I Love the Nightlife

"I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)" is a popular disco song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Bridges in 1978. It was released as the first single from her debut album, Alicia Bridges (1978), and went to number two on the US Billboard National Disco Action Top 30 (now the Dance Club Songs chart) for two weeks. It became a crossover hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and found worldwide success, reaching the top 10 in Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands and South Africa, as well as reaching the top 30 in the UK. A re-release in 1994 allowed the song to reach number four in New Zealand and number five in Iceland.

"I Love the Nightlife"
Side A of the US single
Single by Alicia Bridges
from the album Alicia Bridges
B-side	"Self Applause"
Released	June 19, 1978 (June 19, 1978)
Recorded	1978
Studio	Studio One (Doraville, Georgia)
Genre	Disco
Length	5:37 (album version) 3:10 (7-inch edit)
Label	Polydor
Songwriter(s)	Alicia Bridges, Susan Hutcheson
Producer(s)	Steve Buckingham
Alicia Bridges singles chronology
"I Love the Nightlife" (1978) "Body Heat" (1979)
Audio
"I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)" (album ver.) on YouTube
"I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)" (edit) on YouTube

Background

The song was co-written by Alicia Bridges and Susan Hutcheson in 1977 for Bill Lowery, founder of Southern Music. "I Love the Nightlife" was the first single produced by Steve Buckingham who was invited to produce the single's parent album entitled Alicia Bridges after he had played guitar on a session by the singer. Bridges suggested to Hutcheson that they write a song with either "disco" or "boogie" in the title after Bridges saw a current top-ten hit list featuring several songs with dance-oriented titles. The original title of the resultant song: "Disco 'Round", became the subtitle under the main title "I Love the Nightlife" as Buckingham considered it an R&B number and did not want it labeled disco.^[1] Bridges herself would later admit that she had hopes that the song would be received as a Memphis soul number, calling it "something Al Green might sing".^[2] However it is as a disco classic that the song is most remembered: in an August 26, 1998 MTV countdown of the Top 54 Dance Songs of the Disco Era, "I Love the Nightlife" was ranked at number 37.^[3]

1994 re-release

In 1994, the song gained renewed interest after being featured in the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. It was subsequently re-released and found the best success in New Zealand, where it reached number four in February 1995, 12 places higher than its original peak of number 16. The re-release also reached number five in Iceland and number 11 in Australia. Because of its association with the film (and also because Bridges herself is an open lesbian), the song is closely linked with gay culture.^{[citation needed]} It was remixed for this release.

Music video

A music video was directed by Bruce Gowers.

1994 video

In 1994, a new video was produced featuring Hugo Weaving, star of the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1978–1979) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 7 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 3 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[7] 1 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[8] 3 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[9] 9 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 11 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 16 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[12] 7 UK Singles (OCC)[13] 32 US Billboard Hot 100[14] 5 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[15] 44 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[16] 2 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[17] 31 US Cash Box Top 100[18] 6 West Germany (GfK)[19] 35 Chart (1988) Peak position New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 29 Chart (1994–1995) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[20] 11 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[21] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 4 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 61 UK Club Chart (Music Week)[23] 59 US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[24] 10

Year-end charts Chart (1978) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[25] 75 US Billboard Hot 100[26] 88 US Cash Box Top 100[27] 70 Chart (1979) Position Australia (Kent Music Report)[4][28] 48 Belgium (Ultratop)[29] 77 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[30] 107 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] 85 US Billboard Hot 100[32] 64 Chart (1994) Position Australia (ARIA)[33] 52 Chart (1995) Position New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[34] 45 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Australia (ARIA)[35] Gold 35,000^ Canada (Music Canada)[36] Gold 75,000^ United States (RIAA)[37] Gold 1,000,000^ ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

• Laura Branigan sang the song live on German television and it was included on the very rare compilation album Gut Gestimmt in 1980.
• In 1995 the song was released by the band Bronski Beat labeled "I Luv The Nightlife", which featured two remix versions of the original song and two remix versions of the alternate song Hit That Perfect Beat Boy.
• It was re-recorded by Latin singer La India and Nuyorican Soul as a track on the soundtrack for the film The Last Days of Disco. This version peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.^[38]
• In 2003 it was performed by Taylor Dayne in the television special The Disco Ball.

