Give Me the Night (song)

"Give Me the Night" is a song recorded by American jazz and R&B musician George Benson, which he released from his 1980 studio album of the same title. It was written by Heatwave's keyboard player Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. Patti Austin provides the backing and scat vocals that are heard throughout,^[3] and one of Benson's fellow jazz guitarists, Lee Ritenour, also performs on the track.

"Give Me the Night"
Variant for US, UK and Italian 7-inch singles, similar to cover art of the parent album of the same name
Single by George Benson
from the album Give Me the Night
B-side	"Dinorah, Dinorah"
Released	June 1980[1]
Genre	Soul disco[2]
Length	3:41 3:50 (commercial 7-inch) 4:58 (album) 5:03 (12-inch alternate mix)
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Rod Temperton
Producer(s)	Quincy Jones
George Benson singles chronology
"Hey Girl" (1979) "Give Me the Night" (1980) "Love X Love" (1980)
Music video
"Give Me the Night" on YouTube

The song was a commercial success, and was Benson's first single to hit number one on the US Billboard Soul Singles chart. It also peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it his most successful pop entry.^[4] It also peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Disco Singles chart^[5] and at number seven in the UK Singles Chart, where it ties with "In Your Eyes" as his highest charting single.^[6]

In 2021, Chris Molanphy listed the song as an example of the retrospectively named music genre yacht rock.^[2]

Track listing

Warner Bros. WBS 49505 (US, 7-inch)

1. "Give Me the Night"
2. "Dinorah, Dinorah"

Qwest/Warner Bros. K 17673 (UK, 7-inch)

1. "Give Me the Night"
2. "Breezin'"

Warner Bros. LV 40 (US, 12-inch)

1. "Give Me the Night" (long version)
2. "The World Is a Ghetto"
3. "Breezin'"

Personnel

• George Benson – guitar, lead vocals
• Lee Ritenour – guitar
• Abraham Laboriel – bass guitar
• John Robinson – drums
• Herbie Hancock – electric piano
• Richard Tee – synthesizer bass
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizer
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Patti Austin, Diva Gray, Jocelyn Brown, Tom Bahler, Jim Gilstrap – background vocals
• Jerry Hey – trumpet, string and horn arrangements
• Kim Hutchcroft, Larry Williams – saxophone, flute
• Quincy Jones – producer, rhythm arrangements
• Rod Temperton – rhythm and vocal arrangements

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7][8]	10
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9]	11
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10]	22
France (IFOP)[11]	3
Ireland (IRMA)[12]	15
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13]	8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14]	9
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15]	4
Norway (VG-lista)[16]	8
South Africa (Springbok Radio)[17]	5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18]	7
UK Singles (OCC)[6]	7
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	4
US Billboard Hot Disco Singles[5]	2
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[5]	1
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[19]	26
US Cash Box[20]	6
US Record World[21]	6

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7][22]	91
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[23]	86
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[24]	83
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[25]	72
US Billboard Hot 100[26]	91
US Cash Box[27]	41

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[28]	Gold	10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[29]	Gold	400,000‡
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Randy Crawford version

"Give Me the Night"
Single by Randy Crawford
from the album Naked & True
Released	December 31, 1996
Recorded	1995
Genre	Deep house, R&B
Length	5:06
Label	WEA
Songwriter(s)	Rod Temperton
Producer(s)	Ralf Droesemeyer
Randy Crawford singles chronology
"Why Can't We Take a Chance" (1994) "Give Me the Night" (1996) "Cajun Moon" (1996)

In 1995 Randy Crawford recorded a cover version of Give Me the Night which appeared on the album Naked & True. Compared to the original, which is a Post-Disco-Song, this version is Deep House. In addition to the studio album, it is also included on The Best Of Randy Crawford & Friends and Brigitte Musik - Jazz For Dinner 4 compilations.^[30] The bridge is not sung in this version.

Charts

Chart (1996-97)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)[31]	60
US R&B Singles[32]	47
Dance/Club Play Singles[33]	39

Uses and samples

• The song is used as a sample in "Je danse le Mia" by French hip hop band IAM.^[34]
• The song is parodied as "Le Casse de Brice" in the French film Brice de Nice.^[35]

See also

• List of number-one R&B singles of 1980 (U.S.)

References

1. "Billboard's Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 92, no. 25. June 21, 1980. p. 99. ISSN 0006-2510.
2. Molanphy, Chris (July 31, 2021). "What a Fool Believes Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
3. Elias, Jason. "Give Me the Night – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 53.
5. "Give Me the Night – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
6. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
7. "National Top 100 Singles for 1980". Kent Music Report. 5 January 1981. Retrieved 17 January 2022 – via Imgur.
8. "Billboard Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 92, no. 44. November 1, 1980. p. 84. ISSN 0006-2510.
9. "George Benson – Give Me The Night" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4701a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
11. "Le Détail par Artiste" (in French). InfoDisc. Select "George Benson" from the artist drop-down menu. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
12. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Give Me the Night". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – George Benson - Give Me The Night" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
14. "George Benson – Give Me The Night" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
15. "George Benson – Give Me The Night". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
16. "George Benson – Give Me The Night". VG-lista. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
17. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (B)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
18. "George Benson – Give Me The Night". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
19. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 28.
20. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending SEPTEMBER 27, 1980". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012.
21. "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. September 13, 1980. p. 67. ISSN 0034-1622. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
22. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
23. "Jaaroverzichten 1980" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
24. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1980" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
25. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1980" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
26. "Top 100 Hits for 1980". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
27. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1980". Cash Box. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012.
28. "New Zealand single certifications – George Benson – Give Me the Night". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
29. "British single certifications – George Benson – Give Me the Night". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
30. Allmusic.com
31. Chartsurfer.de
32. Whitburn, Joel (2005). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 85.
33. allmusic
34. de Longeville, Thibaud (July 14, 1999). "Le rap en France – Le combat continue". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). Retrieved May 17, 2016.
35. "Brice de Nice au top à 42 ans !" (in French). RTN. June 19, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2016.