Last Nite

"Last Nite" is a song by American rock band the Strokes. It was released on October 23, 2001, as the second single from their debut album, Is This It (2001). It was a moderate hit for the group on the UK Singles Chart in 2001.

This article is about the song by the Strokes. For other uses, see Last Night (disambiguation).

"Last Nite"
Single by the Strokes
from the album Is This It
B-side"When It Started"
ReleasedOctober 23, 2001 (2001-10-23)
RecordedMarch and April 2001
StudioTransporterraum, New York City
Genre
Length3:13
Label
Songwriter(s)Julian Casablancas
Producer(s)Gordon Raphael
The Strokes singles chronology
"Hard to Explain"
(2001)		 "Last Nite"
(2001)		 "Someday"
(2001)
Music video
"Last Nite" on YouTube

Background

The track was produced by Gordon Raphael and was issued on RCA Records with the song "When It Started" as the B-side.

The song's opening guitar riff and overall structure is based on "American Girl" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. In a 2006 interview with Rolling Stone, Petty commented, "The Strokes took 'American Girl' [for 'Last Nite'], there was an interview that took place with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, 'OK, good for you.' It doesn't bother me".[3] The Strokes were invited to be the opening act for several dates on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 2006 tour.[4] The solo for the song was inspired by guitarist Freddie King.

Reception

The single was the group's first to enter the American charts, reaching the top five on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart in late 2001. Meanwhile, the single obtained moderate success in the UK, peaking at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart.[5][6]

In March 2005, Q placed "Last Nite" at number 66 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. In September 2006, NME placed "Last Nite" at number one on its list of the 50 Greatest Tracks of the Decade. In May 2007, NME magazine placed "Last Nite" at number nine in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever. It was also placed at number 16 on Rolling Stone's 50 Best Songs of the Decade and number 478 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". The same publication listed it at number 155 in a revamped version of the list in 2021.[7] In 2011, NME placed it at number four on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[8] In 2020, Paste and The Independent ranked the song number two and number one, respectively, on their lists of the 20 greatest Strokes songs.[9][10]

Music video

The band were originally unwilling to appear in a music video,[11] but eventually agreed to a simple format, performing the song live rather than lip-syncing to the recorded version, on a brightly lit stage. The resulting video, filmed with simple panning shots and few edits, was directed by Roman Coppola. One minute into the song, singer Julian Casablancas throws his microphone stand, as if it was a spear, off camera; the move would later be referenced in the music video for "Under Cover of Darkness", released 10 years later in 2011 on their album Angles.

As the song progresses, Casablancas' vocal becomes increasingly distorted as he sings ever closer into the microphone. On two occasions he dramatically throws the microphone to the ground. Following his solo, guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr., walking backwards into the drum podium, accidentally pushes one of drummer Fabrizio Moretti's overhead microphones which falls onto the drum kit. Moretti tries to hit it away with his drumstick, yet it topples onto the other overhead and both crash to the ground. The video, including the accident, is parodied in the music video for Sum 41's "Still Waiting".

Track listings

US/UK

  1. "Last Nite" - 3:15
  2. "When It Started" - 2:59

AUS

  1. "Last Nite" - 3:15
  2. "When It Started" - 2:59
  3. "Last Nite" (Live) - 3:27
  4. "Take It or Leave It" (Live) - 3:29

Personnel

Charts
Chart (2001–2002) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[12] 47
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[13] 49
Ireland (IRMA)[14] 48
Scotland (OCC)[15] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[16] 14
UK Indie (OCC)[17] 1
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[18] 5
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[19] 8

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[20] Platinum 70,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[21] Gold 25,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[22] Platinum 40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[24] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States October 23, 2001 (2001-10-23) Alternative radio RCA [25]
United Kingdom November 5, 2001 (2001-11-05)
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 Rough Trade [26]
Australia December 3, 2001 (2001-12-03) CD
[27]

