When the Lights Go Out

"When the Lights Go Out" is the second single released from British group Five's debut studio album (music), Five. It was released in early 1998. The song was co-written by Eliot Kennedy, Tim Lever and Mike Percy (from the band Dead or Alive), and John McLaughlin. It was co-produced by Eliot Kennedy, Tim Lever and Mike Percy.

This article is about the song by Five. For the EP by Havana Brown, see When the Lights Go Out (EP).
Not to be confused with When the Lights Went Out.

"When the Lights Go Out"
Single by Five
from the album Five
B-side
  • "Slam Dunk Da Funk" (Extended Mix) (UK)
  • "Straight Up Funk"
  • "Shake" (US)
Released2 March 1998 (1998-03-02) (UK)
26 May 1998 (1998-05-26) (US)
Recorded1997
Genre
Length4:11
LabelBMG
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Eliot Kennedy
  • Tim Lever
  • Mike Percy
Five singles chronology
"Slam Dunk (Da Funk)"
(1997)		 "When the Lights Go Out"
(1998)		 "Got the Feelin'"
(1998)
Music video
"When The Lights Go Out" (U.S. Version) on YouTube
Music video
"When The Lights Go Out" (U.K. Version) on YouTube

"When the Lights Go Out" is the band's only top ten hit in the United States. An alternate version of the song, in which J Brown's rap is replaced by Abs Breen's rap, was made exclusively for the US release; there are separate videos for each version. Five's biggest hit to date internationally, "When the Lights Go Out" is considered somewhat to be their debut single in most countries (except in the UK), peaking at number two in Australia, reaching the Top 30 in the US on 23 June 1998 and eventually spending seven nonconsecutive weeks at its peak of number 10, starting 21 July 1998. The song also spent six months on the US Billboard Hot 100, and sold 800,000 copies in the US alone.[1]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Does pop radio need yet another clique of young, videogenic harmonizers? The answer was a resounding no ... until the onset of Five, a U.K. quintet of cuties who swagger with undeniably sharp vocal precision and an appealing degree of soul. 'When The Lights Go Out' chugs with faux-funk authority and a crackling pop chorus. You will be irreversibly hooked on this tasty guilty pleasure long before the track reaches its conclusion. Voted best new act of 1997 by the teenybopper readers of Smash Hits in the U.K., Five are the first real reason the Backstreet Boys have had to look over their shoulders in a serious sweat."[2]

Music videos

The UK version (directed by duo Liam & Grant) starts with a woman using a VR machine and sees the members as they dance together and in separate rooms with each getting a distinct color: Abs in teal, Scott in orange, Ritchie in purple, Sean in blue and J in red. Through the woman's perspective, the viewers sees the members with a given number and their horoscope sign respectively.

The US version (directed by Nigel Dick) takes place at night in a closed bowling alley, where Abs takes control of the place and allows the other members and himself to hang out with a couple girls they brought along with them. One of the girls is played by Bethany Joy Lenz of Guiding Light and One Tree Hill fame.[3]

Track listing

Charts

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[30] Platinum 70,000^
Belgium (BEA)[31] Gold 25,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Silver 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[33] Gold 800,000[1]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. Jeffrey, Don (31 January 1999) (30 January 1999). Best-selling Records of 1998. Billboard. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  2. Flick, Larry (2 May 1998). "Reviews & Previews: Singles - New & Noteworthy" (PDF). Billboard. p. 22. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  3. Inc, Fanpop. "Bethany Joy Lenz Image: 'When The Lights Go Out' Videoclip". www.fanpop.com.
  4. "Five - When The Lights Go Out (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  5. "Five - When The Lights Go Out (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  6. "Australian-charts.com – Five – When the Lights Go Out". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  7. "Ultratop.be – Five – When the Lights Go Out" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  8. "Ultratop.be – Five – When the Lights Go Out" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  9. "Five Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 7907." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  11. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 7049." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15 no. 13. 28 March 1998. p. 13. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  13. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 271 Vikuna 7.5. – 14.5. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – When the Lights Go Out". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Five" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Five – When The Lights Go Out" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  17. "Charts.nz – Five – When the Lights Go Out". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  18. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  19. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  20. "Swedishcharts.com – Five – When the Lights Go Out". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  22. "Five Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  23. "Five Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  24. "Five Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  25. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 1998". ARIA. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  26. "Jaaroverzichten 1998" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  27. "Rapports Annuels 1998" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  28. "Årslista Singlar, 1998" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  29. "Billboard Top 100 – 1998 – Longbored Surfer – Charts". Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  30. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1998 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  31. "Ultratop 50 Albums Wallonie 1998". Ultratop. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  32. "British single certifications – Five". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 September 2011. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Five in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  33. "American single certifications – Five". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
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