Turn off the Light

For other uses, see Turn Off the Light (disambiguation).

"Turn Off the Light"
International retail artwork, also used for enhanced CD release and one of US promotional materials
Single by Nelly Furtado
from the album Whoa, Nelly!
B-side"I'm Like a Bird" (acoustic)
Released2 July 2001 (2001-07-02)
Studio
Length
  • 4:36 (album version)
  • 3:36 (radio edit)
LabelDreamWorks
Songwriter(s)Nelly Furtado
Producer(s)
Nelly Furtado singles chronology
"I'm Like a Bird"
(2000) 		"Turn Off the Light"
(2001) 		"Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days)"
(2001)
Music video
"Turn Off the Light" on YouTube

"Turn Off the Light" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado from her debut studio album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000). Written by Furtado, and produced by Gerald Eaton, Brian West, and Furtado, the song was released as the album's second single on 2 July 2001, reaching number one in New Zealand, Portugal, and Romania, as well peaking within the top 10 in several other countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Music video

There are two music videos for "Turn Off the Light": the underground version and the regular version.

The regular version was directed by Sophie Muller and was filmed in Chinatown's Central Plaza in Los Angeles, California.[1] The music video for the regular version of "Turn Off the Light" begins in a swamp where Furtado is sitting on the edge of a log and people are swimming in the swamp. She begins to sing the first verse and when the chorus commences the people in the swamp pull her in and they start dancing in the swamp. When the second verse begins Furtado is seen at a temple singing while dancers jump out and dance with Furtado. During the second part of the chorus, she is surrounded by a group at the temple and they dance around her while she sings. During the bridge Furtado is shown at an old house singing and playing the guitar, with the flag of the Azores both behind her and on her guitar (this scene is interpolated with shots of a DJ playing, also with the Azorean flag behind him, and topless men dancing while using skirts that resemble those used in Sufi whirling). The video ends with Furtado back at the temple eating noodles.

The underground video features Furtado playing the guitar in a wooden shed, wearing a white top and jeans. She is also seen buying flowers. Behind the scenes footage of the photoshoot for the Whoa, Nelly! cover is interwoven throughout the video.

Chart performance

The song became Furtado's most successful song at the time of its release. In New Zealand, it became her first number-one single and stayed on the chart for 27 weeks.[2] "Turn Off the Light" was certified Gold by Recorded Music NZ for sales greater than 5,000 copies.[3] The song became the second-most successful song of New Zealand in 2001, behind Craig David's "Walking Away".[4] It peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 10 November 2001.[5] A remix featuring rappers Ms. Jade and Timbaland was also released, and a dance remix topped the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.[6] In Australia, although the song peaked at number 7,[7] it remained in the top 50 for 21 weeks and was certified Platinum for sales exceeding 70,000 copies.[8] The song debuted and peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart,[9] becoming Furtado's second top-5 single there, and reached number 2 on the UK R&B Chart.[10]

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the Whoa, Nelly! album booklet.[16]

Studios

  • Recorded and engineered at The Gymnasium (Toronto, Canada) and Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, Los Angeles)
  • Mixed at Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, Los Angeles)
  • Mastered at Classic Sound (New York City)

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[8] Platinum 70,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[3] Gold 5,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[56] Gold  
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[57] Gold 20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[58] Silver 200,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Australia 2 July 2001 CD DreamWorks [59]
United States 17 July 2001 Contemporary hit radio [60]
United Kingdom 20 August 2001
[61]
Germany 27 August 2001 CD Universal [62]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Nelly Furtado Central – Videos". NellyCentral. Archived from the original on 10 August 2007.
  2. ^ a b "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Top 40 Singles.
  3. ^ a b "New Zealand single certifications – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b "End of Year Charts 2001". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  6. ^ a b "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  7. ^ a b "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  8. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Nelly Furtado: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  10. ^ a b "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  11. ^ Turn Off the Light (UK CD single liner notes). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. DRMDM50891.{cite AV media notes}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Turn Off the Light (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. DRM1250891.{cite AV media notes}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Turn Off the Light (UK cassette single sleeve). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. DRMCS50891.{cite AV media notes}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Turn Off the Light (European CD single liner notes). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. 450 903-2.{cite AV media notes}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Turn Off the Light (Australasian CD single liner notes). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2001. 450 904-2.{cite AV media notes}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Whoa, Nelly! (Canadian CD album booklet). Nelly Furtado. DreamWorks Records. 2000. 0044-50285-2.{cite AV media notes}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  18. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  19. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in French). Ultratip.
  20. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 42. 13 October 2001. p. 11. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  21. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in French). Les classement single.
  22. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  23. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 47. 17 November 2001. p. 29. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  24. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Turn Off the Light". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  25. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Top Digital Download.
  26. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 34, 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  27. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  28. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". VG-lista.
  29. ^ "Nielsen Music Control". Archived from the original on 24 October 2007.
  30. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 48. 24 November 2001. p. 7. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  31. ^ a b "Top of the Year 2001" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 9 December 2002.
  32. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  33. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Singles Top 100.
  34. ^ "Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". Swiss Singles Chart.
  35. ^ "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  36. ^ "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  37. ^ "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  38. ^ "Nelly Furtado Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
  39. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2001". ARIA. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  40. ^ "BDS CHART : Top 100 of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on 1 July 2002. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  41. ^ "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2001" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 52. 22 December 2001. p. 14. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  42. ^ "Ireland – Top Singles for 2001". Allcharts. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  43. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2001". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  44. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2001" (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  45. ^ "Årslista Singlar, 2001" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  46. ^ "Swiss Year-End Charts 2001" (in German). Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  47. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  48. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2001". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  49. ^ "The Year in Music 2001: Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 52. 29 December 2001. p. YE-82.
  50. ^ "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2001". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. 21 December 2001. p. 60.
  51. ^ "Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2001". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 9, no. 51. 21 December 2001. p. 48.
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  56. ^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  57. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Turn Off the Light')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  58. ^ "British single certifications – Nelly Furtado – Turn Off the Light". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  59. ^ "The ARIA Report: ARIA New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 2nd July 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 2 July 2001. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2002. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  60. ^ "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1410. 13 July 2001. p. 41.
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  62. ^ "Turn Off The Light [+Bonusvideo]: Amazon.de: CDs & Vinyl". Amazon Germany.