In popular culture

• In The Simpsons episode "Homer's Phobia", Homer dances to the song. In another episode, "I'm with Cupid", Apu taught a parrot to sing "I Love The Nightlife" with clever new lyrics to Manjula. Marge was impressed although she hates the song; Homer admits that he hates it as well. It was also featured in the episode "A Milhouse Divided", with Luann Van Houten humming it while burning Kirk's storage boxes. It also can be heard in the 2008 episode "Mypods and Boomsticks" in Studio 54 when Itchy travels back to Studio 54 in the "Itchy & Scratchy" short.
• In the 1979 horror-comedy film Love At First Bite, the vampire Dracula and his would-be bride dance to the song in a disco. The 2007 DVD release of the movie features a different song in the relevant scene, however the 2015 release by Shout! Factory restored the original song.^[39]
• In the movie So I Married An Axe Murderer, Mike Myers's character quotes the lyrics from the chorus during a conversation with his love interest in the movie.
• In the Jeopardy! round of the May 29, 2006 episode of Jeopardy!, the last two categories were "I Love the Nightlife" (about cities at night) and "I Got to Boogie" (about famous escapees).^{[citation needed]}
• Featured in the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), and stage musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert – the Musical
• Featured in the short documentary film "Ladies Please!" (1995)
• Thai 1995 MC Jeans ad show two men in different car calling and hear the cassette tape in a car when they go to the hotel.
• Lyrics used in the March 29, 2012 episode of The Big Bang Theory as a "test" that the character of Raj Koothrappali could be gay.
• The song was featured in the seventh season of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia episode “Frank’s Brother” during the scene where Frank returns from Colombia.
• The song was in the May 15, 2019 episode "Five, Six, Seven, Ate!" (episode 3 of Season 5) of iZombie during the montage scene in which Liv and Clive teach Ravi to dance.
• The song was featured in a 2021 Gucci commercial.
• The song was featured in the 2023 film Sympathy for the Devil during the scene where Nicolas Cage dances and sings in a diner.

See also

• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States

References

1. The Tennessean October 5, 1980 "Farm Lures Hit Producer Here" by Walter Carter p.6
2. Daily Record (Morristown NJ) July 29, 2002 "VH1 Looks at Once-Hot Hits" by Kevin McDonough p.B5
3. Atlanta Constitution August 26, 1998 "Peach Buzz" by Richard L. Eldredge p.38.
4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
5. "Alicia Bridges – I Love the Nightlife (Disco Round)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0072a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
7. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 0081." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
8. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 4507." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
9. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 6, 1979" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
10. "Alicia Bridges – I Love the Nightlife (Disco Round)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
11. "Alicia Bridges – I Love the Nightlife (Disco Round)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
12. "SA Charts 1965–1989 – Acts B". Retrieved September 1, 2018.
13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
14. "Alicia Bridges Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
15. "Alicia Bridges Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
16. "Alicia Bridges Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
17. "Alicia Bridges Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
18. Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffman, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950-1993. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. p. 38. ISBN 1563083167. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
19. "Offiziellecharts.de – Alicia Bridges – I Love the Nightlife (Disco Round)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
20. "Alicia Bridges – I Love the Nightlife (Disco Round)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
21. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (18.02.1995 – 25.02.1995)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir – Tónlist. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
23. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). September 17, 1994. p. 4. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
24. "Alicia Bridges Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
25. "Top 200 Singles of '78". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
26. "Top 100 Hits of 1979/Top 100 Songs of 1978". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
27. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, December 30, 1978". Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
28. "Kent Music Report No 288 – 31 December 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023 – via Imgur.com.
29. "Jaaroverzichten 1979" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
30. "1979 Top 200 Singles". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
31. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1979" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
32. "Top 100 Hits of 1979/Top 100 Songs of 1979". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
33. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
34. "End of Year Charts 1995". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
35. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1994 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
36. "Canadian single certifications – Alicia Bridges – I Love the Nightlife". Music Canada. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
37. "American single certifications – Alicia Bridges – I Love the Night Life". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
38. "I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round) - India & Nuyorican Soul". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media.
39. Love At First Bite / Once Bitten Double Feature

External links

• Lyrics of this song
• Alicia Bridges - I Love the Nightlife on YouTube