Too Hot (Kool & the Gang song)

"Too Hot" is a song recorded by the American band Kool & the Gang for their first Platinum-selling 1979 album Ladies' Night.^[1] It was written by George Brown and Kool & the Gang and produced by Eumir Deodato and Kool & the Gang.^[1]

"Too Hot"
One of side-A labels of US single
Single by Kool & the Gang
from the album Ladies' Night
B-side	"Tonight's the Night"
Released	January 1, 1980 (Charted January 19, 1980)
Length	5:05 (album version) 3:48 (single version)
Label	De-Lite
Songwriter(s)	George Brown Kool & the Gang
Producer(s)	Eumir Deodato and Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang singles chronology
"Ladies' Night" (1979) "Too Hot" (1980) "Celebration" (1980)

The Gold certified single reached #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on Billboard's R&B survey in the spring of 1980.^[2]

Record World said that the song "offers a midtempo pace with delightful keyboards & vocals."^[3]

A third single, "Hanging Out", was issued from the Ladies' Night LP in April but gained little notice. It bubbled under at #103.

Track listing

De-Lite Records - DE-802 - 6168.772:^[4]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Too Hot"	George M. Brown & Kool and the Gang	3:48
2.	"Tonight's the Night"	Ronald Bell	3:58

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1980) Peak position Canada Top Singles (RPM) 18 UK Singles (OCC) 23 US Billboard Hot 100 5 US Dance (Billboard) 5 US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks (Billboard) 11 US R&B (Billboard) 3 US Cash Box Top 100 7

Year-end charts Chart (1980) Rank US Billboard Hot 100 [5] 36 US Cash Box Top 100[6] 50

Coolio version

"Too Hot"
Single by Coolio
from the album Gangsta's Paradise
Released	October 21, 1995 (1995-10-21)[7]
Length	3:42
Label	Tommy Boy
Songwriter(s)	Artis Ivey Jr. George Brown Bryan Dobbs
Producer(s)	Bryan Dobbs
Coolio singles chronology
"Gangsta's Paradise" (1995) "Too Hot" (1995) "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" (1996)
Music video
"Too Hot" on YouTube

In 1995, American rapper Coolio covered the song for his second studio album, Gangsta's Paradise (1995). It was released in October 1995 by Tommy Boy Records as the second single from the album. Major parts of the original were retained, but supplemented by independent rap passages. In the rap passages he also addresses the disease HIV/AIDS. The accompanying music video for "Too Hot" was directed by David Nelson.^[8]

Critical reception

British columnist for Dotmusic, James Masterton viewed the song as "another extremely commercial piece of Gangsta rap and another instant Top 10 hit." He added, "My only query is just who decided to release a record called 'Too Hot' in the middle of a freezing cold January?"^[9] Helen Lamont from Smash Hits gave it four out of five, writing, "This is flavour of the fortnight Coolio's remake of an old Kool and the Gang seventies number, and very good it is too. 'Too Hot' is a great dancy tune, along the lines of Godfathers of soul James Brown or James Taylor. You can just see it being played at cool art school discos everywhere, with "individual" types sporting big hats and flares moving to that old skool beat. Groovy, groovy, jazzy, funky, by the way, big man."^[10]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1995–1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[11] 42 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 41 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13] 16 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14] 24 Europe (European Dance Radio)[15] 1 France (SNEP)[16] 15 Germany (GfK)[17] 24 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[18] 9 Ireland (IRMA)[19] 18 Italy (Musica e dischi)[20] 6 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[21] 12 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[22] 10 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 7 Scotland (OCC)[24] 23 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 35 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 18 UK Singles (OCC)[27] 9 UK Dance (OCC)[28] 16 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[29] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[30] 24 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[31] 22 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[32] 31 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[33] 6 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[34] 19

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[35] 98 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[36] 99 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[37] 60

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[38]	Gold	5,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone.

2004 version

"Too Hot"
Single by Kool & the Gang featuring Lisa Stansfield
from the album The Hits: Reloaded
Released	September 2004 (2004-09)
Recorded	2004
Length	4:32
Label	Edel
Songwriter(s)	George Brown Kool & the Gang
Producer(s)	George Brown Leigh Guest Khalis Bayyan
Lisa Stansfield singles chronology
"All Around the World (Norty Cotto Mixes)" (2003) "Too Hot" (2004) "Easier" (2004)

In 2004, Kool & the Gang released The Hits: Reloaded album, which features their greatest hits performed by various artists.^[39] "Too Hot" was recorded by British singer Lisa Stansfield and released as a promotional single from The Hits: Reloaded in selected European countries in September 2004.^[40]

Track listings

European promotional CD single

1. "Too Hot" (Kool & the Gang featuring Lisa Stansfield) – 4:32
2. "Where Da Boogie At!" (Kool & the Gang featuring R.O.C. & Da Prince Hakim) – 3:39

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[41]	36

References

1. Hanson, Amy. "Ladies Night". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
2. "Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
3. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. January 12, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
4. "Too Hot/Tonight's the Night". Discogs. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
5. "Top 100 Hits of 1980/Top 100 Songs of 1980". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
6. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1980". Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Cash Box magazine.
7. "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1118. October 27, 1995. pp. 35, 41. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
8. "Coolio: Too Hot". IMDb. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
9. Masterton, James (January 14, 1996). "Week Ending January 20th 1996". Dotmusic. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
10. Lamont, Helen (January 17, 1996). "Singles". Smash Hits. p. 52. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
11. "Coolio – Too Hot". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
12. "Coolio – Too Hot" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
13. "Coolio – Too Hot" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
14. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 9. March 2, 1996. p. 16. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
15. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. February 24, 1996. p. 20. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
16. "Coolio – Too Hot" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
17. "Coolio – Too Hot" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
18. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (20.1. '96 – 26.1. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 20, 1996. p. 38. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Too Hot". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
20. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 12. March 23, 1996. p. 19. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 1996" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
22. "Coolio – Too Hot" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
23. "Coolio – Too Hot". Top 40 Singles.
24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
25. "Coolio – Too Hot". Singles Top 100.
26. "Coolio – Too Hot". Swiss Singles Chart.
27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
28. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
29. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
30. "Coolio Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
31. "Coolio Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
32. "Coolio Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
33. "Coolio Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
34. "Coolio Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
35. "Rapports Annuels 1996". Ultratop. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
36. "Music & Media 1996 in Review – Year End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 51/52. December 21, 1996. p. 12. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
37. "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1997. p. 16. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
38. "New Zealand single certifications – Coolio – Too Hot". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
39. Jeffries, David. "The Hits: Reloaded". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
40. "Kool & The Gang Featuring Lisa Stansfield – Too Hot". Discogs. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
41. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 20 May 2015.

External links

• Kool & the Gang - Too Hot on YouTube