with United Kingdom holidaymakers on the continent at the end of the year, leading to a huge demand for the track back in the United Kingdom. The single wasn't released in North America until February 1995.
Chart performance
"Saturday Night" was released in the United Kingdom on September 5, 1994, and went straight to number one - dethroning Wet Wet Wet's 15 week chart-topper "Love Is All Around", despite that single increasing its sales from 65,000 the previous week to 104,000, when "Saturday Night" entered at number 1 with sales of 150,000. Whigfield was the first act to début at number one in the United Kingdom charts with their début single.
It stayed at number one for a total of four weeks selling 680,000 in the process, and has sold a total of 1.18 million copies. "Saturday Night" is also the 15th biggest-selling single by a female artist in the United Kingdom.
Music video
The official music video features numerous different scenes of Whigfield standing in front of a mirror, getting ready to go out on Saturday night.
Associated dance routine
There is a dance routine which is commonly performed to the song (particularly at parties and nightclubs in the United Kingdom), the origins of which are uncertain. There is a suggestion from some sources that it was begun as an aerobic routine by a gym instructor created to the song at a holiday resort and followed the song back to UK. The dance does not appear in the music video for the song, however it was performed by backing dancers during Whigfield's performance on Top of the Pops on 16 September 1994.
Whigfield stated in an interview with Justin Myers for the Official Charts Company, "I remember I did some promotion in this place north of Madrid and when I was doing the track [I] saw everybody doing this thing and they all jumped at the same time. I hadn’t even known about the dance until then... I still remember the dance, but I didn’t do it. I thought it was kind of nice that it was just the people doing it."
Controversy
Two claims of plagiarism were made. It was alleged that the track ripped off both "Rub a Dub Dub" by the Equals and "Fog on the Tyne" by Lindisfarne. Both claims were dismissed.
Usage in popular culture
A version of the track was used in the popular game "The Amazing Adventures of Harry Haddock" for the Amiga A500, available on issue 142 of the magazine Amiga Action.