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Red Light Special

{{Short description|1995 single by TLC}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Red Light Special

| cover = TLC-RedLightSpecial.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = TLC

| album = CrazySexyCool

| B-side = My Secret Enemy

| released = {{start date|1995|2|17}}

| recorded = 1994{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/article/triple-x-making-tlcs-red-light-special|title=Triple X: The Making Of TLC's 'Red Light Special'|date=October 22, 2013|magazine=Vibe|access-date=September 11, 2017}}

| studio = Music Grinder (Los Angeles, California)

| genre =

| length = 5:04

| label =

| writer = Babyface

| producer = Babyface

| prev_title = Creep

| prev_year = 1994

| next_title = Waterfalls

| next_year = 1995

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|dP2t9LBeAwo|"Red Light Special"}}}}

}}

"Red Light Special" is a song by American vocal girl group TLC for their second studio album, CrazySexyCool (1994). Written and produced by Babyface. LaFace and Arista Records released the song as the second single from the album on February 17, 1995. The song achieved chart success, reaching number one on the US Billboard Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Matthew Rolston filmed its music video, which features the group performing in a brothel.

Critical reception

Steve Baltin from Cash Box felt the song "lives up to its name as one of the sultriest, sexiest singles to come along in years. Slow and entrancing, “Red Light Special” has definitely got the groove going on. A smash."{{cite magazine|first=Steve|last=Baltin|title=Pop Singles|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/90s/1995/CB-1995-04-01.pdf|magazine=Cash Box|date=April 1, 1995|page=7|accessdate=October 11, 2022}} Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report remarked that in numerous markets, this has been in heavy rotation for weeks. He also viewed it as "another example of why Babyface is the hottest writer/producer in the business. Flawless."{{cite magazine|first=Dave|last=Sholin|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/90/95/Gavin-1995-02-24.pdf|title=Gavin Picks: Singles|magazine=Gavin Report|date=February 24, 1995|page=54|access-date=January 20, 2023}} Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian wrote that here, TLC "turn on the sweetness in inverse proportion to the raunchiness of the tune", adding that the song "which uses old blues imagery to express steamy lust, is superficially one of the prettiest numbers [on the album]."Sullivan, Caroline (May 12, 1995). "Music: CD Releases - Pop". The Guardian. Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times named it a "strong tune" from the CrazySexyCool album, and a "steamy Babyface production".Hunt, Dennis (November 13, 1994). "Record Rack". Los Angeles Times.

In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton found that here, TLC are "slipping into a distinctly American summer groove to make what is arguably one of their best records ever and surpasses at a stroke the No.22 peak of "Creep" back in January."{{cite web|last=Masterton|first=James|title=Week Ending April 22nd 1995|url=https://chart-watch.uk/archives/1995/week-ending-april-22nd-1995|website=Chart Watch UK|date=April 16, 1995|access-date=September 19, 2021|author-link=James Masterton}} Simon Price from Melody Maker named "Red Light Special" "the finest shag song since...well, I can't remember. It's been a long time."{{cite magazine|first=Simon|last=Price|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53459679266/|title=Albums|work=Melody Maker|date=May 13, 1995|page=38|access-date=January 13, 2024|author-link=Simon Price}} Ralph Tee from Music Week's RM Dance Update stated, "The follow-up to 'Creep' is this beat ballad from the album. The pace of this genre of music is getting so slow now that if it's not careful it'll soon grind to a halt. Gerald Hall provides a mix that beefs up the rhythms a little to generate marginal dancefloor potential but the tune still needs a few rewinds to get into it."{{cite magazine|first= Ralph |last= Tee |title= Hot Vinyl |magazine= Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) |date= April 8, 1995 |page= 10 |access-date= May 6, 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-04-08.pdf}} Charles Aaron from Spin commented, "Sexy, sexier, sexiest. If you liked 'em better when they were more like cartoons, you should wise up."{{cite magazine|first=Charles|last=Aaron|title=Singles|magazine=Spin|date=June 1995|page=106|accessdate=January 28, 2023|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z1BJTsbRdMEC|author-link=Charles Aaron}}

Music video

Shot in December 1994, the accompanying music video for "Red Light Special" was directed by Matthew Rolston and is set in a brothel. Male actors portray prostitutes and Left Eye plays a pimp while Chilli and T-Boz portray customers playing strip poker. A young Boris Kodjoe is featured as one of the male prostitutes. T-Boz is seen being caressed by a man in a room. Chilli is seen dancing with the guitar player. There are also black and white solo shots of the girls singing.{{cite web|url=http://uproxx.com/smokingsection/tlc-red-light-special-video-andre-rison-story/|title=How Left Eye And Andre Rison's Fiery Relationship Almost Inspired TLC's 'Red Light Special' Video|date=November 14, 2014|publisher=Uproxx|access-date=September 11, 2017}}

The music video has three versions: one labelled "Sexy", the second "Sexier" and the final version "Sexiest". As a result of more sexually suggestive and racy footage being used in versions two and three, the first version is widely broadcast.

