I Can't Wait (Nu Shooz song)

"I Can't Wait" is a song by American group Nu Shooz, included on the band's second album, Tha's Right (1985).^[3] The song was remixed by Dutch DJ and producer Peter Slaghuis: this remixed version is the one that appears on the group's 1986 album, Poolside.

"I Can't Wait"
Front cover of 1986 US reissue (Atlantic)
Single by Nu Shooz
from the album Tha's Right and Poolside
B-side	"Make Your Mind Up"
Released	February 1986
Genre	Freestyle[1][2] pop[2] R&B[2]
Length	5:25 (album version) 3:38 (single/dutch mix)
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	John Smith
Producer(s)	John Smith Rick Waritz
Nu Shooz singles chronology
"I Can't Wait" (1986) "Point of No Return" (1986)
Music video
"I Can't Wait" on YouTube
Back cover
Back cover of 1986 US reissue (Atlantic)

In the United States, the remixed version of the song reached number one on the Billboard Dance/Disco Club Play chart and number three on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom and West Germany, the song reached number two, while in Canada, it peaked at number one. The single returned to the Billboard charts in 2015, where it peaked at number 17 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart.^[4]

Background

Instrumentalist John Smith would try to write songs in batches of 10 and have two a week ready for rehearsals in Portland, Oregon. He bought a new Teac-3440 4-track recorder in 1983, and "I Can't Wait" was one of the first songs he recorded on it. He scribbled out the lyrics in fifteen minutes as the band was loading up gear to go to rehearse it, and his wife, singer Valerie Day, approved.^[5]

Critical reception

John Leland's writeup in a Spin magazine column wrote about the single, saying: "You can listen to this record as many times as you want and still not have any strong impressions that human beings actually made it. In other words, it's the perfect disco record."^[6]

Music video

The music video was directed by Jim Blashfield. It contains animations and has a hint of the very surreal. The plot has Valerie Day singing the song sitting at a desk, repairing a coffeepot, while tools and other oddities pass into the frame and out again. Her dog sits nearby, wearing sunglasses.

Personnel

According to the liner notes for the Tha's Right album:^[3]

• Valerie Day- lead vocals, congas, percussion
• John Smith- guitars
• Mark Bosnian- keyboards, vocals
• Danny Schauffler- tenor saxophone
• Lewis Livermore- trumpet
• Gary Fountaine- bass guitar
• Peter K. Williams- drums
• Shannon Day, Lori Lamphear-Rosenfeld- backing vocals
• Nate Phillips- Moog bass

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1986) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 11 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 16 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 9 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 1 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[11] 6 France (SNEP)[12] 24 Ireland (IRMA)[13] 10 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 11 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 9 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 3 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 4 UK Singles (OCC)[18] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[19] 3 US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)[20] 2 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[21] 38 US Dance/Disco Club Play (Billboard)[22] 1 US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)[23] 2 West Germany (GfK)[24] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1986) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[25] 66 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[26] 9 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[27] 29 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 95 New Zealand (RIANZ)[29] 17 UK Singles (OCC)[30] 38 US Billboard Hot 100[31] 26 West Germany (Media Control)[32] 23

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[33]	Gold	50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[34]	Silver	250,000^
United States (RIAA)[35]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover version and samples

• The song was covered in 2002 by the UK garage girl group Ladies First. It was a UK top 20 hit, reaching number 19.^[36]
• The song was sampled by American singer Vanessa Williams for her 1997 song "Happiness".^[37]
• The song was sampled by American rapper Mann for his 2010 song "Buzzin".^[38]

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)