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We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off#Clea version

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}

{{Short description|Single by Jermaine Stewart}}

{{Infobox song

| name = We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off

| cover = Take Our Clothes Off.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Jermaine Stewart

| album = Frantic Romantic

| B-side = Brilliance

| released = May 27, 1986

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre =

| length = {{plainlist|

  • 4:54 (album version)
  • 4:05 (edited single version)

}}

| label =

| writer =

| producer = Narada Michael Walden

| prev_title = I Like It

| prev_year = 1985

| next_title = Frantic Romantic

| next_title2 = Versatile

| next_year = 1986

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|HWZisnZ-RGE|”We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off”}}}}

{{Extra album cover

| header = Alternate cover

| type = single

| cover = JermaineStewartWeDon'tHaveToSingle12"UK1986.jpg

| border =

| alt =

| caption = UK 12" cover of "We Don't Have To..."

}}

}}

"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.

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 people's 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."{{cite web|url=http://jermainestewart.org/1988_interview | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326090548/https://jermainestewart.org/1988_interview |title=In Memory Of Jermaine Stewart - 1988 Interview With Donnie Simpson |website=Jermainestewart.org |access-date=January 12, 2012 | archive-date=March 26, 2012 | url-status=dead}}{{cite book|last=Easley|first=Terri |title=Seasons of Destiny|date=August 2008 |publisher=Xulon Press|isbn=978-1-60647-152-4|page=123}}

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.{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J37ZDEMQEOc |title=Cadbury advert The Charity Shop|date=May 6, 2011|work=YouTube}} 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.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

The song has been covered a number of times, including by Clea, Lil' Chris, and Ella Eyre.{{cn|date=March 2024}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/Jermaine-Stewart-We-Dont-Have-To-Take-Our-Clothes-Off/release/833388 |title=Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off (Vinyl) at Discogs |publisher=Discogs.com |access-date=January 12, 2012}} 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

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Original release=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|+Weekly chart performance for "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"

!Chart (1986–1987)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=294}}

| style="text-align:center;"|37

scope="row"|Canadian Singles Chart{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=53gtrvbfj0gk7r9b4sd40dtvu0&q1=Jermaine+Stewart+Clothes+Off&q2=Top+Singles&interval=30 |title=Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |publisher=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=January 12, 2012}}

| style="text-align:center;"|2

{{single chart|Dutch40|7|artist=Jermaine Stewart|rowheader=true|accessdate=April 11, 2022}}
scope="row"|Dutch Singles Chart{{cite web|author=Steffen Hung |url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Jermaine+Stewart&titel=We+Don%27t+Have+To+Take+Our+Clothes+Off&cat=s |title=Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off |publisher=dutchcharts.nl |access-date=January 12, 2012}}

| style="text-align:center;"|13

scope="row"|French Singles Chart{{cite web|url=http://www.infodisc.fr/Bilan_S.php |title=InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste |publisher=Infodisc.fr |access-date=January 12, 2012}}

| style="text-align:center;"|91

scope="row"|Irish Singles Chart{{cite web|author=Jaclyn Ward - Fireball Media Group|url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement |title=The Irish Charts - All there is to know |publisher=Irishcharts.ie |access-date=January 12, 2012}}

| style="text-align:center;"|4

scope="row"|New Zealand Singles Chart{{cite web|author=Steffen Hung |url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Jermaine+Stewart&titel=We+Don%27t+Have+To+Take+Our+Clothes+Off&cat=s |title=Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off |publisher=charts.nz |access-date=January 12, 2012}}

| style="text-align:center;"|27

scope="row"|UK Singles Chart{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/ |title=UK Singles & Albums Official Charts Company |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=January 12, 2012}}

| style="text-align:center;"|2

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/304481/jermaine+stewart/chart?f=379 |title=Jermaine Stewart - Chart history |publisher=Billboard |access-date=February 20, 2015}}

| style="text-align:center;"|5

scope="row"|US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/304481/jermaine+stewart/chart?f=367 |title=Jermaine Stewart - Chart history |publisher=Billboard |access-date=February 20, 2015}}

| style="text-align:center;"|64

scope="row"|US Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/304481/jermaine+stewart/chart?f=359 |title=Jermaine Stewart - Chart history |publisher=Billboard |access-date=February 20, 2015}}

| style="text-align:center;"|41

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales Chart{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jermaine-stewart-p23329/charts-awards/billboard-singles |title=Jermaine Stewart |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=January 12, 2012}}

| style="text-align:center;"|35

=2011 reissue=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
Chart (2011)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Irish Singles Chart

| style="text-align:center;"|30

scope="row"|UK Singles Chart

| style="text-align:center;"|29

scope="row"|UK R&B Singles Chart{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/r-and-b-singles-chart/20110522/114/ |title=2011-05-28 Top 40 R&B Singles Archive |publisher=Official Charts Company |date=May 28, 2011 |access-date=January 12, 2012}}

| style="text-align:center;"|7

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|+Year-end chart performance for "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"

