Turn Off the Light
"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 on 25 July 2001, reaching number one in New Zealand, Portugal, and Romania, as well peaking within the top 10 in several other countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
"Turn Off the Light" | ||||
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International retail artwork, also used for enhanced CD release and one of US promotional materials | ||||
Single by Nelly Furtado | ||||
from the album Whoa, Nelly! | ||||
Released | 25 July 2001[1] | |||
Recorded | 1999–2000 | |||
Studio |
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Length | 4:36 | |||
Label | DreamWorks | |||
Songwriter(s) | Nelly Furtado | |||
Producer(s) |
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Nelly Furtado singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Turn Off the Light" on YouTube |
Music video
There are two music videos made for "Turn Off the Light": the underground version and the normal version.
The normal version was directed by Sophie Muller and was filmed in Beijing, China.[2] 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 both singing while sitting on a chair and playing a guitar, with the flag of the Azores both behind her and on her guitar (this scene is interpolated with shots of a DJ playing, also with the Azorean flag behind him, and topless men dancing while using skirts that resemble those used in Sufi whirling). 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 became Furtado's most successful song at the time of its release. In New Zealand, it became her first number-one single, stayed on the chart for 27 weeks,[3] and was certified Gold by Recorded Music NZ for sales greater than 5,000 copies.[4] It became the second-most successful song of New Zealand in 2001, behind Craig David's "Walking Away".[5] It peaked at number 5 on the US Billbard Hot 100 on 10 November 2001.[6] A remix featuring rappers Ms. Jade and Timbaland was also released, and a dance remix topped the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.[7] In Australia, although the song peaked at number 7,[1] it remained in the top 50 for 21 weeks and was certified Platinum for sales exceeding 70,000 copies.[8] It debuted and peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart,[9] becoming her second top-5 single there, and reached number 2 on the UK R&B Chart.[10]
Track listings
US promo CD[11]
UK and European CD single, UK cassette single[12][13]
European and Australasian enhanced CD single[14]
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European enhanced CD single 2[15]
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Personnel
Credits adapted from the Whoa, Nelly! album liner notes.[16]
- Nelly Furtado – songwriter, co-producer, lead vocals, background vocals, programming
- Gerald Eaton – producer, programming, additional background vocals
- Brian West – producer, guitar, scratches, programming, recording, engineering
- James McCollum – guitar
- Brad Haehnel – mixing, recording, engineering
- John Knupp – second engineering
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA)[8] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[4] | Gold | 5,000* |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[48] | Gold | |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[49] | Gold | 20,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[50] | Silver | 200,000 |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
See also
- List of number-one dance singles of 2001 (U.S.)
- List of Romanian Top 100 number ones of the 2000s
References
- "Australian-charts.com – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- "Nelly Furtado Central – Videos". NellyCentral. Archived from the original on 10 August 2007.
- "Charts.nz – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Top 40 Singles.
- "New Zealand single certifications – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
- "End of Year Charts 2001". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
- "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
- "Nelly Furtado: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
- Turn Off the Light (US promo CD liner notes). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. DRMR-13767-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Turn Off the Light (UK & European CD single liner notes). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. 450 903-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Turn Off the Light (UK cassette single sleeve). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. DRMCS50891.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Turn Off the Light (European & Australasian enhanced CD single liner notes). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. 450 904-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Turn Off the Light (European enhanced CD single liner notes). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. 450 904-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Whoa, Nelly! (Album liner notes). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2000. 0044-50285-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
- "Austriancharts.at – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- "Ultratop.be – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- "Ultratop.be – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in French). Ultratip.
- "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18 no. 42. 13 October 2001. p. 11. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- "Lescharts.com – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in French). Les classement single.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". GfK Entertainment Charts.
- "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19 no. 47. 17 November 2001. p. 29. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Turn Off the Light". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- "Italiancharts.com – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Top Digital Download.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 34, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- "Norwegiancharts.com – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". VG-lista.
- "Nielsen Music Control". Archived from the original on 24 October 2007.
- "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18 no. 48. 24 November 2001. p. 7. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- "Top of the Year 2001" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 9 December 2002.
- "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Singles Top 100.
- "Swisscharts.com – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Swiss Singles Chart.
- "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
- "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2001". ARIA. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
- "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2001" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18 no. 52. 22 December 2001. p. 14. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
- "Ireland – Top Singles for 2001". Allcharts. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
- "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2001". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2001" (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 May 2018.
- "Årslista Singlar, 2001" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- "Swiss Year-End Charts 2001" (in German). Retrieved 25 May 2018.
- "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
- "Top 100 Songs of 2001 – Billboard Year End Charts". Bobborst. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
- "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Nelly Furtado; 'Turn Off the Light')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- "British single certifications – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 October 2020.