Red Light Special

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"Red Light Special"
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Template:Infobox song/link by TLC
from the album CrazySexyCool
B-side"My Secret Enemy"
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Recorded1994[1]
StudioMusic Grinder (Los Angeles, California)[1]
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Label
[[Songwriter|SongwriterTemplate:Pluralize from text]]Babyface
[[Record producer|ProducerTemplate:Pluralize from text]]Babyface
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"Creep"
(1994) 		"Red Light Special"
(589) 		"Waterfalls"
(1995)
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"Red Light Special" is a song by American vocal girl group TLC for their second studio album, CrazySexyCool (1994). Written and produced by Babyface. LaFace and Arista Records released the song as the second single from the album on February 17, 1995. The song achieved chart success, reaching number one on the US Billboard Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Matthew Rolston filmed its music video, which features the group performing in a brothel.

Critical reception

Steve Baltin from Cash Box felt the song "lives up to its name as one of the sultriest, sexiest singles to come along in years. Slow and entrancing, “Red Light Special” has definitely got the groove going on. A smash."[2] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report remarked that in numerous markets, this has been in heavy rotation for weeks. He also viewed it as "another example of why Babyface is the hottest writer/producer in the business. Flawless."[3] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian wrote that here, TLC "turn on the sweetness in inverse proportion to the raunchiness of the tune", adding that the song "which uses old blues imagery to express steamy lust, is superficially one of the prettiest numbers [on the album]."[4] Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times named it a "strong tune" from the CrazySexyCool album, and a "steamy Babyface production".[5]

In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton found that here, TLC are "slipping into a distinctly American summer groove to make what is arguably one of their best records ever and surpasses at a stroke the No.22 peak of "Creep" back in January."[6] Simon Price from Melody Maker named "Red Light Special" "the finest shag song since...well, I can't remember. It's been a long time."[7] Ralph Tee from Music Week's RM Dance Update stated, "The follow-up to 'Creep' is this beat ballad from the album. The pace of this genre of music is getting so slow now that if it's not careful it'll soon grind to a halt. Gerald Hall provides a mix that beefs up the rhythms a little to generate marginal dancefloor potential but the tune still needs a few rewinds to get into it."[8] Charles Aaron from Spin commented, "Sexy, sexier, sexiest. If you liked 'em better when they were more like cartoons, you should wise up."[9]

Music video

Shot in December 1994, the accompanying music video for "Red Light Special" was directed by American artist, photographer, director and creative director Matthew Rolston and is set in a brothel. Male actors portray prostitutes and Left Eye plays a pimp while Chilli and T-Boz portray customers playing strip poker. A young Boris Kodjoe is featured as one of the male prostitutes. T-Boz is seen being caressed by a man in a room. Chilli is seen dancing with the guitar player. There are also black and white solo shots of the girls singing.[10]

The music video has three versions: one labelled "Sexy", the second "Sexier" and the final version "Sexiest". As a result of more sexually suggestive and racy footage being used in versions two and three, the first version is widely broadcast.

B-side: "My Secret Enemy"

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For the CD single of "Red Light Special", Lopes produced a brilliant and darkly confessional B-side called "My Secret Enemy". On this relatively obscure track, Lopes explored the Rison incident – and her own conflicted feelings about it – with astonishing depth and style. It is such an exciting departure from the work the group has done with established producers that you start to feel that TLC’s album output thus far only hints at the women’s true capabilities.

— Carol Cooper of Rolling Stone[11]

The "Red Light Special" single contains the B-side "My Secret Enemy", a rap track led by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who wrote the track alongside Steve Keitt and R.A.S. Posse.[12] Its lyrical content focuses on Lopes's coverage in the media and her relationship with Andre Rison. Lopes went on to say that the song came out directly after the incident that saw her accidentally set fire to Rison's Atlanta mansion. "It happened right after that incident and I was feeling like I needed a way out," said Lopes of the track.[13]

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[33] Gold 0 
United States (RIAA)[35] Gold 700,000[34]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States February 17, 1995 Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 LaFace [35]
Sweden April 3, 1995 CD Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.
 [36]
Japan April 21, 1995 LaFace [37]
Australia May 22, 1995 Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.
  • CD
  • cassette
 [38]

References

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  1. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Triple X: The Making Of TLC's 'Red Light Special'". Vibe. October 22, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Baltin, Steve (April 1, 1995). "Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. p. 7. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Sholin, Dave (February 24, 1995). "Gavin Picks: Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 54. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  4. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (May 12, 1995). "Music: CD Releases - Pop". The Guardian.
  5. ^ Hunt, Dennis (November 13, 1994). "Record Rack". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Masterton, James (April 16, 1995). "Week Ending April 22nd 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Price, Simon (May 13, 1995). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 38. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Tee, Ralph (April 8, 1995). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 10. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Aaron, Charles (June 1995). "Singles". Spin. p. 106. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."How Left Eye And Andre Rison's Fiery Relationship Almost Inspired TLC's 'Red Light Special' Video". Uproxx. November 14, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."TLC's T-Boz: 'A lot of people have made money off of us, and we haven't'". The Guardian. 1995. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  12. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (US 12-inch single vinyl disc). LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24099-1.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Left Eye's Final Chat: The Dear Lie Video "Sucked," My Secret Enemy, Reincarnation, & More! | CyberTLC World". Archived from the original on September 6, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24097-7.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (US cassette single sleeve). LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24097-4.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (US & Australian CD single liner notes). LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24099-2.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (US maxi-cassette single sleeve). LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24099-4.
  18. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (UK CD single liner notes). LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27366 2.
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (UK 12-inch single sleeve). LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27366 1.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (UK cassette single sleeve). LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27366 4.
  21. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (European CD single liner notes). LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27692 2.
  22. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Red Light Special (Japanese CD single liner notes). LaFace Records. 1995. BVCA-8803.
  23. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  24. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. May 6, 1995. p. 19. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  25. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 19. May 13, 1995. p. 33. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  26. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."week 18 (6 mei 1995)" (in Nederlands). top40.nl. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  27. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."TLC – Red Light Special" (in Nederlands). MegaCharts. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  28. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."U.S. Cash Box Charts" (PDF). popmusichistory. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  29. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Billboard Top 100 – 1995". Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  30. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."1995 Year End Chart: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
  31. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Year in Music 1995: Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover Top Titles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 3, no. 51. December 15, 1995. p. 9.
  32. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cash Box Year-End Awards: Top 50 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LIX, no. 18. December 30, 1995. p. 10. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  33. ^ Script error: No such module "cite".
  34. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Best-Selling Records of 1995". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 3. January 20, 1996. p. 56. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  35. ^ a b Script error: No such module "cite".
  36. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."TLC: Red Light Special". click2music.se (in svenska). Archived from the original on February 22, 2005. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  37. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."レッド・ライト・スペシャル | TLC" [Red Light Special | TLC] (in 日本語). Oricon. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  38. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."New Releases – Product Available from : 22/05/95: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 275. May 21, 1995. p. 21.

Template:TLC (group) songs

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