A Trick of the Night

"A Trick of the Night" is a mid-tempo ballad recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It was written and produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and released as the final single from Bananarama's album True Confessions.

"A Trick of the Night"
Single by Bananarama
from the album True Confessions
B-side
ReleasedDecember 1986 (US)
2 February 1987 (UK)
RecordedSeptember 1985
GenrePop
Length4:40 (Album Version)
4:22 (US Single Version)
4:06 (Single Version)
LabelLondon Records
Songwriter(s)Jolley & Swain
Producer(s)Jolley & Swain
Bananarama singles chronology
"More Than Physical"
(1986)		 "A Trick of the Night"
(1986)		 "Set on You"
(1987)

The song was re-recorded for UK single release, with new synthesizer tracks and vocal arrangement by the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) production trio, at the request of London Records for the UK release.

The cautionary message in the lyrics are directed towards a friend who has gone to seek his fortune in the big city and ended up a rentboy.

"A Trick of the Night" was a top-40 hit in the UK, peaking at number 32.[1] The SAW-remixed version received the most airplay in their home country, while the ballad version stalled at number 76 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.[2] The single spent one week in the Australian Kent Music Report top 100 singles chart, where it peaked at number 99.[3] "A Trick of the Night" peaked at number 24 in Ireland.[4]

The song was included on the CD version of Greatest Hits Collection as a bonus track; it was not included on the vinyl version nor their 2001 compilation The Very Best of Bananarama.

It was included on the soundtrack to the 1986 American film Jumpin' Jack Flash.

Lyrics from the Number One Mix, were sampled on Bananarama's "I Heard a Rumour" B-side song "Clean-Cut Boy".

Music video

Two videos were filmed for the song. The North American version was directed by Andy Morahan featured the girls singing the song in a house at night, with their images projected on movie screens. The release of the single in the UK was delayed until February 1987, so that Bananarama could participate in a BBC television show called In at the Deep End. Each week Chris Serle or Paul Heiney would have to master a new skill - in this case, Paul Heiney had to master the art of directing a pop music video (the episode was similar to MTV's Making the Video programme) for this song. Group members Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward hated the final product.

Track Listings
US 7" London Records/Polygram 886 119-7
  1. "A Trick of the Night" (US Single version) 4:22
  2. "A Cut Above the Rest" (Album version) 3:40 S. Jolley/T. Swain/S. Dallin/S. Fahey/K. Woodward
US 12" single 886 119-1
  1. "A Trick of the Night" (The Number One Mix) - (8:13)
    Remixed by Stock/Aitken/Waterman
  2. "A Trick of the Night" (Tricky Mix) - (7:15)
    Remixed by Jolley & Swain
  3. "A Trick of the Night" (Dub Mix) - (4:31)
    Remixed by Stock/Aitken/Waterman
UK 7" single NANA12
  1. "A Trick of the Night" (Single Version) 4:06
    Available on the CD album The Greatest Hits Collection
  2. "A Trick of the Night" (Tricky Mix - Edit)
UK 7" EP single NANEP12
  1. "A Trick of the Night" (Single Version) 4:06
  2. "A Cut Above the Rest" 3:40
  3. "A Trick of the Night" (Alternative 7" Number One Edit) 4:27
  4. "Set on You" 3:56
    M. Stock/M. Aitken/P. Waterman/S. Dallin/S. Fahey/K. Woodward
UK 7" picture disc NANPD12
  1. "A Trick of the Night" (Single Version) 4:06
  2. "A Trick of the Night" (Tricky Mix - Edit)
UK 12" single NANX12
  1. "A Trick of the Night" (The Number One Mix) 8:14
    Available on the CD album The Twelve Inches of Bananarama
  2. "A Trick of the Night" (Tricky Mix) 7:15
  3. "Set on You" 3:56
UK promo 12-inch single NANDJ 12
  1. "A Trick of the Night" (Dub Mix) 4:31
  2. "A Trick of the Night" (Instrumental) 4:13 #:Remixed by Stock/Aitken/Waterman
Other versions
  1. "A Trick of the Night" (Album Version) - (4:38)
    Taken from the album True Confessions
  2. "A Trick of the Night" (UK Video Version) - (4:20)
    Available on the remastered 2007 True Confessions but mistakenly listed as (Single Version)
  3. "A Trick of the Night" (US Video Version) - (4:14)

Personnel

Bananarama

Charts
Chart (1987) Peak
position
Australia (Australian Music Report)[3] 99
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[5] 95
Ireland (IRMA)[4] 24
UK Singles (OCC)[1] 32
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 76
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[6] 39
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[7] 39
US Cash Box Top 100[8] 71

B-sides

"A Cut Above the Rest" also from the album True Confessions was the 7inch single b-side.
The 12 inch single's B-side, "Set on You", was the first in a series of club-oriented songs recorded specifically for Bananarama's single B-sides that demonstrated the group's shift towards the club market. It is an early version of what ultimately became the album version of "More Than Physical".

References
  1. "Bananarama: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  2. "Bananarama Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 26. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Trick of the Light". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  5. "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4 no. 9. 7 March 1987. p. 15. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  6. "Bananarama Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  7. "Bananarama Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  8. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending January 24, 1987". Cash Box. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
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