B-side: "My Secret Enemy"

{{Quote box

|quote = For the CD single of "Red Light Special", Lopes produced a brilliant and darkly confessional B-side called "My Secret Enemy". On this relatively obscure track, Lopes explored the Rison incident – and her own conflicted feelings about it – with astonishing depth and style. It is such an exciting departure from the work the group has done with established producers that you start to feel that TLC’s album output thus far only hints at the women’s true capabilities.

|source = — Carol Cooper of Rolling Stone{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jul/08/rocks-back-pages-tlc-rolling-stone-1995-t-boz-chilli-left-eye/|title=TLC's T-Boz: 'A lot of people have made money off of us, and we haven't' |date=1995|newspaper=The Guardian|accessdate=July 8, 2015}}

|quoted = true

|bgcolor = #FFFFF0

|width = 22%

|salign = right

|align = right

|border = 1px

|fontsize = 89%

}}

The "Red Light Special" single contains the B-side "My Secret Enemy", a rap track led by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who wrote the track alongside Steve Keitt and R.A.S. Posse. Its lyrical content focuses on Lopes's coverage in the media and her relationship with Andre Rison. Lopes went on to say that the song came out directly after the incident that saw her accidentally set fire to Rison's Atlanta mansion. "It happened right after that incident and I was feeling like I needed a way out," said Lopes of the track.{{cite web |url=http://cybertlc.world/wordpress/left-eyes-final-chat-the-dear-lie-video-sucked-my-secret-enemy-reincarnation-more/ |title=Left Eye's Final Chat: The Dear Lie Video "Sucked," My Secret Enemy, Reincarnation, & More! | CyberTLC World |access-date=September 12, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160906120841/http://cybertlc.world/wordpress/left-eyes-final-chat-the-dear-lie-video-sucked-my-secret-enemy-reincarnation-more/ |archive-date=September 6, 2016 }}

Track listings

{{col-begin|width=74%}}

{{col-2}}

  • US 7-inch and cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=US 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=LaFace Records|id=73008-24097-7}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=US cassette single sleeve|publisher=LaFace Records|id=73008-24097-4}}

:A. "Red Light Special" – 5:02

:B. "Red Light Special" (instrumental) – 5:02

  • US 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=US 12-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=LaFace Records|id=73008-24099-1}}

:A1. "Red Light Special" (L.A.'s Flava mix extended version) – 6:02

:A2. "Red Light Special" (album version) – 5:02

:A3. "Red Light Special" (Gerald Hall's remix) – 5:09

:B1. "Red Light Special" (acapella version) – 5:40

:B2. "Red Light Special" (instrumental) – 5:02

:B3. "My Secret Enemy" – 5:34

  • US and Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=US & Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=LaFace Records|id=73008-24099-2}}
  1. "Red Light Special" (radio edit) – 4:40
  2. "Red Light Special" (L.A.'s Flava mix) – 4:28
  3. "Red Light Special" (album version) – 5:02
  4. "Red Light Special" (Gerald's Hall remix) – 5:09
  5. "My Secret Enemy" – 5:34
  • US maxi-cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=US maxi-cassette single sleeve|publisher=LaFace Records|id=73008-24099-4}}
  1. "Red Light Special" (radio edit)
  2. "Red Light Special" (L.A.'s Flava mix)
  3. "Red Light Special" (L.A.'s Flava mix extended version)
  4. "Red Light Special" (Gerald Hall's remix)
  5. "My Secret Enemy"

{{col-2}}

  • UK CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG|id=74321 27366 2}}
  1. "Red Light Special" (radio edit) – 4:40
  2. "Red Light Special" (L.A.'s Flava mix) – 4:28
  3. "Red Light Special" (Gerald's Hall remix) – 5:09
  4. "My Secret Enemy" – 5:34
  • UK 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=UK 12-inch single sleeve|publisher=LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG|id=74321 27366 1}}

