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 and composed by Heatwave's keyboard player Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. Patti Austin provides the backing and scat vocals that are heard throughout, and one of Benson's fellow jazz guitarists, Lee Ritenour, also performs on the selection.

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. It also peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Disco Singles chart and at number seven in the UK Singles Chart, where it ties with "In Your Eyes" as his highest charting single.

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

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

Randy Crawford version
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. The bridge is not sung in this version.

Uses and samples

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