Tonight (Iggy Pop song)
"Tonight" is a song written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop for the latter's second solo studio album, Lust for Life, released in 1977. The song was later made into the title-track for Bowie's own album Tonight.
David Bowie version
"Tonight" | ||||
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Single by David Bowie | ||||
from the album Tonight | ||||
B-side | "Tumble and Twirl" | |||
Released | November 1984 | |||
Recorded | Le Studio, Morin-Heights, Quebec, Canada, May 1984 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:43 | |||
Label | EMI – EA187 | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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David Bowie singles chronology | ||||
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Bowie covered the song with guest singer Tina Turner in 1984 for his sixteenth studio album of the same name. One of three tracks on the album to be a cover version of an Iggy Pop song, it was recorded as a duet with Turner but the single release was only credited to Bowie. The original spoken word introduction of the 1977 version, establishing that the lyric is addressed to a lover dying of a heroin overdose, was excised from Bowie's version because Bowie regarded the introduction as an "idiosyncrasy" of Iggy Pop that did not match his own personal vocabulary.[1] Bowie also stated that he didn't want to "inflict" that part of the song on Tina Turner, either.[1] The reggae-style song reached No. 53 on both the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100.
Track listing
- 7" Single
- "Tonight" – 3:43
- "Tumble and Twirl" – 4:56
- 12" Single
- "Tonight (Vocal Dance Mix)" - 4:29
- "Tumble and Twirl (Extended Dance Mix)" – 5:03
- "Tonight (Dub Mix)" – 4:18
Personnel
- David Bowie – vocals
- Tina Turner – vocals
- Carlos Alomar – guitar
- Carmine Rojas – bass guitar
- Omar Hakim – drums
- Guy St Onge – marimba
- Production team
- David Bowie – producer
- Derek Bramble – producer
- Hugh Padgham – producer
Chart performance
Chart (1984–85) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[2] | 70 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[3] | 22 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[4] | 21 |
Ireland (IRMA)[5] | 24 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6] | 45 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] | 21 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[8] | 23 |
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[9] | 53 |
US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 53 |
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[11] | 28 |
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[12] | 32 |
Tina Turner and David Bowie live version
"Tonight (Live)" | ||||
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Single by Tina Turner duet with David Bowie | ||||
from the album Tina Live in Europe | ||||
B-side | "River Deep – Mountain High" (Live) | |||
Released | December 1988 | |||
Recorded | 23 March 1985 , National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Terry Britten | |||
Tina Turner singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Tonight" (Live) on YouTube |
David Bowie would perform the song live with Tina Turner at the latter's 23 March 1985 concert at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. This version was included on Turner's live album Tina Live in Europe three years later, and also released as a single in late 1988, then becoming a number-one hit in the Netherlands.
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Chart (1988–89) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] | 3 |
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[14] | 70 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[15] | 39 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] | 1 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] | 17 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1989) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[18] | 18 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] | 5 |
Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Netherlands (NVPI)[20] | Gold | 75,000^ |
^shipments figures based on certification alone |
Cover versions
- Herman van Veen – A Dutch version called "De Laatste Dans".
References
- Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5
- Murray, Charles Shaar (25 October 1984), "Let's Talk, A Conversation with David Bowie", Rolling Stone magazine (433): 14, 18, 74
- David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. Australia: St Ives, N.S.W. : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "Austriancharts.at – David Bowie – Tonight" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9577." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – David Bowie". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – David Bowie – Tonight" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "Charts.nz – Tina Turner & David Bowie – Tonight (Live)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "Swisscharts.com – David Bowie – Tonight". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "David Bowie: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "David Bowie Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "David Bowie Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "David Bowie Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- "Ultratop.be – Tina Turner & David Bowie – Tonight (Live)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 18 February 1989. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- "Tina Turner - Top Titel" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 4, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "Swisscharts.com – Tina Turner & David Bowie – Tonight (Live)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- "Jaaroverzichten 1989" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- "Single Top 100 Van 1989" (PDF) (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
- "Dutch single certifications – Tina Turner – Tonight" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Tonight in the "Artiest of titel" box.