Naked (Louise song)

"Naked"
Artwork for standard European and Australian releases, including UK CD2 release
Single by Louise
from the album Naked
B-side	"Keep the Lovin' In" "Do Me Right" "Light of My Life"
Released	27 May 1996 (1996-05-27) [1]
Genre	Dance-pop [2] R&B [3]
Length	3:34
Label	EMI 1st Avenue
Songwriter(s)	Trevor Steel John Holliday Noel
Producer(s)	Bump & Grind
Louise singles chronology
"In Walked Love" (1996) "Naked" (1996) "Undivided Love" (1996)
Music video
"Naked" on YouTube

"Naked" is a song by English singer Louise, released on 27 May 1996, by EMI and First Avenue Records, as the third single from her debut solo album of the same name (1996). The song was written by Trevor Steel, John Holliday and Denis Ingoldsby (Noel), and it was produced by Bump & Grind. The song charted at number five in the United Kingdom and was certified platinum there. It also became a top-20 hit in Iceland and Ireland. The accompanying music video was directed by Greg Masuak.

Critical reception

Jon O'Brien from AllMusic noted that "modeling itself on Janet Jackson's 'Rhythm Nation' era, the breathless vocals, funky R&B rhythms, and risqué video of 'Naked' catapulted Louise into the Top Five for the first time." ^[3] Can't Stop the Pop described it as a "slick pop anthem; the delivery snaps and gets right to the point". They added that "it’s a performance quite unlike any that Louise had delivered before, but one which suits her immensely. The pacing is perfect, with each line rolling fluidly off her tongue. The chorus remains similarly tight, while also allowing Louise some room to purr her way through it sensually". ^[4]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media named it "a charming pop/dance record with a simply irresistible hook, which makes it easy to programme for a multitude of formats." ^[2] A reviewer from Music Week gave it a score of three out of five, noting that "more poppy than previous releases, this should see the former Eternal member in the Top 20 once more." ^[5] In his review of the album, Mark Sutherland from NME stated that "nothing else quite touches the majesty of 'Naked'". ^[6] In 2014, the Official UK Chart named "Naked" a "pop gem" and a "tribute to feeling a bit frisky". ^[7]

Track listings

UK CD1 [8] "Naked" (radio mix) "Naked" (Garden of Eden vocal) "Naked" (Imagination vocal) "Naked" (Kamasutra vocal mix) "Naked" (Imagination dub) "Naked" (Boot 'n' Mac club mix) UK CD2 [9] "Naked" (radio mix) "Keep the Lovin' In" "Do Me Right" "Light of My Life"

UK 12-inch single [10] A1. "Naked" (Garden of Eden vocal) A2. "Naked" (Imagination vocal) B1. "Naked" (Kamasutra vocal mix) B2. "Naked" (Imagination dub) Australian CD single [11] "Naked" (radio mix) "Keep the Lovin' In" "Naked" (Kamasutra vocal mix) "Naked" (Imagination vocal mix)

Personnel

Personnel are adapted from the Naked album booklet. ^[12]

• Trevor Steel – writing
• John Holliday – writing, guitars
• Denis Ingoldsby – writing (as Noel)
• Jackie Rawe – backing vocals
• Zeeteah Massiah – backing vocals
• Bump & Grind – production, programming
• Maxx – mixing
• Niven Garland – engineering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996–1997) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [13] 70 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [14] 35 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [15] 13 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) [16] 4 Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tipparade) [17] 2 Scotland (OCC) [18] 7 UK Singles (OCC) [19] 5 UK on a Pop Tip Club Chart ( Music Week ) [20] with "One Kiss from Heaven" 1

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position UK Singles (OCC) [21] 78

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [22]	Platinum	600,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 25 May 1996. p. 31. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
2. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 13, no. 24. 15 June 1996. p. 9. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
3. O'Brien, Jon. "Louise — Changing Faces: Best of Louise". AllMusic . Retrieved 21 October 2021.
4. "Louise – Naked". Can't Stop the Pop. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
5. "Reviews" (PDF). Music Week . 18 May 1996. p. 8. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
6. Sutherland, Mark. "Louise – Naked". NME . Archived from the original on 17 August 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
7. Myers, Justin (16 August 2014). "Official Charts Pop Gem #69: Louise – Naked". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 20 June 2025.
8. Naked (UK CD1 liner notes). EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1996. CDEM 431, 7243 8 82929 2 4.
9. Naked (UK CD2 liner notes). EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1996. CDEMS 431, 7243 8 82930 2 0.
10. Naked (UK 12-inch single sleeve). EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1996. 7243 8 83054 6 4.
11. Naked (Australian CD single liner notes). EMI Records, 1st Avenue Records. 1996. 7243 8 83344 2 6.
12. Naked (UK CD album booklet). EMI United Kingdom, 1st Avenue Records. 1996. CDEMCOP 3748, 7243 8 52883 2 6.
13. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 171.
14. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 13, no. 24. 15 June 1996. p. 12. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
15. "Íslenski Listinn NR. 177 Vikuna 6.7. – 12.7. '96". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 6 July 1996. p. 26. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
16. "Louise – Naked" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved 6 June 2018.
17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Louise – Naked" (in Dutch). Single Top 100 . Retrieved 22 September 2020.
18. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
19. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
20. "The RM on a Pop Tip Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). 23 November 1996. p. 8. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
21. "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week . 18 January 1997. p. 25.
22. "British single certifications – Louise – Naked". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 22 September 2020.