Nightshift is the eleventh studio album by the Commodores, released by Motown Records on January 15, 1985. This album was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
Contents
Background
Nightshift is the Commodores' second studio album without Lionel Richie, who left the band in 1982, and their last studio album with their original bass guitarist Ronald LaPread. Their previous album Commodores 13 (1983) had featured interim lead vocalist Harold Hudson of Mean Machine. For Nightshift the Commodores permanently replaced Richie with British-born J.D. Nicholas, formerly of Heatwave. Dennis Lambert was chosen as producer, the Commodores hoping to find the same magic created by producer/arranger James Anthony Carmichael, with whom they had worked since 1974 and who was a major impetus in their earlier success.
Critical reception
With a 4 out of 5 stars rating, Paul Sexton of Record Mirror described the album as "a really remarkable renaissance."
Liam Lacey of the Globe and Mail said "The Commodores' latest holds up impressively throughout, and the presence of new lead vocalist J. D. Nicholas is a welcome, if not startling, change."
Chart performance
The album remained in the top of the US Billboard Top R&B Albums charts in the US for a month. Nightshift also peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
Singles
The biggest song was its title track, "Nightshift". Written by Walter Orange, Dennis Lambert and Franne Golde, "Nightshift" was the band's biggest post–Lionel Richie hit, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs. Paying tribute to the late soul singers Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson, who both died in 1984, "Nightshift" also earned the group its only Grammy.
Two other singles, coming off the album, were later released. "Animal Instinct", with Orange on lead vocals, reached No. 23 on the R&B charts, and No. 43 on the pop charts. Another single, "Janet", barely made Billboard's Top 100 and never appeared on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart. However, Janet peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs charts.
Track listing
"Animal Instinct" (Martin Page) – 4:54
"Nightshift" (Dennis Lambert, Franne Golde, Walter Orange) – 5:03
"I Keep Running" (Harold Hudson, Shirley King, William King) – 4:11
"Lay Back" (Dennis Lambert, Franne Golde, Martin Page, Milan Williams) – 5:01
"Slip of the Tongue" (Lenny Macaluso, Peter Beckett) – 3:53
"Play This Record Twice" (Kevin Smith, Ronald LaPread) – 4:22
"Janet" (Bobby Caldwell, Franne Golde, Paul Fox) – 3:41
"Woman in My Life" (Keith Stegall, Patrick Henderson) – 3:34
"Lighting Up the Night" (Diane Warren, Jeff Lorber) – 4:02
Personnel
Commodores
William King – keyboards, backing vocals
Milan Williams – keyboards
Ronald LaPread – bass, backing vocals
Walter Orange – drums, lead vocals (1, 2, 5–9), backing vocals
J. D. Nicholas – lead vocals (2–4), backing vocals
Additional musicians
Peter Wolf – keyboards, synthesizers, bass programming, drum programming
Paul Fox – synthesizers, bass programming, drum programming
Harold Hudson – synthesizers
Paul Jackson Jr. – synthesizers, guitars, bass programming, drum programming
Dennis Lambert – synthesizers, percussion, backing vocals
Jeff Lorber – synthesizers, bass programming, drum programming
Peter Maunu – guitars
Neil Stubenhaus – bass
"Ready" Freddie Washington – bass
Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
John Robinson – drums
Paulinho da Costa – percussion
Gary Herbig – saxophones (9)
Production
Dennis Lambert – producer
William King – co-producer (3)
Jeremy Smith – associate producer, engineer
Paul Ericksen – associate engineer
Bino Espinoza – assistant engineer
Fred Law – assistant engineer
John Matousek – mastering at Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios (Hollywood, California)
Marrianne Pellicci – album coordinator
Gail Pierson – album coordinator
Johnny Lee – art direction
Janet Levinson – design
Ron Slenzak – photography
Dan Cleary for BNB Associates – management