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 found chart success, reaching number one on the US Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

"Red Light Special"
Single by TLC
from the album CrazySexyCool
B-side"My Secret Enemy"
ReleasedFebruary 17, 1995 (1995-02-17)[1]
Recorded1994[2]
StudioMusic Grinder (Los Angeles, California)[2]
Length5:04
Label
Songwriter(s)Babyface
Producer(s)Babyface
TLC singles chronology
"Creep"
(1994)		 "Red Light Special"
(1995)		 "Waterfalls"
(1995)
Music video
"Red Light Special" on YouTube

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."[3] 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."[4] 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]."[5]

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."[6] 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."[7] Charles Aaron from Spin commented, "Sexy, sexier, sexiest. If you liked 'em better when they were more like cartoons, you should wise up."[8]

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.[9]

There are three versions of the music video. Version one is labelled "Sexy", the second is labelled "Sexier" and the final version is labelled "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"

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..

— Carol Cooper of Rolling Stone[10]

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.[11] 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.[12]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[41] Gold 5,000*
United States (RIAA)[1] Gold 700,000[42]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "American single certifications – TLC – Red Light Special". Recording Industry Association of America.
  2. "Triple X: The Making Of TLC's 'Red Light Special'". Vibe. October 22, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  3. Baltin, Steve (April 1, 1995). "Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 7. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  4. Sholin, Dave (February 24, 1995). "Gavin Picks: Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 54. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  5. Sullivan, Caroline (May 12, 1995). "Music: CD Releases - Pop". The Guardian.
  6. Masterton, James (April 16, 1995). "Week Ending April 22nd 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  7. Tee, Ralph (April 8, 1995). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 10. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  8. Aaron, Charles (June 1995). "Singles". Spin. p. 106. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  9. "How Left Eye And Andre Rison's Fiery Relationship Almost Inspired TLC's 'Red Light Special' Video". Uproxx. November 14, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  10. "TLC's T-Boz: 'A lot of people have made money off of us, and we haven't'". The Guardian. 1995. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  11. Red Light Special (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24099-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. "Left Eye's Final Chat: The Dear Lie Video "Sucked," My Secret Enemy, Reincarnation, & More! | CyberTLC World". Archived from the original on September 6, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  13. Red Light Special (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24097-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. Red Light Special (US cassette single sleeve). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24097-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. Red Light Special (US & Australian CD single liner notes). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24099-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. Red Light Special (US maxi-cassette single sleeve). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24099-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. Red Light Special (UK CD single liner notes). TLC. LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27366 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. Red Light Special (UK 12-inch single sleeve). TLC. LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27366 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. Red Light Special (UK cassette single sleeve). TLC. LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27366 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. Red Light Special (European CD single liner notes). TLC. LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27692 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. Red Light Special (Japanese CD single liner notes). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. BVCA-8803.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  23. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9251." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  24. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 9217." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  25. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. May 6, 1995. p. 19. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  26. "week 18 (6 mei 1995)" (in Dutch). top40.nl. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  27. "TLC – Red Light Special" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  28. "TLC – Red Light Special". Top 40 Singles.
  29. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  30. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  31. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  32. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  33. "TLC Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  34. "TLC Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  35. "TLC Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017, 2017.
  36. "TLC Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  37. "TLC Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  38. "U.S. Cash Box Charts" (PDF). popmusichistory. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  39. "Billboard Top 100 – 1995". Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  40. "1995 Year End Chart: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  41. "New Zealand single certifications – TLC – Red Light Special". Recorded Music NZ.
  42. "Best-Selling Records of 1995". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 3. BPI Communications. January 20, 1996. p. 56. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
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