Light Up the Night is the fourth album by the Los Angeles, California-based duo the Brothers Johnson, released in 1980. The album topped the U.S. R&B albums chart and reached number five on the pop albums chart. The single "Stomp!" became a dance hit, reaching number one on both the R&B singles and disco charts and top ten on the pop singles chart.
| Light Up the Night | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 4, 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1978–1980 at Allen Zentz Recording, Hollywood, California A&M Studios, Hollywood, California Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 38:20 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Producer | Quincy Jones | |||
| The Brothers Johnson chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Light Up the Night | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Smash Hits | 5/10[2] |
Light Up the Night was the final Brothers Johnson album to be produced by Quincy Jones. When Jones left A&M Records, he was contractually barred from having contact with the brothers.[3]
This album includes the song "This Had to Be", co-written by Michael Jackson.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Stomp!" |
| 6:20 |
| 2. | "Light Up the Night" |
| 3:45 |
| 3. | "You Make Me Wanna Wiggle" |
| 3:38 |
| 4. | "Treasure" | Temperton | 4:11 |
| 5. | "This Had to Be" |
| 5:08 |
| 6. | "All About the Heaven" | Temperton | 3:59 |
| 7. | "Smilin' on Ya" |
| 3:42 |
| 8. | "Closer to the One That You Love" |
| 3:11 |
| 9. | "Celebrations" |
| 4:26 |
Personnel
editThe Brothers Johnson
- George Johnson – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8)
- Louis Johnson – acoustic piano, Prophet-5, guitars, lead guitar (3), bass, bass solo (1), backing vocals
Additional musicians
- Greg Phillinganes – synthesizers (1), acoustic piano, electric piano
- Rod Temperton – electric piano (1)
- Steve Porcaro – synthesizers, synthesizer programming
- John Robinson – drums
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion, vocal percussion (9)
- Richard Heath – percussion, lead and backing vocals (4)
- Kim Hutchcroft – flute, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
- Larry Williams – flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, synthesizers (7, 9)
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – euphonium, trombone, slide trumpet
- Gary Grant – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Jerry Hey – trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn
- Merry Clayton – backing vocals
- Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals
- Susaye Greene-Brown – backing vocals
- Josie James – backing vocals
- Valerie Johnson – backing vocals
- Quincy Jones – backing vocals
- Scherrie Payne – backing vocals
- Alex Weir – lead and backing vocals (3)
- Michael Jackson – backing vocals fills (5)
Arrangements
- The Brothers Johnson – rhythm arrangements
- Quincy Jones – rhythm, synthesizer and BGV arrangements
- Rod Temperton – synthesizer arrangements, BGV arrangements
- Johnny Mandel – synthesizer arrangements
- Jerry Hey – horn and string arrangements
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – string conductor
- Michael Jackson – BGV arrangements (5)
Production
edit- Quincy Jones – producer
- Bruce Swedien – recording, mixing
- Tim Gerrity – assistant engineer
- Ralph Osborn – assistant engineer
- Randy Pipes – assistant engineer
- John Van Nest – assistant engineer
- Bernie Grundman – mastering
- Chuck Beeson – art direction
- Glen Wexler – art direction, cover concept, photography
- Ed Eckstien – cover concept
- Kurt Triffet – illustration
- The Fitzgerald/Hartley Co. – direction
Charts and certifications
edit
Chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Singles
edit| Year | Single | Chart positions[9] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
US Dance | ||
| 1980 | "Light Up the Night" | — | 16 | — |
| "Stomp!" | 7 | 1 | 1 | |
| "Treasure" | 73 | 36 | — | |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[10] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[11] | Gold | 7,500^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Henderson, Alex. Brothers Johnson: Light Up the Night > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ Starr, Red. "Brothers Johnson, Light Up the Night". Smash Hits (March 20 – April 2): 31.
- ^ Richard Harrington (2002-02-15). "Oh Brothers!". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
- ^ a b "The Brothers Johnson US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
- ^ "The Brothers Johnson: Light Up The Night". charts.nz. Official New Zealand Music Chart.
- ^ "The Brothers Johnson: Light Up The Night". norwegiancharts.com. VG-Lista.
- ^ "The Brothers Johnson: Light Up The Night". swedishcharts.com. Sverigetopplistan.
- ^ "The Brothers Johnson: Light Up The Night". dutchcharts.nl. Dutch Charts.
- ^ "The Brothers Johnson US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
- ^ "The Brothers Johnson: Light Up the Night". riaa.com. RIAA.
- ^ "OFFICIAL TOP 40 ALBUMS". nztop40.co.nz. Recorded Music New Zealand. September 20, 1980.