# Nightshift (album)

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Globe and Mail | (favourable) |
| Philadelphia Inquirer | |
| Record Mirror | |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Smash Hits | 3/10 |
Nightshift is the 11th studio album by the Commodores, released by Motown Records on January 15, 1985. This album was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

## 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.
Other musicians that play on the album include: Peter Wolf, Paul Fox, John Robinson, Neil Stubenhaus, Jeff Lorber, Peter Maunu, Harold Hudson, Dennis Lambert, Paulinho da Costa, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jerry Hey, Gary Grant, Gary Herbig and Larry Williams.

## 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, arrangements (3)
* Ronald LaPread – bass, backing vocals
* J. D. Nicholas – lead vocals (2, 3, 4), backing vocals
* Walter Orange – drums, lead vocals (1, 2, 5–9), backing vocals
* Milan Williams – keyboards
Additional musicians
* Gregory Alexander – backing vocals
* Tracee Augcomfar – backing vocals
* Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
* Paulinho da Costa – percussion
* Paul Fox – arrangements (3, 7), synthesizers, bass programming, drum programming
* Doris Garrett – backing vocals
* Siedah Garrett – backing vocals
* Gary Grant – trumpet (9), flugelhorn (9)
* Patricia Hamlin – backing vocals
* Gary Herbig – saxophones (9)
* Jerry Hey – horn arrangement (9), trumpet (9), flugelhorn (9)
* Harold Hudson – arrangements (3), synthesizers
* Phillip Ingram – backing vocals
* Paul Jackson Jr. – arrangements (6), synthesizers, guitars, bass programming, drum programming
* Dennis Lambert – synthesizers, percussion, backing vocals, BGV arrangements
* Jeff Lorber – arrangements (9), synthesizers, bass programming, drum programming
* Peter Maunu – guitars
* Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals
* Ambrose Price – backing vocals
* Sheldon Reynolds – backing vocals
* John Robinson – drums
* Neil Stubenhaus – bass
* David Swanson – backing vocals
* "Ready" Freddie Washington – bass
* Larry Williams – saxophones (9)
* Peter Wolf – arrangements (1, 2, 4, 5, 8), keyboards, synthesizers, bass programming, drum programming

### Production

* Producer – Dennis Lambert
* Co-Producer on "I Keep Running" – William King
* Associate Producer, Engineer – Jeremy Smith
* Associate Engineer – Paul Ericksen
* Assistant Engineers – Bino Espinoza and Fred Law
* Mastered by John Matousek at Motown/Hitsville U.S.A Recording Studios (Hollywood, CA).
* Album Coordination – Marrianne Pellicci and Gail Pierson
* Art Direction – Johnny Lee
* Design – Janet Levinson
* Photography – Ron Slenzak
* Management – BNB Associates, Dan Cleary

## Charts

| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
| US Billboard 200 | 3 |
| US Billboard Top R&B Albums | 1 |
| Australia Albums (Kent Music Report) | 44 |
| Dutch Album Top 100 | 1 |
| Germany Top 100 Albums (GfK Entertainment) | 4 |
| New Zealand Top 40 Albums (RIANZ) | 13 |
| Sweden Top Albums (Sverigetopplistan) | 22 |
| Switzerland Albums Top 100 (Swiss Hitparade) | 8 |
| UK Top 100 Albums (Official Charts Company) | 13 |

## Certifications

| Country | Year | Certifications |
| US | 1985 | Gold (RIAA) |