Ladies' Night (song)

"Ladies' Night" is the hit title track on the album of the same name 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 number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980 and stayed atop the R&B charts for two weeks.[1] It also gave them their first hit in the United Kingdom in August 1979, peaking at number 9 in the UK Singles Chart.

"Ladies' Night"
Single by Kool & the Gang
from the album Ladies' Night
B-side
  • "If You Feel Like Dancin'"
  • "Too Hot"
ReleasedJune 5, 1979
Recorded1979
Genre
Length6:25 (LP Version)
3:32 (Single Version)
LabelDeLite
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Eumir Deodato
Kool & the Gang singles chronology
"Slick Superchick"
(1978)		 "Ladies' Night"
(1979)		 "Too Hot"
(1980)

Track listing

De-Lite Records - DE-801 - 6168.771:

Ladies' Night/Too Hot
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ladies' Night"George M. Brown & Kool and the Gang3:32
2."Too Hot"George M. Brown & Kool and the Gang4:10
Ladies' Night/If You Feel Like Dancin'
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ladies' Night"George M. Brown & Kool and the Gang3:32
2."If You Feel Like Dancin'"Ronald Bell5:05

Charts
Chart Date Position
Billboard Hot 100 1980 8
Billboard Disco Top 100 1979 5
United Kingdom October 1979 9
Switzerland[2] March 16, 1980 8
Netherlands[3] March 22, 1980 14
Austria[4] April 1, 1980 18
Germany[5] March 1980 19
Year-end chart (1980)Rank
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[6] 35

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Heavy D version
"This Is Your Night"
Single by Heavy D
from the album Nuttin' But Love
ReleasedSeptember 2, 1994
Recorded1993
GenreHip hop, new jack swing, dance-pop, funk
Length3:33
LabelUptown, MCA
Songwriter(s)Teddy Riley, Dwight Myers, Rod Temperton, George "Funky" Brown, Claydes Smith, Dennis "D.T." Thomas, Earl Toon, James "J.T." Taylor, Meekaaeel Muhammad, Eumir Deodato, Robert Bell, Ronald Bell
Producer(s)Teddy Riley
Heavy D singles chronology
"Nuttin' But Love"
(1994)		 "This Is Your Night"
(1994)		 "Big Daddy"
(1997)

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.

Charts
Chart (1994) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 30
Dutch Singles Chart[8] 17
French SNEP Singles Chart 14
Belgian VRT Top 30 24

Atomic Kitten version
"Ladies Night"
Single by Atomic Kitten featuring Kool & the Gang
from the album Ladies Night and The Hits: Reloaded
ReleasedDecember 15, 2003
RecordedKTFA Studios, Metropolis, Unique Corp
GenreDance-pop, nu-disco
Length3:06
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Khalis Bayyan, Andy Whitmore
Atomic Kitten singles chronology
"If You Come to Me"
(2003)		 "Ladies Night"
(2003)		 "Someone like Me" / "Right Now 2004"
(2004)

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.[9] 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 8 on the UK Singles Chart, outpeaking the original version of the track, and number 3 in Spain.

Chart performance

The single debuted and peaked at number 8 in the United Kingdom. Despite "Ladies Night" being Atomic Kitten's first single to not reach the top 5 in over two years, 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.

In Spain, "Ladies Night" was Atomic Kitten's only top-10 hit peaking at number 3 and lasting 3 weeks in the top 10. The song became a top-20 hit in the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Flanders and Denmark. It also became a top-40 hit in German-speaking Europe, peaking at number 33 in Germany, number 32 in Austria and number 38 in Switzerland. In Oceania, the song did not do as well as their previous singles. "Ladies Night" was not released in New Zealand, where their previous single "If You Come to Me" had reached the top 10, and it managed to peak at only number 39 in Australia, becoming their last single to reach the top 50 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

UK CD1

  1. "Ladies Night" (radio mix) – 3:06
  2. "The Tide Is High" (Radio mix) – 3:26

UK CD2

  1. "Ladies Night" (radio mix) – 3:06
  2. "Ladies Night" (Kurtis Mantronik 7") – 3:25
  3. "Somebody" – 3:11
  4. "Ladies Night" (video)