Vitamin C version
"Last Nite"
Single by Vitamin C
ReleasedJuly 7, 2003 (2003-07-07)[28]
Length3:54
LabelV2
Songwriter(s)Julian Casablancas
Producer(s)
Vitamin C singles chronology
"As Long As You're Loving Me"
(2001)		 "Last Nite"
(2003)

Background

American pop singer Vitamin C covered "Last Night" and released it as a single in July 2003. The song was produced by Dave Derby, Michael Kotch, and Fred Maher.[29] The single features a sample from Blondie's "Heart of Glass".[30] After Elektra Records dropped Vitamin C when her second album, More, did not sell as expected, she signed to V2 Records in the UK, hoping to break into the music scene there. After her third album was recorded, this single was released exclusively in the UK with plans to release the album a month later. The album was never released.

Reception

"Last Nite" debuted and peaking at number 70 on the UK Singles Chart and fell down the chart rapidly.[31][32] V2 shelved Vitamin C's album afterwards and dropped her. However, "Last Nite" is Vitamin C's only chart entry on the UK Singles Chart, making it her most successful single there.[32]

Music video

The music video for "Last Nite" was shot in New York City. It features Vitamin C, as a blonde, in or around the Hotel Chelsea as well as other New York City night spots. The club CBGB is seen in the video.

Track listings
  1. "Last Nite" – 3:54
  2. "Last Nite" (Derby & Kotch Mix) – 3:45
  3. "Last Nite" (I Lick That Mix by Count Caligula) – 5:40
  4. "Last Nite" (Clique Remix) – 6:05

Charts
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[33] 53
Scotland (OCC)[34] 50
UK Singles (OCC)[31] 70
UK Dance (OCC)[35] 33
UK Indie (OCC)[36] 10

Cover versions, samples and parodies

References
  1. "NME's 50 Greatest "Indie Anthems"". Stereogum. NME. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
  2. Stiernberg, Bonnie. "The 50 Best Garage Rock Songs of All Time". Paste. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  3. "Tom Petty News". Rolling Stone. June 28, 2006. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  4. "For The Record: Quick News On Hilary Duff, Katharine McPhee, Shakira, Wyclef Jean, Snoop Dogg, Bam Margera". Mtv.com. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  5. "The Strokes Artist Biography by Heather Phares - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  6. "Strokes - singles". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  7. "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  8. "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years - NME". NME. October 6, 2011.
  9. "The 20 Best Strokes Songs". Paste. April 9, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  10. Beaumont, Mark (April 9, 2020). "The Strokes: 20 best songs, ranked". The Independent. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  11. "YouTube". Youtube.com. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  12. "The Strokes – Last Nite". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  13. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 48. November 24, 2001. p. 7. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  14. "Irish-charts.com – Discography The Strokes". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  17. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  18. "The Strokes Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  19. "The Strokes Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
  20. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  21. "Italian single certifications – The Strokes – Last Nite" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 23, 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Last Nite" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  22. "Portuguese single certifications" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  23. "British single certifications – Strokes – Last Nite". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  24. "American single certifications – Strokes – Last Nite". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  25. "Alternative: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1424. October 19, 2001. p. 107. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  26. "New Releases – For Week Starting November 5, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 3, 2001. p. 29. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  27. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 3rd December 2001" (PDF). ARIA. December 3, 2001. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 20, 2002. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  28. "Reviews – For Records Released on 7 July 2003" (PDF). Music Week. July 5, 2003. p. 9. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  29. "australian-charts.com - Vitamin C - Last Nite". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  30. Kaufman, Gil. "Where Ya Been? Vitamin C Juicing Up A Comeback, Fastball Heading Back To The Mound". Mtv.com. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  31. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  32. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 588. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  33. "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 38, saptamina 6.10 – 12.10, 2003" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 19, 2005. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  34. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  35. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  36. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  37. "Ke$ha talks about The Strokes and The Black Keys collaborations". Nme.com. November 22, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.