Rock the Night (song)

"Rock the Night" is a single released by the Swedish glam metal band Europe. The song was written by vocalist Joey Tempest in 1984 and premiered on the band's Wings of Tomorrow tour the same year.[1]

"Rock the Night"
Single by Europe
from the album On The Loose
B-side"Seven Doors Hotel (re-recorded version)"
ReleasedMarch 1985
GenreGlam metal, heavy metal
Length4:03
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Joey Tempest
Producer(s)Europe
Europe singles chronology
"Open Your Heart"
(1984)		 "Rock the Night"
(1985)		 "The Final Countdown"
(1986)
"Rock the Night"
Single by Europe
from the album The Final Countdown
B-side"Seven Doors Hotel (re-recorded version)"
ReleasedNovember 1986
GenreGlam metal, heavy metal
Length4:03
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Joey Tempest
Producer(s)Kevin Elson
Europe singles chronology
"Love Chaser"
(1986)		 "Rock the Night"
(1986)		 "Carrie"
(1987)

The song was released in two different versions, just more than a year and a half apart from each other- in 1985 as a single from the soundtrack to the Swedish film On the Loose, and in 1986 as the second international single from the album The Final Countdown.[2] The original 1985 release has a rawer, more metallic hard rock sound than the more polished version released from The Final Countdown the following year. The B-side for both releases was a 1985 re-recording of the band's debut single, "Seven Doors Hotel".

The 1986 release became a Top 10 hit in France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Spain, Belgium, Ireland and Switzerland, and peaked at #12 on the UK Singles Chart and #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

The song was included in the 2007 film Hot Rod and the European version of the Nintendo DS game Guitar Hero: On Tour.[3]

Music videos

There were two music videos released for "Rock the Night," one corresponding to each of the different versions.

The original 1985 version, apparently directly incorporated into the On the Loose film,[4] features the band performing the song on stage, interspersed with shots of various audience members singing along and otherwise observing/reacting to the song.

The second video was directed by Nick Morris[5] and shot at the Hard Rock Cafe in Stockholm.[1] It was the first Europe music video to feature the band's new guitarist, Kee Marcello, since the original guitarist John Norum (who had recorded the guitar parts) had left the band weeks before the video shoot.[1] The video begins with Europe drinking in a car before walking into the Hard Rock Cafe, where the people inside are watching a video...of Europe's "Rock the Night." Joey begins singing while the band is looking at the Cafe's order menu. The other band members use forks and other improvised "instruments" to mime to the music. The rest of the people inside soon become a crowd, clapping and cheering them on. Live footage was also included, although overdubbed by the studio version of the song. After the chorus, Joey uses a ketchup bottle as an imaginary microphone, before the waiter delivers a real wireless one. Right before the solo, Kee removes a guitar from the Cafe's wall. They take the stage during the solo and perform the remainder of the song.

Personnel

Chart positions
Year List Peak Ref.
1985 Swedish Singles Chart 4 [6]
1986 Spanish Singles Chart 6 [7]
Belgium Singles Chart 2 [8]
Dutch Top 40 2 [9]
French Singles Chart 7 [10]
German Singles Chart 6 [11]
Irish Singles Chart 9 [12]
Italian Singles Chart 4 [13]
Swiss Singles Chart 6 [14]
UK Singles Chart 12 [15]
US Billboard Hot 100 30 [16]
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard) 22 [16]
1987 Australia (Kent Music Report) 22

References
  1. Tengner, Anders; Michael Johansson (1987). Europe - den stora rockdrömmen (in Swedish). Wiken. ISBN 91-7024-408-1.
  2. 1982–1992 (CD booklet). Europe. Epic Records. 1993. EPC 473589-1.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. Bramwell, Tom (2008-06-26). "Guitar Hero: On Tour European track list". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
  4. "Europe - Rock the Night - (first version 1985) Good audio quality" @YouTube. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  5. "Europe - Rock the Night - Télécharger clip" (in French). VirginMega.fr. Archived from the original on 2012-05-29. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
  6. "Swedish Album Chart". swedishcharts.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  7. "Austrian Chart". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  8. "Canadian Chart". RPM. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
  9. "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 51, 1986". Archived from the original on 2008-01-09. Retrieved 2009-01-31.
  10. "French Album Chart". lescharts.com. Archived from the original on 2008-08-04. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  11. "German Album Chart". charts-surfer. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  12. "Irish Singles Chart". The Irish Charts. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  13. "Italian Singles Chart". hitparadeitalia. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  14. "Swiss Album Chart". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  15. "UK Album Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
  16. "US Album Chart". Billboard 200. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
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