Nightshift ( song ) - wikipedia Nightshift ( song ) This article is about Commodores single. For Commodores album of same name, see Nightshift ( album ). For other uses, see Night Shift ( disambiguation ). `` Nightshift '' Standard artwork ( U.S. vinyl single pictured ) Single by Commodores from the album Nightshift B - side `` I Keep Running '' Released January 31, 1985 Genre Soul Length 5 : 04 ( album version ) 4 : 19 ( 7 '' single edit ) Label Motown Songwriter ( s ) Walter Orange Dennis Lambert Franne Golde Producer ( s ) Dennis Lambert Commodores singles chronology `` Only You '' ( 1983 ) `` Nightshift '' ( 1985 ) `` Animal Instinct '' ( 1985 ) `` Only You '' ( 1983 ) `` Nightshift '' ( 1985 ) `` Animal Instinct '' ( 1985 ) `` Nightshift '' is a 1985 hit song by the Commodores and the title track from their eleventh album of the same name. The song, written by then lead singer Walter Orange in collaboration with Dennis Lambert and Franne Golde, was a loving tribute to soul / R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, who both died in 1984. The single was released on January 31, 1985 in the United States. For the Marvin Gaye verse his song `` What 's Going On '' is mentioned, while in the Jackie Wilson verse his song `` ( Your Love Keeps Lifting Me ) Higher and Higher '' is mentioned, as well as a reference to Wilson 's hit `` Baby Work Out ''. This song, which was originally recorded in 1984, was the first hit attained by the Commodores following Lionel Richie 's departure from the group. It was also their biggest hit after Richie 's departure, peaking at number three on both the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart, and rising to number one on the Hot Black Singles chart ; the single also became a huge success on the Adult Contemporary and the Hot Dance Music / Maxi - Singles Sales charts in the first half of that year. Although the band was against the label 's decision to release it as a single, it won a Grammy Award in 1985 for Best Vocal R&B Performance by a Duo / Group. The song features a lead vocal from drummer Walter Orange, who had sung lead years earlier on the hugely popular `` Brick House ''. Lionel Richie 's replacement, J.D. Nicholas, sings the second verse and then Orange and Nicholas share lead vocals on the remaining choruses. The Commodores recorded another version in 2010, dedicating it to Michael Jackson. In this version Jackson 's hit with The Jackson 5, `` I 'll Be There '', and his solo hit `` Rock With You '' are mentioned in the lyrics. The song was also parodied by the band as `` 11 Alive '' on a 1985 commercial for NBC affiliate WXIA - TV in Atlanta, Georgia. Contents 1 Chart performance 2 Other versions 3 In popular culture 4 References 5 External links Chart performance Chart ( 1985 ) Peak position UK Top 75 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music / Maxi - Singles Sales 6 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 8 RIANZ New Zealand Top 40 Dutch Top 40 Other versions A reggae version was recorded by Winston Groovy, with the lyrics changed as a tribute to Bob Marley who had also recorded a song titled `` Nightshift ''. Dexys Midnight Runners covered the song on their 2012 live album At The Royal Court. American Idol and Grammy Award winner Fantasia sampled the song for her single `` Lose to Win ''. South African group Dr Victor and the Rasta Rebels recorded a reggae version, which appears on their greatest hits album. In popular culture In 2016, MTN South Africa used the song in the advert `` Night Shift '' as an ode to workers on night duty across the country. References Jump up ^ `` '' Nightshift '' The Commodores - 1984 ``. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014 - 02 - 22. Jump up ^ The Commodores on the UK Singles Chart Jump up ^ `` Commodores Artist Biography by Craig Lytle - Awards ''. Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014 - 02 - 22. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Top R&B / Hip - Hop Singles : 1942 - 2004. Record Research. p. 130. Jump up ^ John Leland ( June 1985 ). Singles - Commodores `` Nightshift '' ( Motown ). Spin. p. 36. Retrieved 2010 - 08 - 22. Jump up ^ Commodores Re-record `` Nightshift '' As MJ Tribute Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992. St Ives, NSW : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ `` De Nederlandse Top 40, week 13, 1985 ''. Archived from the original on May 18, 2011. Retrieved 2008 - 03 - 01. Jump up ^ Winston Groovys Nightshift lyrics Jump up ^ `` Shazam.com ''. Retrieved 7 January 2014. Jump up ^ Night Shift MTN External links Song Facts 2010 Re-recording dedicated to Michael Jackson Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` Missing You '' by Diana Ross Billboard Hot Black Singles number one single March 16, 1985 - April 6, 1985 Succeeded by `` Back In Stride '' by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly Commodores William King Walter Orange J.D. Nicholas Milan Williams Thomas McClary Lionel Richie Andre Callahan Michael Gilbert Ronald LaPread James Ingram Skyler Jett Sheldon Reynolds Albums Machine Gun Caught in the Act Movin ' On Hot on the Tracks Commodores Commodores Live ! Natural High Midnight Magic Heroes In the Pocket Commodores 13 Nightshift United Rock Solid Commodores Christmas No Tricks The Very Best of The Commodores ( 1995 album ) Singles `` Slippery When Wet '' `` Sweet Love '' `` Just to Be Close to You '' `` Easy '' `` Brick House '' `` Too Hot ta Trot '' `` Three Times a Lady '' `` Sail On '' `` Still '' `` Lady ( You Bring Me Up ) '' `` Oh No '' `` Nightshift '' `` Take It From Me '' Related Discography Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nightshift_(song)&oldid=811971054 '' Categories : 1985 singles Commodores songs Billboard Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs number - one singles Dutch Top 40 number - one singles 1985 songs Songs in memory of Marvin Gaye Songs in memory of deceased persons Songs written by Franne Golde Songs written by Dennis Lambert Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Kiswahili Nederlands Português Edit links This page was last edited on 25 November 2017, at 03 : 43. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who was the song night shift dedicated to
Answer: Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye