Too Hot (Kool & the Gang song)

"Too Hot" is a song recorded by the American band Kool & the Gang for their first Platinum-selling 1979 album Ladies' Night.^[1] It was written by George Brown and Kool & the Gang and produced by Eumir Deodato and Kool & the Gang.^[1]

"Too Hot"
Side-A label of US single
Single by Kool & the Gang
from the album Ladies' Night
B-side	"Tonight's the Night"
Released	January 1, 1980 (Charted January 19, 1980)
Genre	R&B,Soul
Length	5:05 (album version) 3:48 (single version)
Label	De-Lite
Songwriter(s)	George Brown Kool & the Gang
Producer(s)	Eumir Deodato and Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang singles chronology
"Ladies' Night" (1979) "Too Hot" (1980) "Celebration" (1980)

The Gold certified single reached number five on the US US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on Billboard's R&B survey in the spring of 1980.^[2]

Record World said that the song "offers a midtempo pace with delightful keyboards & vocals."^[3]

Track listing

De-Lite Records - DE-802 - 6168.772:^[4]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Too Hot"	George M. Brown & Kool and the Gang	3:48
2.	"Tonight's the Night"	Ronald Bell	3:58

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	18
UK Singles (OCC)	23
US Billboard Hot 100	5
US Dance (Billboard)	5
US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks (Billboard)	11
US R&B (Billboard)	3
US Cash Box Top 100	7

Year-end charts

Chart (1980)	Rank
US Billboard Hot 100 [5]	36
US Cash Box Top 100[6]	50

Coolio version

"Too Hot"
Single by Coolio
from the album Gangsta's Paradise
Released	October 31, 1995 (1995-10-31)[7]
Length	3:42
Label	Tommy Boy
Songwriter(s)	Artis Ivey Jr. George Brown Bryan Dobbs
Producer(s)	Bryan Dobbs
Coolio singles chronology
"Gangsta's Paradise" (1995) "Too Hot" (1995) "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" (1996)
Music video
"Too Hot" on YouTube

In 1995, American rapper Coolio covered the song for his second studio album, Gangsta's Paradise (1995). It was released in October 1995 by Tommy Boy Records as the second single from the album. Major parts of the original were retained, but supplemented by independent rap passages. In the rap passages he also addresses the disease HIV/AIDS. The accompanying music video for "Too Hot" was directed by David Nelson.^[8]

Critical reception

British columnist for Dotmusic, James Masterton viewed the song as "another extremely commercial piece of Gangsta rap and another instant Top 10 hit." He added, "My only query is just who decided to release a record called 'Too Hot' in the middle of a freezing cold January?"^[9] Helen Lamont from Smash Hits gave it four out of five, writing, "This is flavour of the fortnight Coolio's remake of an old Kool and the Gang seventies number, and very good it is too. 'Too Hot' is a great dancy tune, along the lines of Godfathers of soul James Brown or James Taylor. You can just see it being played at cool art school discos everywhere, with "individual" types sporting big hats and flares moving to that old skool beat. Groovy, groovy, jazzy, funky, by the way, big man."^[10]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1995–1996)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[11]	42
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12]	41
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13]	16
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[14]	24
Europe (European Dance Radio)[15]	1
France (SNEP)[16]	15
Germany (GfK)[17]	24
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[18]	9
Ireland (IRMA)[19]	18
Italy (Musica e dischi)[20]	6
Italy Airplay (Music & Media)[21]	6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22]	12
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[23]	10
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[24]	7
Scotland (OCC)[25]	23
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[26]	35
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27]	18
UK Singles (OCC)[28]	9
UK Dance (OCC)[29]	16
UK Indie (Music Week)[30]	1
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[31]	1
US Billboard Hot 100[32]	24
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[33]	22
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[34]	31
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[35]	6
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[36]	19

Year-end charts

Chart (1996)	Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[37]	98
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[38]	99
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[39]	60

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[40]	Gold	5,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone.

2004 version

"Too Hot"
Single by Kool & the Gang featuring Lisa Stansfield
from the album The Hits: Reloaded
Released	September 2004 (2004-09)
Recorded	2004
Length	4:32
Label	Edel
Songwriter(s)	George Brown Kool & the Gang
Producer(s)	George Brown Leigh Guest Khalis Bayyan
Lisa Stansfield singles chronology
"All Around the World (Norty Cotto Mixes)" (2003) "Too Hot" (2004) "Easier" (2004)

In 2004, Kool & the Gang released The Hits: Reloaded album, which features their greatest hits performed by various artists.^[41] "Too Hot" was recorded by British singer Lisa Stansfield and released as a promotional single from The Hits: Reloaded in selected European countries in September 2004.^[42]

Track listings

European promotional CD single

1. "Too Hot" (Kool & the Gang featuring Lisa Stansfield) – 4:32
2. "Where Da Boogie At!" (Kool & the Gang featuring R.O.C. & Da Prince Hakim) – 3:39

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[43]	36