We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off

"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (released in the United Kingdom as "We Don't Have To...") is a song by American R&B singer Jermaine Stewart, released in 1986 as the lead single from his second studio album Frantic Romantic (1986). The song was written by Narada Michael Walden and Preston Glass, and produced by Walden. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" remains Stewart's biggest commercial success, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked within the top ten of the charts in Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"
Single by Jermaine Stewart
from the album Frantic Romantic
B-side	"Brilliance"
Released	May 27, 1986
Genre	Dance-pop funk
Length	4:54 (album version) 4:05 (edited single version)
Label	Arista Virgin 10 Records
Songwriter(s)	Narada Michael Walden Preston Glass
Producer(s)	Narada Michael Walden
Jermaine Stewart singles chronology
"I Like It" (1985) "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (1986) "Frantic Romantic" / "Versatile" (1986)
Music video
”We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off” on YouTube
Alternate cover
UK 12" cover of "We Don't Have To..."

Background

Stewart recorded "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" during 1985 and it was released around the world the following summer. The single seemed to reflect more modesty regarding sex due to the AIDS epidemic at the time. When interviewed by Donnie Simpson in 1988, Stewart spoke of the lyrical message within the song, "I think it made a lot of peoples' minds open up a little bit. We didn't only want to just talk about clothes, we wanted to extend that. We wanted to use the song as a theme to be able to say you don't have to do all the negative things that society forces on you. You don't have to drink and drive. You don't have to take drugs early. The girls don't have to get pregnant early. So the clothes bit of it was to get people's attention, which it did and I'm glad it was a positive message."^[1][2]

The song reignited Stewart's popularity, as his previous single, "I Like It", had failed to make much impact as a follow-up to Stewart's moderately successful debut single, "The Word Is Out" ("I Like It" did not chart in either the US or the United Kingdom).

Promotion

A music video directed by David Fincher was created for the single, and Stewart guested on numerous TV shows to promote the single, including appearances on Soul Train and American Bandstand.

Legacy

In 2011, the song was used in a Cadbury's TV commercial in the United Kingdom, called The Charity Shop.^[3] This exposed the song to a new generation who downloaded the track and returned it to the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 29.

The song also appeared in Kevin Smith's film Zack and Miri Make a Porno, the episode "My Dirty Secret" of the television show Scrubs, and the first episode of the second series of the comedy show Peter Kay's Car Share.^{[citation needed]}

The song has been covered a number of times, including by Clea, Lil' Chris, and Ella Eyre.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, the single "Clothes Off!!" by Gym Class Heroes featuring Patrick Stump was released, interpolating the hook from the song.

Release

In the US, "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" was released with the B-side, "Give Your Love to Me", the closing track from Frantic Romantic, written by Jakko J. and Stewart. In the UK and Europe, the B-side "Brilliance" was taken from Stewart's 1984 debut album The Word Is Out and was written by Stewart and Julian Lindsay.^[4] A dance remix of "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" was made by Lewis A. Martineé.

Formats

7" single (American release)

1. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" – 3:57
2. "Give Your Love to Me" – 4:20

7" single (Canadian release)

1. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (7” version) – 4:05
2. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (dub mix) – 6:40

7" single (European release)

1. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" – 4:05
2. "Brilliance" – 4:43

7" single (UK and Australian release)

1. "We Don't Have To..." – 4:05
2. "Brilliance" – 4:43

12" single (American and Canadian release)

1. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (dance remix) – 5:45
2. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (dub) – 6:40
3. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (7” version) – 4:05

12" single (European release)

1. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (extended) – 5:45
2. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (7” version) – 4:05
3. "Brilliance" – 4:43

12" single (UK release)

1. "We Don't Have To..." (extended version) – 5:45
2. "We Don't Have To..." – 4:05
3. "Brilliance" – 4:43

Charts

Original release Weekly chart performance for "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" Chart (1986–1987) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 37 Canadian Singles Chart[6] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7] 7 Dutch Singles Chart[8] 13 French Singles Chart[9] 91 Irish Singles Chart[10] 4 New Zealand Singles Chart[11] 27 UK Singles Chart[12] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[13] 5 US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart[14] 64 US Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart[15] 41 US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales Chart[16] 35 2011 reissue Chart (2011) Peak position Irish Singles Chart[10] 30 UK Singles Chart[12] 29 UK R&B Singles Chart[17] 7

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" Chart (1986) Rank Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[18] 82 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[19] 18 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 62 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[21] 94 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 14 US Billboard Hot 100[23] 60 US Cash Box Top 100[24] 81

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[25]	Gold	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[26]	Gold	400,000‡
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

Album version

Taken from the Frantic Romantic liner notes.^[27]

• Jermaine Stewart – lead vocals
• Narada Michael Walden – Drums, programming (Linn drum machine)
• Greg "Gigi" Gonaway – Simmons drum fills
• Preston "Tiger Head" Glass, Walter "Baby Love" Afanasieff – Keyboards, synthesizer
• Corrado Rustici – guitar
• Randy "The King" Jackson – Moog Source bass synth
• Marc Russo, Premik Russell Tubbs – saxophones
• Jeanie Tracy, Jim Gilstrap, Karen "Kitty Beethoven" Brewington, Laundon Von Kendricks, Sylvester, The Lala Gang (Sudhahota, Anukampa Walden, Carl Lewis, Kim Carter) – backing vocals

