Last Nite

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This article is about the song by The Strokes. For other uses, see Last Night (disambiguation).

"Last Nite"
The Strokes - Last Nite - CD single cover.jpg
Single by The Strokes
from the album Is This It
B-side"When It Started"
ReleasedOctober 23, 2001 (2001-10-23)
RecordedMarch and April 2001
StudioTransporterraum, New York City
Genre
Length3:13
Label
Songwriter(s)Julian Casablancas
Producer(s)Gordon Raphael
The Strokes singles chronology
"Hard to Explain"
(2001) 		"Last Nite"
(2001) 		"Someday"
(2001)
Music video
"Last Nite" on YouTube

"Last Nite" is a song by American rock band the Strokes. It was released on October 23, 2001, as the second single from their debut album, Is This It (2001). It was a moderate hit for the group on the UK Singles Chart in 2001.

Background[]

The track was produced by Gordon Raphael and was issued on RCA Records with the song "When It Started" as the B-side.

The song's opening guitar riff and overall structure is based on "American Girl" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. In a 2006 interview with Rolling Stone, Petty commented, "The Strokes took 'American Girl' [for 'Last Nite'], there was an interview that took place with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, 'OK, good for you.' It doesn't bother me".[3] The Strokes were invited to be the opening act for several dates on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 2006 tour.[4] The solo for the song was inspired by guitarist Freddie King.

Reception[]

The single was the group's first to enter the American charts, reaching the top five on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart in late 2001. Meanwhile, the single obtained moderate success in the UK, peaking at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart.[5][6]

In March 2005, Q placed "Last Nite" at number 66 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. In September 2006, NME placed "Last Nite" at number one on its list of the 50 Greatest Tracks of the Decade. In May 2007, NME magazine placed "Last Nite" at number nine in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever. It was also placed at number 16 on Rolling Stone's 50 Best Songs of the Decade and number 478 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In 2011, NME placed it at number 4 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[7]

Music video[]

The band were originally unwilling to appear in a music video,[8] but eventually agreed to a simple format, performing the song live rather than lip-syncing to the recorded version, on a brightly lit stage. The resulting video, filmed with simple panning shots and few edits, was directed by Roman Coppola. One minute into the song, singer Julian Casablancas throws his microphone stand, as if it was a spear, off camera; the move would later be referenced in the music video for "Under Cover of Darkness", released 10 years later in 2011 on their album Angles.

As the song progresses, Casablancas' vocal becomes increasingly distorted as he sings ever closer into the microphone. On two occasions he dramatically throws the microphone to the ground. Following his solo, guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr., walking backwards into the drum podium, accidentally pushes one of drummer Fabrizio Moretti's overhead microphones which falls onto the drum kit. Moretti tries to hit it away with his drumstick, yet it topples onto the other overhead and both crash to the ground. The video, including the accident, is parodied in the music video for Sum 41's "Still Waiting".

Track listings[]

US/UK

  1. "Last Nite" - 3:15
  2. "When It Started" - 2:59

AUS

  1. "Last Nite" - 3:15
  2. "When It Started" - 2:59
  3. "Last Nite" (Live) - 3:27
  4. "Take It or Leave It" (Live) - 3:29

Charts[]

Chart (2001–2002) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 47
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10] 49
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 48
Scotland (OCC)[12] 10
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 14
UK Indie (OCC)[14] 1
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[15] 5

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[16] Platinum 70,000double-dagger
Italy (FIMI)[17] Gold 25,000double-dagger
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Platinum 600,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[19] Platinum 1,000,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States October 23, 2001 (2001-10-23) Alternative radio RCA [20]
United Kingdom November 5, 2001 (2001-11-05)
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
 Rough Trade [21]
Australia December 3, 2001 (2001-12-03) CD
[22]

Vitamin C version[]

