Ladies' Night (album)

Ladies' Night is the eleventh studio album by the American band Kool & the Gang, released in 1979. The album became their first major success especially after the release of the title track, the U.S. #8 "Ladies' Night," and the U.S. #5 follow-up "Too Hot" which both became Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. The album brought a return to the mainstream after a lull in success from 1976–1978. Ladies' Night reached number one on the U.S. R&B chart. Additionally, all the cuts from the album reached number five on the disco chart.^[2]

Ladies' Night
Standard artwork
Studio album by Kool & the Gang
Released	September 6, 1979
Recorded	1978–1979
Genre	Disco R&B synth-funk[1]
Length	34:05
Label	De-Lite
Producer	Eumir Deodato
Kool & the Gang chronology
Everybody's Dancin' (1978) Ladies' Night (1979) Celebrate! (1980)
Singles from Ladies' Night
"Ladies' Night" Released: August 21, 1979 "Too Hot" Released: January, 1980 "Hangin' Out" Released: April 1980

With Ladies' Night, Kool & the Gang made their funk style more mainstream by incorporating some pop and light R&B into the sound. The result was that this album was not only popular during the 1970s black-oriented funk era where the band started, but also during the more popular and diverse disco era. Ladies' Night became their first Platinum album.^[3] It also marked the debut of lead vocalist James "J.T." Taylor.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Rolling Stone	(mixed)[5]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul	[6]

The Bay State Banner noted the "lighter sound, one that places the once prominent horns in the background and depends on softer, more implied rhythms but wisely emphasizes the boogie ethic."^[7]

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ladies' Night"	George Brown, Kool & the Gang	6:38
2.	"Got You into My Life"		4:25
3.	"If You Feel Like Dancin'"		5:05

All tracks are written by Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang; except where noted

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Hangin' Out"		5:31
2.	"Tonight's the Night"		7:21
3.	"Too Hot"	Brown, Kool & the Gang	5:05

Personnel

Musical

James "J.T." Taylor – lead and backing vocals Ronald Bell – tenor saxophone, backing vocals, keyboards, bass Dennis "D.T." Thomas – alto saxophone, backing vocals Claydes Smith – guitars Eumir Deodato – keyboards Adam Ippolito – keyboards Robert "Kool" Bell – bass, backing vocals George "Funky" Brown – drums, backing vocals

Clifford Adams – trombone Christine Albert – trumpet Robert "Spike" Mickens – trumpet Jon Faddis – trumpet Cedric Toon – backing vocals[citation needed] Earl Toon – backing vocals Something Sweet (Diane Cameron, Cynthia Huggins, Joan Motley) – backing vocals

Technical

• Mike Doud – art direction
• Joe Kotleba – cover design
• Raul Vega – photography
• Joe Gastwirt – CD mastering and CD digital remastering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1979) Peak position Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] 43 US Billboard 200[9] 13 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[10] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1980) Position US Billboard 200[11] 11

Singles

Year	Title	Chart	Peak position
1979	Ladies' Night	US Billboard R&B[12]	1
		US Billboard Hot 100[12]	8
		UK Singles Chart[13]	9
1980	"Too Hot"	US Billboard R&B[12]	3
		US Billboard Hot 100[12]	5
		UK Singles Chart[13]	23
1980	Hangin' Out	US Billboard R&B[12]	36
		UK Singles Chart[13]	52

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[14]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1979 (U.S.)

References

1. Breihan, Tom (April 20, 2020). "The Number Ones: Kool & The Gang's "Celebration"". Stereogum. Retrieved July 15, 2023. On Ladies' Night, Kool & The Gang found the smoothly funky synth-funk sound that would take them into the '80s.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Joel Whitburn's hot dance/disco, 1974–2003. Menomonee Falls, Wis: Record Research Inc. p. 148. ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7.
3. "Kool & the Gang". Billboard. Lynne Segall. October 9, 1982. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
4. Hanson, Amy. "Kool & the Gang: Ladies' Night > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
5. Keepnews, Peter (March 6, 1980). "Kool & the Gang: Ladies' Night". Rolling Stone (RS 312). Straight Arrow. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on 2007-11-16.
6. Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul. Virgin. p. 196.
7. Wynn, Ron (1 Nov 1979). "Shades of Blue". Bay State Banner. No. 2. p. 19.
8. "Dutchcharts.nl – Kool & the Gang – Ladies' Night" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
9. "Kool & the Gang Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
10. "Kool & the Gang Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
11. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1980". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
12. "Ladies' Night > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" at AllMusic. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
13. "Kool & the Gang – Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
14. "American album certifications – Kool & The Gang – Ladies Night". Recording Industry Association of America.

• Kool & the Gang – Ladies' Night at Discogs

External links

• Official Kool & the Gang site