! Chart (1986) !! Rank

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1986|title=Jaaroverzichten 1986: Singles|language=nl|website=Ultratop Flanders|accessdate=April 11, 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;"|82

{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|18|chartid=0760|access-date=April 11, 2022|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1986|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986|language=nl|website=Dutch Top 40|accessdate=April 11, 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;"|62

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1986&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten - Single 1986|language=nl|website=Dutch Charts|accessdate=April 11, 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;"|94

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1987/Music-Week-1987-01-24.pdf#page=26|title=January to December 1986: Top 100 Singles|magazine=Music Week|date=January 24, 1987|page=26|accessdate=April 11, 2022}}

| style="text-align:center;"|14

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine |date=December 27, 1986 |title=1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles |page=Y-21 |magazine=Billboard |volume=98 |issue=52}}

| style="text-align:center;"|60

scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite web |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1986YESP.html |title=The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1986 |access-date=April 11, 2022 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930234839/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1986YESP.html |archive-date=September 30, 2012 }}. Cash Box magazine.

|align="center"|81

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Jermaine Stewart|title=We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off|award=Gold|relyear=1986|certyear=1986|access-date=August 2, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Jermaine Stewart|title=We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off|award=Gold|relyear=2007|certyear=2023|id=8088-363-1|access-date=February 17, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

Personnel

=Album version=

Taken from the Frantic Romantic liner notes.Jermaine Stewart - Frantic Romantic album back cover/liner notes.

=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

{{Infobox song

| name = We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off

| cover = Take Our Clothes Off Clea.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Clea vs. Da Playaz

| album = Trinity

| released = September 2005 {{small|(UK)}}
2006 {{small|(Europe)}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Dance-pop

| length =

| label = Upside Records

| writer =

| producer =

| prev_title = Stuck in the Middle

| prev_year = 2004

| next_title = Lucky Like That

| next_year = 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=

class="wikitable"
align="left"|Chart (2005)

!align="left"|Peak
position

align="left"|UK Singles (OCC)

| style="text-align:center;"|35{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/14379/clea/|title=CLEA | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website=Official Charts}}

Lil' Chris version

{{Infobox song

| name = We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off

| cover = Clothes Off.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Lil' Chris

| album = What's It All About

| released = October 2007 {{small|(UK)}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Pop

| length =

| label = RCA

| writer = {{flatlist|

}}

| producer =

| prev_title = Figure It Out

| prev_year = 2007

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

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=

class="wikitable"
Chart (2007)

!Peak
position

UK Singles Chart

| style="text-align:center;"|63

Ella Eyre version

{{Infobox song

| name = We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off

| cover =

| alt =

| type = song

| artist = Ella Eyre

| album = Feline {{noitalics|(Deluxe)}}

| released = October 5, 2013

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length =

| label = Virgin EMI

| writer =

| producer = Michael Harwood, Sean Hargreaves

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

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.{{cite news |last1=Gibsone |first1=Harriet |title=Various artists: Virgin Records – 40 Years of Disruptions – review |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/19/virgin-records-40-years-disruption-review |access-date=November 11, 2022 |work=the Guardian |date=December 19, 2013 |language=en}} 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.

=Charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
align="left"|Chart (2015)

!align="left"|Peak
position

{{single chart|Sweden|67|artist=Ella Eyre|song=We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off|rowheader=true|access-date=August 24, 2023}}
{{single chart|UKsinglesbyname|54|artist=Ella Eyre|artistid=29969|rowheader=true|access-date=April 11, 2022}}

=Certifications=

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|artist=Ella Eyre|title=We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2015|certyear=2019|id=7907|access-date=August 24, 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Ella Eyre|title=We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2013|certyear=2022|access-date=May 6, 2025|source=radioscope}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|artist=Ella Eyre|title=We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off|award=Gold|type=single|source=artist|relyear=2015|access-date=November 11, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Ella Eyre|title=We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2013|certyear=2022|access-date=November 11, 2022|id=8088-4225-1|refname=BPI}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true | nosales=true | noshipments=true}}

Other performances

  • Calum Scott, a Britain's Got Talent contestant, performed the song in the 2017 semi-finals of the show.[https://snapshot24.net/video/golden-buzzer-singer-calum-scott-stunned-the-crowd-with-amazing-rendition-of-we-dont-have-to-take-our-clothes-off/ Snapshot24: Golden Buzzer Singer Calum Scott Stunned the Crowd with Amazing Rendition of “We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off”]

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Jermaine Stewart}}

{{Clea}}

{{Ella Eyre}}

{{Lil' Chris}}

{{David Fincher}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1986 songs

Category:1986 singles

Category:2005 singles

Category:2007 singles

Category:Jermaine Stewart songs

Category:Clea (group) songs

Category:Lil' Chris songs

Category:Ella Eyre songs

Category:Songs written by Narada Michael Walden

Category:Song recordings produced by Narada Michael Walden

Category:Songs written by Preston Glass

Category:Virgin Records singles

Category:Arista Records singles

Category:RCA Records singles

Category:Music videos directed by David Fincher