The Right Thing (song)

This article is about the song by Simply Red. For the song by Moby, see Destroyed (Moby album).

"The Right Thing"
Single by Simply Red
from the album Men and Women
B-side	"There's A Love"
Released	2 February 1987 [1]
Recorded	1986
Genre	Blue-eyed soul, funk
Length	4:18
Label	Elektra
Songwriter(s)	Mick Hucknall
Producer(s)	Alex Sadkin
Simply Red singles chronology
"Open Up the Red Box" (1986) "The Right Thing" (1987) "Infidelity" (1987)
Music video
"The Right Thing” on YouTube

"The Right Thing" is a song by the British soul and pop band Simply Red, released as the first single from their second album, Men and Women (1987). The song reached #11 on the UK charts in early 1987 and #27 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Critical reception

Wayne Hussey of Smash Hits panned "The Right Thing", stating he "detest[ed] this kind of white soul" and criticising Hucknall's "red hair". ^[2]

Music video

The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan. ^[3]

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "The Right Thing" Chart (1987) Peak position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [4] 4 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [5] 17 Italy Airplay ( Music & Media ) [6] 13 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [7] 4 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [8] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [9] 9 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [10] 10 UK Singles (OCC) [11] 11 US Billboard Hot 100 [12] 27 West Germany (GfK) [13] 27

Year-end charts 1987 year-end chart performance for "The Right Thing" Chart (1987) Position Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) [14] 43 European Top 100 Singles (Music & Media) [15] 56 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [16] 50 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [17] 53

References

1. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 47.
2. Hussey, Wayne (28 January – 10 February 1987). "Singles reviewed by Wayne Hussey" (PDF). Smash Hits . Vol. 9, no. 2. p. 49. ISSN   0260-3004 . Retrieved 20 November 2023– via World Radio History.
3. "Simply Red - 'The Right Thing'". MVDBase.com (video). ASG. 1998–2017. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
4. "Simply Red – The Right Thing" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
5. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Simply Red". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 235. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
6. "European Playlist Reports: RAI - Italy" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 4, no. 8. 28 February 1987. p. 18.
7. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 11, 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
8. "Simply Red – The Right Thing" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
9. "Simply Red – The Right Thing". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
10. "Simply Red – The Right Thing". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
11. "Simply Red: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
12. "Simply Red Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Simply Red – The Right Thing" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
14. "Jaaroverzichten 1987". Ultratop. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
15. "European Charts of the Year 1987: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 26 December 1987. p. 34. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
16. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1987". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
17. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1987". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 9 September 2021.