Additional personnel on single release

• Art direction – Donn Davenport
• Design – Rebecca Tachna
• Stylist – Jane Hoffman
• Photography – Steve Prezant
• Guitar on "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" – Chris Amigo
• Keyboards on "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" – Fro Sossa
• Mix engineer – Mike Couzzi
• Mixer on "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" – Lewis A. Martineé
• Producer, arranger on "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" – Narada Michael Walden
• Remixer on "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (short version) – Lewis A. Martineé
• Remixer on "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (dub mix) – Lewis A. Martineé
• Remixer on "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (dance remix) – Lewis A. Martineé
• Producer on "Brilliance" – Peter Collins
• Producer on "Give Your Love to Me" – Narada Michael Walden
• Writers of "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" – Narada Michael Walden, Preston Glass
• Writers of "Brilliance" – Jermaine Stewart, Julian Lindsay
• Writers of "Give Your Love to Me" – Jakko J., Jermaine Stewart

Clea version

"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"
Single by Clea vs. Da Playaz
from the album Trinity
Released	September 2005 (UK) 2006 (Europe)
Genre	Dance-pop
Label	Upside Records
Clea vs. Da Playaz singles chronology
"Stuck in the Middle" (2004) "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (2005) "Lucky Like That" (2006)

The song was covered by English girl group Clea and was released as their third single in the UK in September 2005. It was their third top 40 hit, charting at number 35. The song appears on their UK debut album, Trinity.

Charts

Chart (2005)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)	35[28]

Lil' Chris version

"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"
Single by Lil' Chris
from the album What's It All About
Released	October 2007 (UK)
Genre	Pop
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	Narada Michael Walden Preston Glass
Lil' Chris singles chronology
"Figure It Out" (2007) "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (2007)

Lil' Chris covered the song and released it as the only single from his second album, What's It All About, on October 19, 2007. It peaked at number 63 on the UK Singles Chart. This was his last single before his death in 2015.

Track listing

CD single

1. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" – 3:04
2. "Taste Me" (live in Manchester)
3. "I Never Noticed" (Live in London)

7" vinyl

1. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" – 3:04
2. "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (Media Virus Remix) – 5:53

Charts

Chart (2007)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	63

Ella Eyre version

"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"
Song by Ella Eyre
from the album Feline (Deluxe)
Released	October 5, 2013
Label	Virgin EMI
Producer(s)	Michael Harwood, Sean Hargreaves

The song was covered by Ella Eyre and appeared first on Virgin Records: 40 Years of Disruptions, a record released on October 5, 2013, by Virgin Records celebrating 40 years in business.^[29] It was later included on her EP Ella Eyre, released February 10, 2015, and finally on the deluxe version of her debut album Feline. The song charted on the UK chart at number 54 and was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in 2022.^[30]

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[31]	67
UK Singles (OCC)[32]	54

Certifications

Certifications for "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[33]	Platinum	90,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[34]	Gold	20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[30]	Platinum	600,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Other performances

• Calum Scott, a competitor in Britain's Got Talent performed the song in the 2017 semi-finals of the show.^[35]

References

1. "In Memory Of Jermaine Stewart - 1988 Interview With Donnie Simpson". Jermainestewart.org. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
2. Easley, Terri (August 2008). Seasons of Destiny. Xulon Press. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-60647-152-4.
3. "Cadbury advert The Charity Shop". YouTube. May 6, 2011.
4. "Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 294. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
6. "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
7. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Jermaine Stewart" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
8. Steffen Hung. "Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
9. "InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste". Infodisc.fr. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
10. Jaclyn Ward - Fireball Media Group. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
11. Steffen Hung. "Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off". charts.nz. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
12. "UK Singles & Albums Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
13. "Jermaine Stewart - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
14. "Jermaine Stewart - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
15. "Jermaine Stewart - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
16. "Jermaine Stewart". AllMusic. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
17. "2011-05-28 Top 40 R&B Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. May 28, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
18. "Jaaroverzichten 1986: Singles". Ultratop Flanders (in Dutch). Retrieved April 11, 2022.
19. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0760." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
20. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved April 11, 2022.
21. "Jaaroverzichten - Single 1986". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved April 11, 2022.
22. "January to December 1986: Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Music Week. January 24, 1987. p. 26. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
23. "1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 52. December 27, 1986. p. Y-21.
24. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1986". Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Cash Box magazine.
25. "Canadian single certifications – Jermaine Stewart – We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off". Music Canada. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
26. "British single certifications – Jermaine Stewart – We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
27. Jermaine Stewart - Frantic Romantic album back cover/liner notes.
28. "CLEA | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
29. Gibsone, Harriet (December 19, 2013). "Various artists: Virgin Records – 40 Years of Disruptions – review". the Guardian. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
30. "British single certifications – Ella Eyre – We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
31. "Ella Eyre – We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off". Singles Top 100. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
32. "Ella Eyre: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
33. "Danish single certifications – Ella Eyre – We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
34. "Sverigetopplistan – Ella Eyre" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
35. Snapshot24: Golden Buzzer Singer Calum Scott Stunned the Crowd with Amazing Rendition of “We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off”