}} "Night Nurse" was covered by the Jamaican duo
Sly and Robbie featuring the English band
Simply Red. It was released as a single in September 1997, by
EastWest Records, and appears on Sly and Robbie's album,
Friends (1997), as well as Simply Red's sixth album,
Blue (1998). The song reached No. 13 on the
UK Singles Chart in September 1997, and remained on the chart for eight weeks. It is Sly and Robbie's second biggest hit in the United Kingdom, after 1987's "
Boops (Here to Go)" at No. 12. It also became Simply Red's sixteenth non-consecutive top 20 hit in the UK. The song also reached No. 44 in
New Zealand, and No. 84 in
Germany.
Critical reception Gene Armstrong from the
Arizona Daily Star described the cover as "a
hip-hop interpretation", "with heady strings striating the percolating reggae
riddims."
J. D. Considine from
The Baltimore Sun felt it finds Hucknall "assuming the soulful reggae cadences" of "Night Nurse".
Larry Flick from
Billboard magazine wrote that he "presents a great rendition of
Gregory Isaacs' gem [...], the first single from
Sly & Robbie's latest set,
Friends." He added, "Still steeped in Isaacs' vivid lyrical imagery (the track still plays like a classic love story that never made it to the screen), the song will be opened up to newer, younger audiences by Hucknall's
pop influence. Dedicated Isaacs fans will also appreciate the authenticity Sly & Robbie impose on the track, as well as the various updated slants." Pan-European magazine
Music & Media commented, "Although the production is very much a state of the art high tech job, they have managed to retain the rootsy feel that made the original so great in the first place."
Track listings •
UK/Europe CD1 single • "Night Nurse" (Radio Mix) - 3:54 • "Night Nurse" (Dub with Vocal Mix) - 3:53 • "Night Nurse" (
Jah Wobble Radio Mix) - 3:46 • "Night Nurse" (Jah Wobble 12" Mix) - 8:22 •
UK CD2 single • "Night Nurse" (Sly and Robbie Radio Mix) - 3:53 • "Night Nurse" (Sly and Robbie Dub Mix) - 3:53 • "Night Nurse" (
On-U Sound 12" Mix) - 4:57 • "Night Nurse" (On-U Sound Dub the Patient Mix) - 4:56 • "Night Nurse" (Groove Corporation Intellectual Beauty Mix) - 6:43 • "Night Nurse" (Groove Corporation Zionic Man Mix) - 6:44 • "Night Nurse" (Delano Dancehall Mix) - 4:42
Charts ==References==