"Last Nite"
Last niteVC.jpg
Single by Vitamin C
ReleasedJuly 7, 2003 (2003-07-07)[23]
Genre
Length3:54
LabelV2
Songwriter(s)Julian Casablancas
Producer(s)
Vitamin C singles chronology
"As Long As You're Loving Me"
(2001) 		"Last Nite"
(2003)

Background[]

American pop singer Vitamin C covered "Last Night" and released it as a single in July 2003. The song was produced by Dave Derby, Michael Kotch, and Fred Maher.[24] The single features a sample from Blondie's "Heart of Glass".[25] After Elektra Records dropped Vitamin C when her second album, More, did not sell as expected, she signed to V2 Records in the UK, hoping to break into the music scene there. After her third album was recorded, this single was released exclusively in the UK with plans to release the album a month later. The album was never released.

Reception[]

The single for "Last Nite" by Vitamin C did not do well in its first week by debuting and peaking at a disappointing number 70 and falling down the chart rapidly.[26][27] V2 shelved Vitamin C's album afterwards and dropped her. However, "Last Nite" is Vitamin C's only chart entry in the UK Singles Top 75, making it her most successful single there.[28]

Music video[]

The music video for "Last Nite" was shot in New York City. It features Vitamin C, as a blonde, in or around the Hotel Chelsea as well as other New York City night spots. The club CBGB is seen in the video.

Track listings[]

  1. "Last Nite" – 3:54
  2. "Last Nite" (Derby & Kotch Mix) – 3:45
  3. "Last Nite" (I Lick That Mix by Count Caligula) – 5:40
  4. "Last Nite" (Clique Remix) – 6:05

Charts[]

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[29] 53
Scotland (OCC)[30] 50
UK Singles (OCC)[31] 70
UK Dance (OCC)[32] 33
UK Indie (OCC)[33] 10

Samples and parodies[]

  • "Last Nite" was used in the parody "Angry White Boy Polka" by "Weird Al" Yankovic in the 2003 album Poodle Hat. This version is a polka cover of a small section.
  • "Last Nite" was sampled in the song "Only Wanna Dance with You" by Ke$ha, in her 2012 album Warrior.[34]

References[]

  1. ^ "NME's 50 Greatest "Indie Anthems"". Stereogum. NME. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
  2. ^ Stiernberg, Bonnie. "The 50 Best Garage Rock Songs of All Time". Paste. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  3. ^ "Tom Petty News". Rolling Stone. June 28, 2006. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  4. ^ "For The Record: Quick News On Hilary Duff, Katharine McPhee, Shakira, Wyclef Jean, Snoop Dogg, Bam Margera & More".
  5. ^ "The Strokes Artist Biography by Heather Phares - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  6. ^ "Strokes - singles". officialcharts.com. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  7. ^ "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years - NME". October 6, 2011.
  8. ^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  9. ^ "Australian-charts.com – The Strokes – Last Nite". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  10. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19 no. 48. November 24, 2001. p. 7. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  11. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography The Strokes". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  12. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  13. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  14. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  15. ^ "The Strokes Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  16. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  17. ^ "Italian single certifications – The Strokes – Last Nite" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 23, 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Last Nite" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  18. ^ "British single certifications – Strokes – Last Nite". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  19. ^ "American single certifications – Strokes – Last Nite". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  20. ^ "Alternative: Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1424. October 19, 2001. p. 107. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  21. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting November 5, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 3, 2001. p. 29. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  22. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 3rd December 2001" (PDF). ARIA. December 3, 2001. p. 26. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  23. ^ "Last Nite". Amazon. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  24. ^ ARIA Singles
  25. ^ "Where Ya Been? Vitamin C Juicing Up A Comeback, Fastball Heading Back To The Mound".
  26. ^ "Official Charts Company - Vitamin C". July 31, 2012.
  27. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 588. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  28. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 588. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  29. ^ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 38, saptamina 6.10 – 12.10, 2003" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 19, 2005. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  30. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  32. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  33. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  34. ^ https://www.nme.com/news/music/keha-20-1259438
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