Turn Your Lights Down Low

"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 Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill) was released in 1999. This cover was commercially successful around the world, topping the charts in New Zealand and Romania, and 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)".

"Turn Your Lights Down Low"
Single by Bob Marley & The Wailers
from the album Exodus
Released	1999
Recorded	1977
Genre	R&B reggae fusion
Length	3:39
Label	Tuff Gong
Songwriter(s)	Bob Marley
Producer(s)	Bob Marley and the Wailers
Bob Marley & The Wailers singles chronology
"Guiltiness" "Turn Your Lights Down Low" "Jamming"

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. This cover became a hit in late 1999 and early 2000, reaching number one in New Zealand and Romania for two weeks. The song also reached the top 10 in the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. In France, where it peaked at number 14, it received a Gold certification for sales exceeding 250,000 copies.

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 former boyfriend Rohan Marley, son of Bob Marley.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1999–2000) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[1] 22 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[2] 24 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[3] 22 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[4] 14 France (SNEP)[5] 14 Germany (Official German Charts)[6] 22 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[7] 15 Ireland (IRMA)[8] 19 Italy (Musica e dischi)[9] 19 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[13] 3 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[14] 1 Scotland (OCC)[15] 21 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 5 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 11 UK Singles (OCC)[18] 15 UK R&B (OCC)[19] 1 US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[20] 4 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[21] 49 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[22] 15

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 30 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 56 Chart (2000) Position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[25] 84 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[26] 63 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[27] 66 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[14] 24 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 67 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales France (SNEP)[29] Gold 250,000^* New Zealand (RMNZ)[30] Platinum 10,000^* Sweden (GLF)[31] Gold 15,000^^ ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

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)
• Jim James covered the song on Sweetheart 2014.

See also

• List of Romanian Top 100 number ones of the 2000s

References

1. "Austriancharts.at – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
2. "Ultratop.be – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
3. "Ultratop.be – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
4. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17 no. 2. January 15, 2000. p. 7. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
5. "Lescharts.com – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
6. "Offiziellecharts.de – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
7. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 20 (28.10– 4.11 1999)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). October 29, 1999. p. 10. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Turn Your Lights Down Low". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
9. "Hits of the World – Italy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 111 no. 51. December 18, 1999. p. 70. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
10. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 2000" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved January 8, 2019.
11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
12. "Charts.nz – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
13. "Norwegiancharts.com – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low". VG-lista. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
14. "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 2000" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005.
15. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
16. "Swedishcharts.com – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low". Singles Top 100. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
17. "Swisscharts.com – Bob Marley featuring Lauryn Hill – Turn Your Lights Down Low". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
19. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
20. "Lauryn Hill Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
21. "Lauryn Hill Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
22. "Lauryn Hill Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
23. "End of Year Charts 1999". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
24. "Årslista Singlar – År 1999" (in Swedish). Hitlistan. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
25. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17 no. 52. December 23, 2000. p. 9. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
26. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2000". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
27. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2000" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
28. "Swiss year-end chart". swisscharts.com. 2000. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
29. "French single certifications – Lauryn Hill & Bob Marley – Turn Yours Lights Down Low" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
30. "New Zealand single certifications – Lauryn Hill & Bob Marley – Turn Your Lights Down Low". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
31. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2000" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved June 25, 2019.