:A1. "Red Light Special" (L.A.'s Flava mix extended version) – 6:02

:A2. "Red Light Special" (album version) – 5:02

:A3. "Red Light Special" (Gerald's Hall remix) – 5:09

:B1. "Red Light Special" (acapella) – 5:40

:B2. "Red Light Special" (instrumental) – 5:02

  • UK cassette single and European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG|id=74321 27366 4}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG|id=74321 27692 2}}
  1. "Red Light Special" (radio edit) – 4:40
  2. "My Secret Enemy" – 5:34
  • Japanese CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Red Light Special|others=TLC|year=1995|type=Japanese CD single liner notes|publisher=LaFace Records|id=BVCA-8803}}
  1. "Red Light Special" (radio edit)
  2. "Red Light Special" (L.A.'s Flava mix)
  3. "Creep" (Jermaine's Jeep mix)
  4. "My Secret Enemy"

{{col-end}}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (1995)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia}}

|53

{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|19|chartid=9251|rowheader=true|access-date=February 8, 2020}}
{{single chart|Canadadance|8|chartid=9217|rowheader=true|access-date=February 8, 2020}}
scope="row"|Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-05-06.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=12|issue=18|page=19|date=May 6, 1995|access-date=June 22, 2018}}

|84

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/tipparade/1995/week-18|title=week 18 (6 mei 1995)|publisher=top40.nl|language=nl|access-date=November 28, 2019}}

|12

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tipparade){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=TLC&titel=Red+Light+Special&cat=s|title=TLC – Red Light Special|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=July 18, 2021}}

|9

{{single chart|New Zealand|9|artist=TLC|song=Red Light Special|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Scotland|64|artist=TLC|date=19950416|song=Red Light Special|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UK|18|artist=TLC|date=19950416|song=Red Light Special|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UKdance|14|artist=TLC|date=19950416|accessdate=May 6, 2022|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UKrandb|5|artist=TLC|date=19950416|song=Red Light Special|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|2|artist=TLC|rowheader=true|access-date=December 5, 2017}}
{{singlechart|Billboarddancesales|9|artist=TLC|rowheader=true|access-date=April 11, 2022}}
{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|3|artist=TLC|rowheader=true|access-date=December 5, 2017, 2017}}
{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|11|artist=TLC|rowheader=true|access-date=December 5, 2017 }}
{{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|1|artist=TLC|rowheader=true|access-date=December 5, 2017}}
scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite web|url=https://www.popmusichistory.co.uk/_files/ugd/b4848d_4f9128176360450ba51be67a0468e9fa.pdf|title=U.S. Cash Box Charts|website=popmusichistory|access-date=December 23, 2022}}

|2

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (1995)

!Position

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1995|title=Billboard Top 100 – 1995|access-date=August 27, 2010|archive-date=August 15, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815124541/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1995|url-status=dead}}

|28

scope="row"|US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1995/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs|title=1995 Year End Chart: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 27, 2012}}

|32

scope="row"|US Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music 1995: Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover Top Titles|magazine=Airplay Monitor|volume=3|issue=51|page=9|date=December 15, 1995}}

|9

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=TLC|title=Red Light Special|award=Gold|relyear=1995|id=1995-07-14|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|certyear=1995}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=TLC|title=Red Light Special|award=Gold|relyear=1995|certyear=1995|salesamount=700,000|salesref={{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3g4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56|title=Best-Selling Records of 1995|magazine=Billboard|volume=108|number=3|page=56|date=January 20, 1996|access-date=May 5, 2015|issn=0006-2510}}|refname="riaa"}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United States

|February 17, 1995

|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|CD|cassette}}

|LaFace

|

scope="row"|Sweden

|April 3, 1995

|rowspan="2"|CD

|{{hlist|LaFace|Arista}}

|{{cite web|url=http://click2music.se/product.asp?prd=92&art=31|title=TLC: Red Light Special|website=click2music.se|language=sv|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050222174113/http://click2music.se/product.asp?prd=92&art=31|archive-date=February 22, 2005|access-date=November 30, 2023}}

scope="row"|Japan

|April 21, 1995

|LaFace

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/24233/products/51759/1/|title=レッド・ライト・スペシャル {{!}} TLC|trans-title=Red Light Special {{!}} TLC|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=November 30, 2023}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{TLC (group) songs}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1994 songs

Category:1995 singles

Category:1990s ballads

Category:TLC (group) songs

Category:Arista Records singles

Category:LaFace Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by Matthew Rolston

Category:Song recordings produced by Babyface (musician)

Category:Songs written by Babyface (musician)

Category:Sentimental ballads