Turn Off the Light

For other uses, see Turn Off the Light (disambiguation).

"Turn Off the Light" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado from her debut studio album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000). Written by Furtado, and produced by Gerald Eaton, Brian West, and Furtado, the song was released as the album's second single on 2 July 2001, reaching number one in New Zealand, Portugal, and Romania, as well peaking within the top 10 in several other countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

"Turn Off the Light"
International retail artwork, also used for enhanced CD release and one of US promotional materials
Single by Nelly Furtado
from the album Whoa, Nelly!
B-side	"I'm Like a Bird" (acoustic)
Released	2 July 2001 (2001-07-02)
Studio	The Gymnasium (Toronto, Canada) Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, Los Angeles)
Genre	Pop[1] trip hop[1] blues rock[2]
Length	4:36 (album version) 3:36 (radio edit)
Label	DreamWorks
Songwriter(s)	Nelly Furtado
Producer(s)	Gerald Eaton Brian West Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado singles chronology
"I'm Like a Bird" (2000) "Turn Off the Light" (2001) "Shit on the Radio (Remember the Days)" (2001)
Music video
"Turn Off the Light" on YouTube

Music video

There are two music videos for "Turn Off the Light": the underground version and the regular version.

The regular version was directed by Sophie Muller and was filmed in Chinatown's Central Plaza in Los Angeles, California.^[3] The music video for the regular version of "Turn Off the Light" begins in a swamp where Nelly Furtado is sitting on the edge of a log and people are swimming in the swamp. She begins to sing the first verse and when the chorus commences the people in the swamp pull her in and they start dancing in the swamp. When the second verse begins Furtado is seen at a temple singing while dancers jump out and dance with Furtado. During the second part of the chorus, she is surrounded by a group at the temple and they dance around her while she sings. During the bridge Furtado is shown at an old house singing and playing the guitar, with the flag of the Azores both behind her and on her guitar (this scene is interpolated with shots of a DJ playing, also with the Azorean flag behind him, and topless men dancing while using skirts that resemble those used in Sufi whirling). The video ends with Furtado back at the temple eating noodles.

The underground video features Furtado playing the guitar in a wooden shed, wearing a white top and jeans. She is also seen buying flowers. Behind the scenes footage of the photoshoot for the Whoa, Nelly! cover is interwoven throughout the video.

Chart performance

The song became Furtado's most successful song at the time of its release. In New Zealand, it became her first number-one single and stayed on the chart for 27 weeks.^[4] "Turn Off the Light" was certified Gold by Recorded Music NZ for sales greater than 5,000 copies.^[5] The song became the second-most successful song of New Zealand in 2001, behind Craig David's "Walking Away".^[6] It peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 10 November 2001.^[7] A remix featuring rappers Ms. Jade and Timbaland was also released, and a dance remix topped the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.^[8] In Australia, although the song peaked at number seven,^[9] it remained in the top 50 for 21 weeks and was certified Platinum for sales exceeding 70,000 copies.^[10] The song debuted and peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart,^[11] becoming Furtado's second top-5 single there, and reached number two on the UK R&B Chart.^[12]

Track listings

UK CD maxi-single[13] "Turn Off the Light" "Turn Off the Light" (remix featuring Ms. Jade and Timbaland) "I'm Like a Bird" (acoustic version) "Turn Off the Light" (video) UK 12-inch single[14] A1. "Turn Off the Light" (remix featuring Ms. Jade and Timbaland) A2. "Turn Off the Light" (So Solid Crew remix) B1. "Turn Off the Light" (album version) B2. "Turn Off the Light" (Sunshine Reggae mix)

UK cassette single and European CD single[15][16] "Turn Off the Light" (radio edit) – 3:36 "I'm Like a Bird" (acoustic version) – 3:50 Australasian and European CD maxi-single[17] "Turn Off the Light" (radio edit) "Turn Off the Light" (Sunshine Reggae mix) "I'm Like a Bird" (acoustic) "Turn Off the Light" (underground video)

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the Whoa, Nelly! album booklet.^[18]

Studios

• Recorded and engineered at The Gymnasium (Toronto, Canada) and Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, Los Angeles)
• Mixed at Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, Los Angeles)
• Mastered at Classic Sound (New York City)

Personnel

• Nelly Furtado – writing, lead vocals, background vocals, programming, production
• Gerald Eaton – additional background vocals, programming, production
• James McCollum – swamp guitar
• Brian West – pitched-up guitar, scratching, production, programming, recording, engineering
• Brad Haehnel – mixing, recording, engineering
• John Knupp – second engineering
• Scott Hull – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2001–2002) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[9] 7 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[19] 22 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[20] 13 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[21] 8 Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)[22] 6 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[23] 10 France (SNEP)[24] 46 Germany (GfK)[25] 31 Hungary (Mahasz)[26] 3 Ireland (IRMA)[27] 5 Italy (FIMI)[28] 50 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 10 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[4] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[31] 5 Poland (Nielsen Music Control)[32] 6 Portugal (AFP)[33] 1 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[34] 1 Scotland (OCC)[35] 3 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 9 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 2 UK Singles (OCC)[11] 4 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[12] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[7] 5 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[38] 11 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[8] Remixes 1 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[39] Featuring Ms. Jade and Timbaland 52 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[40] 3 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[41] Featuring Ms. Jade and Timbaland 4

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position Australia (ARIA)[42] 38 Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS)[43] 26 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[44] 61 Ireland (IRMA)[45] 48 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[46] 31 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[47] 76 New Zealand (RIANZ)[6] 2 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[34] 19 Sweden (Hitlistan)[48] 69 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[49] 15 UK Singles (OCC)[50] 81 US Billboard Hot 100[51] 70 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[52] 38 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[53] 36 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[54] 74 Chart (2002) Position US Billboard Hot 100[55] 92 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[56] 59 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[57] 55 US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)[58] 33

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[10]	Platinum	70,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[5]	Gold	5,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[59]	Gold
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[60]	Gold	20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[61]	Silver	200,000‡
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Australia	2 July 2001	CD	DreamWorks	[62]
United States	17 July 2001	Contemporary hit radio		[63]
United Kingdom	20 August 2001	12-inch vinyl CD cassette		[64]
Germany	27 August 2001	CD	Universal	[65]

See also

• List of number-one dance singles of 2001 (U.S.)
• List of Romanian Top 100 number ones of the 2000s