Turn Your Lights Down Low
| "Turn Your Lights Down Low" | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Bob Marley & The Wailers | ||||||||||
| from the album Exodus | ||||||||||
| Released | 1999 | |||||||||
| Format | 7" | |||||||||
| Recorded | 1977 | |||||||||
| Genre | ||||||||||
| Length | 3:39 | |||||||||
| Label | Tuff Gong | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Bob Marley | |||||||||
| Producer(s) | Bob Marley and the Wailers | |||||||||
| Bob Marley & The Wailers singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Turn Your Lights Down Low" is a song by Bob Marley & The Wailers from their 1977 album Exodus. It is the only song on Side B of the album that was not released as a single. However, a remastered version featuring Lauryn Hill (credited as Lauryn Hill & Bob Marley) was released in 1999. This cover version was nominated for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals" at the 43rd Grammy Awards, but lost to B.B. King & Dr. John's "Is You Is, or Is You Ain't (My Baby)"
Lauryn Hill Version
A cover/remixed version released in 1999, with original artist Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill. Hill contributes her vocals to the song, as well as a rap verse. The single is taken from the compilation album Chant Down Babylon (1999), which features remixes/covers of Bob Marley songs by various modern day Soul, Hip-Hop and Rock artists.
Music video
An accompanying music video to the Lauryn Hill and Bob Marley remix was directed by Francis Lawrence and released in 1999. The video takes place in Jamaica, and opens with a group of Jamaican kids playing soccer. Following this, are a series of panning shots showing night life in Jamaica, and scenes where Hill is singing in a recording studio. In other scenes, Hill is shown dancing at a party with future husband Rohan Marley, son of Bob Marley.
Chart Performance
| Chart (1999–2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| NZ Singles (The Official NZ Music Chart) | 1 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) | 15 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 86 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[1] | 49 |
| U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay[2] | 40 |
| U.S. Billboard Rhythmic[3] | 15 |
In Other Media
The 1999 version is featured on the soundtrack to the 1999 film The Best Man, starring Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard, Nia Long and Sanaa Lathan. The song appears in the film as well.
Covers
- Colbie Caillat made a cover version of this song on her 2008 album Coco.
- Lauryn Hill covered this tune on the 1999 LP Chant Down Babylon.
- Megan Joy covered the song on American Idol season 8.
- Rosie Gaines covered the song on her album Closer Than Close.
- K'LA samples the song on her 2011 first single "All Your Love".
- Anita Antoinette covered the song on The Voice (U.S. season 7)
