# Give Me the Night (song)

"Give Me the Night" is a song recorded by American jazz and R&B musician George Benson, released in June 1980 by Warner Bros. as the first single from his 18th studio album of the same title (1980). It was written by Heatwave's keyboard player Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. Patti Austin provides the backing and scat vocals that are heard throughout, and one of Benson's fellow jazz guitarists, Lee Ritenour, also performs on the track.
The song was a commercial success, and was Benson's first single to hit number one on the US Billboard Soul Singles chart, where it spent three weeks. It also peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it his most successful pop entry. It also peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Disco Singles chart and at number seven in the UK Singles Chart, where it ties with "In Your Eyes" as his highest charting single.
In 2021, Chris Molanphy listed the song as an example of the retrospectively named music genre yacht rock.

## Track listing

* 7-inch, US (Warner Bros.
* "Give Me the Night"
* "Dinorah, Dinorah"
* 7-inch, UK (Qwest/Warner Bros.)
* "Give Me the Night"
* "Breezin'"
* 12-inch, US (Warner Bros.)
* "Give Me the Night" (long version)
* "The World Is a Ghetto"
* "Breezin'"

## Personnel

* George Benson – guitar, lead vocals
* Lee Ritenour – guitar
* Abraham Laboriel – bass guitar
* John Robinson – drums
* Herbie Hancock – electric piano
* Richard Tee – synthesizer bass
* Michael Boddicker – synthesizer
* Paulinho da Costa – percussion
* Patti Austin, Diva Gray, Jocelyn Brown, Tom Bahler, Jim Gilstrap – background vocals
* Jerry Hey – trumpet, string and horn arrangements
* Kim Hutchcroft, Larry Williams – saxophone, flute
* Quincy Jones – producer, rhythm arrangements
* Rod Temperton – songwriter, rhythm and vocal arrangements

## Certifications

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Gold | 10,000$^*$ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 400,000$^‡$ |
| $^*$ Sales figures based on certification alone. $^‡$ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |||

## Randy Crawford version

In 1995, American jazz and R&B singer Randy Crawford recorded a cover version of "Give Me the Night" which appeared on her 12th album, Naked and True (1995). It was produced by Ralf Droesemeyer and released as a single by WEA. Compared to the original, which is a post-disco song, Crawford's version is a deep house song. In addition to the studio album, it is also included on The Best Of Randy Crawford & Friends and Brigitte Musik - Jazz For Dinner 4 compilations. The bridge is not sung in this version.

### Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "George Benson's biggest hit, dusted off with an oldfashioned disco groove that will keep your feet tapping and your hips shaking. The jazzy guitar solo in this Radio Mix equals Benson's own fluid style. Big in the German club charts and receiving steady airplay in France."

### Charts

| Chart (1996-97) | Peak position |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 60 |
| US R&B Singles (Billboard) | 47 |
| US Dance/Club Play Singles (Billboard) | 39 |

## Uses and samples

* The song is used as a sample in "Je danse le Mia" by French hip hop band IAM.
* The song is parodied as "Le Casse de Brice" in the French film Brice de Nice.