"Night Nurse" is a song by Jamaican reggae artist Gregory Isaacs, released as a

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

in 1982 after signing to

Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...

. It is the title track of his 1982 album of the same name, which was a top 40 hit on the UK Albums Chart. At the time, "Night Nurse" was hugely popular in the clubs and received heavy radio play. The song was later used in adverts for a

GlaxoSmithKline GSK plc, formerly GlaxoSmithKline plc, is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with global headquarters in London, England. Established in 2000 by a merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. GSK is the ten ...

cold and flu remedy of the same name on British TV and radio. A cover version in 1997 by

Sly and Robbie Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separa ...

featuring Simply Red became a hit single in the UK. BBC Radio 1 disc jockey Chris Goldfinger picked "Night Nurse" as one of his favourites in 1996, adding, "Gregory has a unique voice and singing style. I love the lyrics. Gregory is always my all-time favourite."

Certifications

Sly and Robbie version

"Night Nurse" was covered by Jamaican duo

featuring English band Simply Red. It was released as a single in 1997 and appears on Sly and Robbie's album, ''

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa ...

'' (1997), as well as Simply Red's sixth album, '' Blue'' (1998). The song reached No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart in September 1997, and remained on the chart for 8 weeks. It is Sly and Robbie's second biggest hit in the United Kingdom, after 1987's " Boops (Here to Go)" at No. 12. It also became Simply Red's sixteenth non-consecutive top 20 hit in the UK. The song also reached No. 44 in New Zealand, and No. 84 in Germany.

Critical reception

Gene Armstrong from ''

Arizona Daily Star The ''Arizona Daily Star'' is the major morning daily newspaper that serves Tucson and surrounding districts of southern Arizona in the United States. History L. C. Hughes was the Arizona Territory governor and founder of the ''Arizona Star'', ...

'' described the cover as "a hip-hop interpration", "with heady strings striating the percolating reggae riddims."

J.D. Considine J. D. Considine (born 1957) is a music critic who has been writing about music professionally since 1977. Background J. D. Considine's work has been published in numerous newspapers and music magazines, and he has contributed to several books. ...

from '' The Baltimore Sun'' felt it finds Hucknall "assuming the soulful reggae cadences" of "Night Nurse".

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...

from ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' wrote that he "presents a great rendition of Gregory Isaacs' gem .. the first single from Sly & Robbie's latest set, ''

''." He added, "Still steeped in Isaacs' vivid lyrical imagery (the track still plays like a classic love story that never made it to the screen), the song will be opened up to newer, younger audiences by Hucknall's

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

influence. Dedicated Isaacs fans will also appreciate the authenticity Sly & Robbie impose on the track, as well as the various updated slants." Pan-European magazine ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' commented, "Although the production is very much a state of the art high tech job, they have managed to retain the rootsy feel that made the original so great in the first place."

Track listings

* UK/Europe CD1 single # "Night Nurse" (Radio Mix) - 3:54 # "Night Nurse" (Dub with Vocal Mix) - 3:53 # "Night Nurse" ( Jah Wobble Radio Mix) - 3:46 # "Night Nurse" (Jah Wobble 12" Mix) - 8:22 * UK CD2 single # "Night Nurse" (Sly and Robbie Radio Mix) - 3:53 # "Night Nurse" (Sly and Robbie Dub Mix) - 3:53 # "Night Nurse" ( On-U Sound 12" Mix) - 4:57 # "Night Nurse" (On-U Sound Dub the Patient Mix) - 4:56 # "Night Nurse" (Groove Corporation Intellectual Beauty Mix) - 6:43 # "Night Nurse" (Groove Corporation Zionic Man Mix) - 6:44 # "Night Nurse" (Delano Dancehall Mix) - 4:42

Charts

References

{{authority control 1982 songs 1982 singles 1997 singles Sly and Robbie songs Simply Red songs Song recordings produced by Sly & Robbie Mango Records singles Island Records singles East West Records singles Jamaican reggae songs