UK 12" picture disc

  1. "Ladies Night" (radio mix edit) – 3:01
  2. "Ladies Night" (Kurtis Mantronik 12") – 10:05
  3. "Be with You" (Todd Terry 12") – 7:58
  4. "Be with You" (Todd Terry vs. TNT Edit) – 3:27

Official versions
  • Single/Album version – 3:07
  • The "Northern" Mad Mix – 5:59
  • Shanghai Surprise Mix – 6:58
  • Kurtis Mantronix Radio Edit – 3:25
  • Kurtis Mantronix 12" Remix – 7:01

Personnel
  • Written by Ronald Bell of Kool and the Gang
  • Produced by Kaylis Bayyan and Leigh Guest for Unique Corp Ltd
  • Co-produced by Andy Whitmore
  • Additional production and mix: Ash Howes, Martin Harrington
  • Engineered by Keith Uddin
  • Programming by Reece Gilmore, Leigh Guest, Andy Whitmore
  • Lead vocals: James "J.T." Taylor
  • Bass guitar: Robert "Kool" Bell
  • Tenor saxophone, keyboards: Kalis Bayyan
  • Guitars: Charles Smith
  • Alto saxophone: Dennis "D. T." Thomas
  • Keyboard: George "Funky" Brown
  • Trumpet, trombone: Clifford Adams
  • Trumpet, vocals: Sennie "Skip" Martin
  • Drums: Tim Horton
  • Vocal arranger: Anthony Thompson
  • Additional keyboard: Andy Whitmore
  • Additional guitar: Andrew Smith
  • Musical arranger: Leigh Guest
  • Recorded at KFTA Studios, New Jersey, Metropolis Studios, London, Unique Corp Studios, London
  • UK production engineer: James Loughrey
  • Executive producers: Alan Bellman, Les Molloy, Richard Mayes for Unique Corp

Charts

Other covers

Movies
  • In the 1998 film The Wedding Singer, the character played by Jon Lovitz performs the song in his wedding singer audition.
  • In the 2000 film Little Nicky, the peeper (again played by Jon Lovitz) sings the song while looking at a woman undress. Later, when he is sent to Hell, the song plays while a bird rapes him; the Gatekeeper tells him "Now you're going to see what a real horny bird actually looks like...In Hell!"
  • *In the 2002 film Sorority Boys, the song is played when the three main characters Adam, Dave, and Doofer show up for a party in drag at their former fraternity house undercover in order to get a tape to prove their innocence.

References
  1. Dean, Maury (2003). Rock N' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. p. 287. ISBN 0-87586-207-1.
  2. SwissCharts "Ladies' Night" page. Accessed: October 1, 2006
  3. Top4000.nl Chart for week 13, 1980. Accessed: October 1, 2006
  4. AustrianCharts.at Kool & The Gang "Ladies' Night" page. Note: This is a biweekly chart. Accessed: October 28, 2006
  5. Infinity charts German Top 20 - The Chart Of March 1980 Accessed: November 2, 2006
  6. "1980 Talent in Action – Year End Charts : Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 92 no. 51. December 20, 1980. p. TIA-10. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  7. "American single certifications – Kool & The Gang – Ladies Night". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  8. dutchcharts.nl
  9. CBBC Full interview: Atomic Kitten. Accessed: September 26, 2006
  10. "Australian-charts.com – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  11. "Austriancharts.at – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  12. "Ultratop.be – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  13. "Ultratop.be – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  14. "Danishcharts.com – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night". Tracklisten. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  15. "Lescharts.com – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  16. "Offiziellecharts.de – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  17. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  18. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Ladies Night". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  20. "Italiancharts.com – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night". Top Digital Download. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 2004" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  22. "Dutchcharts.nl – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  23. "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 1, saptamina 5.01 – 11.01, 2004" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 20, 2005. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
  24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  25. "Spanishcharts.com – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  26. "Swisscharts.com – Atomic Kitten feat. Kool & the Gang – Ladies Night". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  28. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  29. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2003" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. p. 2. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  30. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. p. 2. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  31. SwedishCharts.com "Ladies Night" (Spanner Banner) page Accessed: October 29, 2006
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