Nightshift (album)

Last updated
Nightshift
Commodores nightshift album cover.jpg
Studio album by
Commodores
ReleasedJanuary 15, 1985
Recorded1984
StudioSoundcastle, Los Angeles, California
Genre
Length38:41
Label Motown
Producer Dennis Lambert
Commodores chronology
All the Great Love Songs
(1984)		Nightshift
(1985)		 The Very Best Of
(1985)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Globe and Mail (favourable) [2]
Philadelphia Inquirer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Smash Hits 3/10 [6]

Nightshift is the 11th studio album by the Commodores, released by Motown Records on January 15, 1985. This album was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA. [7] [8]

Contents

Background

Nightshift is the Commodores' second studio album without Lionel Richie, who left the band in 1982, and their last studio album with their original bass guitarist Ronald LaPread. Their previous album Commodores 13 (1983) had featured interim lead vocalist Harold Hudson of Mean Machine. [9] For Nightshift the Commodores permanently replaced Richie with British-born J.D. Nicholas, formerly of Heatwave. Dennis Lambert was chosen as producer, the Commodores hoping to find the same magic created by producer/arranger James Anthony Carmichael, with whom they had worked since 1974 and who was a major impetus in their earlier success. [10] [11]

Other musicians that play on the album include: Peter Wolf, Paul Fox, John Robinson, Neil Stubenhaus, Jeff Lorber, Peter Maunu, Harold Hudson, Dennis Lambert, Paulinho da Costa, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jerry Hey, Gary Grant, Gary Herbig and Larry Williams.

Critical reception

With a 4 out of 5 stars rating, Paul Sexton of Record Mirror described the album as "a really remarkable renaissance." [4]

Liam Lacey of the Globe and Mail said "The Commodores' latest holds up impressively throughout, and the presence of new lead vocalist J. D. Nicholas is a welcome, if not startling, change." [2]

Chart performance

The album remained in the top of the US Billboard Top R&B Albums charts in the US for a month. Nightshift also peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. [12]

Singles

The biggest song was its title track, "Nightshift". Written by Walter Orange, Dennis Lambert and Franne Golde, "Nightshift" was the band's biggest post–Lionel Richie hit, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs. [13] [12] Paying tribute to the late soul singers Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson, who both died in 1984, "Nightshift" also earned the group its only Grammy. [13] [14]

Two other singles, coming off the album, were later released. "Animal Instinct", with Orange on lead vocals, reached No. 23 on the R&B charts, and No. 43 on the pop charts. Another single, "Janet", barely made Billboard's Top 100 and never appeared on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart. However, Janet peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs charts. [15] [12]

Track listing

  1. "Animal Instinct" (Martin Page) – 4:54
  2. "Nightshift" (Dennis Lambert, Franne Golde, Walter Orange) – 5:03
  3. "I Keep Running" (Harold Hudson, Shirley King, William King) – 4:11
  4. "Lay Back" (Dennis Lambert, Franne Golde, Martin Page, Milan Williams) – 5:01
  5. "Slip of the Tongue" (Lenny Macaluso, Peter Beckett) – 3:53
  6. "Play This Record Twice" (Kevin Smith, Ronald LaPread) – 4:22
  7. "Janet" (Bobby Caldwell, Franne Golde, Paul Fox) – 3:41
  8. "Woman in My Life" (Keith Stegall, Patrick Henderson) – 3:34
  9. "Lighting Up the Night" (Diane Warren, Jeff Lorber) – 4:02

Personnel

Commodores

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Chart (1985)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [12] 3
US Billboard Top R&B Albums [12] 1
Australia Albums (Kent Music Report) [16] 44
Dutch Album Top 100 [17] 1
Germany Top 100 Albums (GfK Entertainment) [18] 4
New Zealand Top 40 Albums (RIANZ) [19] 13
Sweden Top Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [20] 22
Switzerland Albums Top 100 (Swiss Hitparade) [21] 8
UK Top 100 Albums (Official Charts Company) [22] 13

Certifications

CountryYearCertifications
US1985Gold (RIAA) [7]

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References

  1. ↑ Wynn, Ron. "Commodores: Nightshift". Allmusic.
  2. 1 2 Lacey, Liam (28 February 1985). "INSIDE THE SLEEVE POP Nightshift The Commodores". The Globe and Mail. p. E.5. ProQuest   386332790.
  3. ↑ Tucker, Ken (17 February 1985). "FROM HUSKER DU TRIO COMES 'NEW DAY RISING". Philadelphia Inquirer. p. H.9. ProQuest   1823041952.
  4. 1 2 Sexton, Paul (23 February 1985). "Albums: The Commodores – Nightshift (Motown)" (PDF). Record Mirror . London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 16. ISSN   0144-5804 . Retrieved 23 December 2023– via World Radio History.
  5. ↑ [ dead link ]
  6. ↑ Mills, Simon (28 February – 13 March 1985). "Albums: The Commodores – Nightshift (Motown)". Smash Hits . Vol. 7, no. 5. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 21. ISSN   0260-3004 . Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Commodores: Nightshift". RIAA.com. RIAA.
  8. ↑ Commodores: Nightshift. Motown Records. 1985.
  9. ↑ Allmusic.com: Commodores 13 Overview Retrieved Nov. 6, 2007.
  10. ↑ AllMusic.com Nightshift Overview Retrieved November 6, 2007
  11. ↑ AllMusic.com: James Anthony Carmichael Retrieved Nov. 6, 2007.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Withburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (6 ed.). New York City: Watson-Guptill. p.  57. ISBN   0-8230-7632-6.
  13. 1 2 Allmusic.com Song Review: Nightshift. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
  14. ↑ "Commodores". grammy.com. The Recording Academy.
  15. ↑ Allmusic.com: "Animal Instinct" Song Review. Retrieved November 6, 2007.
  16. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 72. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  17. ↑ "Commodores: Nightshift". dutchcharts.nl. Dutch Charts.
  18. ↑ "Commodores: Nightshift". offiziellecharts.de. GfK Entertainment charts.
  19. ↑ "Commodores: Nightshift". aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz.
  20. ↑ "Commodores: Nightshift". Sverigetopplistan.se.
  21. ↑ "Commodores: Nightshift". hitparade.ch. Swiss Hitparade.
  22. ↑ "Commodores: Nightshift". officialcharts.com. Official Charts.
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