Genre Pop
trip hop Label DreamWorks
Jive | Length 4:36 | |
Released 14 August 2001 (2001-08-14) Format CD single
maxi single
12" single Recorded 1999–2000;
Metalworks Studios
(Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)
Can-Am Studio
(Tarzana, California) | ||
"Turn Off the Light" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado, taken from her debut studio album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000). Written by Furtado, and produced by Gerald Eaton, Brian West, and Furtado, the song was released as the album's second single in mid-2001 (see 2001 in music). Furtado, who cited a song by the Canadian band Big Sugar as the inspiration for "Turn Off the Light", has described it as "a real song ... Though I may seem so independent and stuff, blah, blah, blah, when I turn out the light at night I can get lonely just like everybody else. Maybe that's why it's such a good song and everyone is responding to it – because it's real. Just a song with a fun, hooky chorus."
Contents
Music video
There were two music videos made for "Turn Off the Light": the yo kai version, and the normal version. The normal version was directed by Sophie Muller and located in Beijing, China. The music video for the normal version of "Turn Off the Light" begins in a swamp where Furtado is sitting on the edge of a log and people are swimming in the swamp. She begins to sing the first verse and when the chorus commences the people in the swamp pull her in and they start dancing in the swamp. The second verse starts and Furtado is seen at a temple singing while some dancers jump out and dance with Furtado. During the second part of the chorus, she is surrounded by a group at the temple and they dance around her while she sings. During the bridge she is shown at an old house singing and is sitting on a chair. The video ends with Furtado back at the temple eating noodles. The underground video features Furtado playing the guitar in a wooden shed, wearing a white top and jeans. She is also seen buying flowers. Behind the scenes footage of the photoshoot for the Whoa, Nelly! cover is interwoven through the video.
Chart performance
The song eventually became her most successful song at the time of its release. In New Zealand, it became her first number-one single there and stayed in the chart for twenty-seven weeks. It became the second most successful song of 2001 year-end chart. The song is 28th most successful song in that country and the most successful song for Nelly Furtado in that country. It peaked at number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. A remix featuring rappers Ms. Jade and Timbaland was released, and a dance remix reached number one on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The song ranked at number 70 in the Year-End chart of 2001 and at number 92 on the 2002 recap. It peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay Chart. It peaked at number seven in Australia, being her second top ten single there and stayed in the chart for twenty-one weeks. It also peaked at number four in United Kingdom, becoming her second top five single there.
Track listing
- "Turn Off the Light" (radio edit) – 3:36
- "Turn Off the Light" (remix featuring Timbaland & Ms. Jade) – 3:38
- "I'm Like a Bird" (acoustic version) – 4:00
- "Turn Off the Light" (video)
- "Turn Off the Light" – 3:36
- "I'm Like a Bird" (acoustic version) – 4:00
- "Turn Off the Light" – 3:36
- "Turn Off the Light" (So Solid Crew Remix) – 5:22
- "Turn Off the Light" (radio edit) – 3:36
- "Turn Off the Light" (Sunshine Reggae Mix) – 3:59
- "I'm Like a Bird" (acoustic version) – 4:00
- "Turn Off the Light" (underground video) – 3:38
Personnel
Credits adapted from the Whoa, Nelly! album liner notes.