Gimme the Light

"Gimme the Light" is the first single from Jamaican dancehall musician Sean Paul's second studio album, Dutty Rock (2002). The song was originally released in Jamaica in 2001 as "Give Me the Light"^[1] and was issued internationally in 2002. "Gimme the Light" was Paul's first hit single, peaking at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a top-20 hit in Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It is the most popular hit single from the "Buzz" riddim, which was the debut hit production for Troyton Rami & Roger Mackenzie a production duo of Black Shadow Records in Miami, Florida.

"Give Me the Light"
Single by Sean Paul
B-side	"The Buzz" (Version)[1]
Released	2001 (2001)
Label	Black Shadow
Songwriter(s)	Troyton Rami Sean Henriques
Producer(s)	Troyton Rami Roger Mackenzie

"Gimme the Light"
Single by Sean Paul
from the album Dutty Rock
B-side	"Can You Do the Work" (Liquid Riddim)
Released	9 September 2002 (2002-09-09)
Genre	Dancehall
Length	3:46 3:20 (Pass the Dro-Voisier remix)
Label	VP Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Sean Henriques Troyton Rami
Producer(s)	Troyton Rami
Sean Paul singles chronology
"Money Jane" (2000) "Gimme the Light" (2002) "Make It Clap" (2002)
Music video
"Gimme the Light" on YouTube

Background and release

In 2001, a fledgling Miami-based Jamaican production team known as Black Shadow created a new dancehall riddim which they called "The Buzz". Of approximately 12 tracks that were vocalized by the latest stars and upcoming artists of dancehall, four of them became hits in the following year: Elephant Man's "Haters Wanna War", Cobra's "Press Trigger", Sizzla's "Pump Up", and Sean Paul's "Give Me the Light", which became the most popular one because of its catchy chorus. "The Buzz" became the biggest Dancehall riddim of 2002, followed by the Diwali riddim by Steven "Lenky" Marsden later on, which was also his first hit production. Black Shadow followed up "The Buzz" with the "Surprise" riddim in 2003.^{[citation needed]}

When Sean Paul appeared on the music channel Flava, he revealed that lyrics from what would later become lyrics for the song "Like Glue" were originally planned to be lyrics for the intro of "Gimme the Light". But when he expanded on those lyrics, it became its own song "Like Glue", and those lyrics were no longer used in "Gimme the Light".

The unedited version of "Gimme the Light", as is the case with many Sean Paul releases, makes direct reference to smoking marijuana (in this case, passing along hydroponically grown marijuana, referred to as "the 'dro" in the song's chorus). The edited version of "Dutty Rock" contains the lyrics "Just gimme the light and start the show," instead of "pass the dro." Paul is also out clubbing and checking out women for a possible nightcap. References to marijuana were removed from the song for the edited version.^{[citation needed]}

The official remix, "Gimme the Light (Pass the Dro-Voisier Remix)", features rapper Busta Rhymes. This version uses only the chorus from the original (the clean version also uses the unedited version's chorus), replaced by new lyrics from Paul and Busta, also of Jamaican heritage. The remix's name is referenced from Busta Rhymes' 2002 hit single, "Pass The Courvoisier, Part II".^{[citation needed]} The song's instrumental was used for the remainder of the remix of Sean Paul's next single, "Get Busy", featuring Fatman Scoop.^{[citation needed]}

In 2017, the song was included on Billboard's 12 Best Dancehall & Reggaeton Choruses of the 21st Century list at number three.^[2] In 2024, American rapper Ice Spice sampled the song in her single "Gimmie a Light".

Music video

The music video was directed by Director X, known as Little X at the time. Features video vixen Pasha de Matas Bleasdell and choreographer Tanisha Scott.

Track listings

CD maxi – US

1. "Gimme the Light" (Buzz Riddim)
2. "Gimme the Light" (Buzz Riddim instrumental)
3. "Can You Do the Work" (Liquid Riddim)

CD maxi – Europe

1. "Gimme the Light" (album version) – 3:46
2. "Gimme the Light" (Pass the Dro-Vosier remix) – 3:20
3. "Gimme the Light" (blackout remix) – 3:42
4. "Gimme the Light" (2Step Moabit relick remix) – 3:47

CD single

1. "Gimme the Light" (clean radio edit) – 3:47
2. "Gimme the Light" (Pass the Dro-Voisier remix - clean radio edit) – 3:20

12-inch maxi – US

1. "Gimme the Light" (original mix) – 3:46
2. "Gimme the Light" (instrumental version) – 2:50
3. "Gimme the Light" (Pass the Dro-Vosier remix - album / street mix) – 3:20
4. "Gimme the Light" (Pass the Dro-Vosier remix - clean radio edit) – 3:20

12-inch maxi – Europe

1. "Gimme the Light" (original mix) – 3:46
2. "Gimme the Light" (Pass the Dro-Vosier remix) – 3:20
3. "Gimme the Light" (heartless crew remix) – 4:45
4. "Gimme the Light" (heartless crew dub) – 4:45

CD maxi – Remixes

1. "Gimme the Light" (Pass the Dro-Vosier remix - clean radio edit) – 3:20
2. "Gimme the Light" (original mix - clean "Start the Show" radio edit) – 3:47
3. "Gimme the Light" (Pass the Dro-Vosier remix - album / street version) – 3:20
4. "Gimme the Light" (original mix - album version) – 3:46
5. "Gimme the Light" (instrumental version) – 2:49

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Gimme the Light" Chart (2002–2003) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[3] 89 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[4] 11 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[5] 15 France (SNEP)[6] 43 Germany (GfK)[7] 35 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[8] 36 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[9] 16 Scotland (OCC)[10] 23 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] 34 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] 19 UK Singles (OCC)[13] 5 UK Indie (OCC)[14] 4 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[15] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[16] 7 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[17] 3 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[18] 3 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[19] 26 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[20] 4

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Gimme the Light" Chart (2002) Position Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[21] 45 US Billboard Hot 100[22] 74 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)[23] 30 US Hot Rap Tracks (Billboard)[24] 22 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[25] 78 Chart (2003) Position UK Singles (OCC)[26] 130 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)[27] 73 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[28] 69

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Gimme the Light"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[29]	Gold	5,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[30]	Silver	200,000‡
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Gimme the Light"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Jamaica	2001	7-inch vinyl	Black Shadow	[1]
United Kingdom	9 September 2002	CD	VP Atlantic	[31]
United States	21 October 2002	Contemporary hit radio		[32]
Australia	20 January 2003	CD	Warner Music Australia	[33]
United Kingdom (re-release)	3 February 2003	CD 12-inch vinyl	VP Atlantic	[34]