Saturday Night (Whigfield song)

Infobox Single
Name = Saturday Night

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Artist = Whigfield
Released = 1994
Format = CD single
CD maxi
Recorded = 1994
Genre = Pop
Length = 3:40
Label = Systematic (UK)
Writer = Larry Pignagnoli Davide Riva
Producer = Larry Pignagnoli
Last single =
This single = "Saturday Night" (1994)
Next single = "Think of You" (1995)Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Background = khaki


Lower caption = CD maxi

"Saturday Night" is a song by Danish singer Whigfield, released to huge success in 1994.

Background

Italian producer Larry Pignagnoli had already had success with Spagna in the late 80s before he produced Saturday Night with Danish former model Sannie Carlson aka Whigfield. The track was a huge hit with UK holidaymakers on the continent over the Summer of 1994, leading to a huge demand for the track back in the UK.

Dance moves

The song famously had its own dance routine: [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp/bust_a_move/clips_2.shtml Top of the Pops] ]

* Both arms bent at 90 degrees, elbows held at waist, both pushing to the right then to the left
* Left arm stationary, supporting right elbow, right upper arm twiddles. Then reversed.
* Bend over forwards rolling arms around each other
* Hands on waist, step forwards then backwards
* Four jumps, whilst rotating body gradually by 90 degrees.The end of the cycle is marked by a clap, and leaves the body facing 90 degrees from the beginning.

Chart performances

It was released in the UK on September 5th 1994 and the pent-up demand saw the track sail straight in at number one - dethroning Wet Wet Wet's 15 week chart-topper Love Is All Around, despite that single increasing its sales from 65,000 the previous week to 104,000, when Saturday Night entered at number 1 with sales of 150,000. Whigfield was the first act to debut at number one in the UK charts with their debut single.1000 UK Number One Singles by Jon Kutner & Spencer Leigh, page 400]

It stayed at number one for a total of four weeks selling 680,000 in the process, sold a total of 1,092,250 copies and is currently the 65th best selling single in UK chart history. [NME Top 100 Singles by Martin Roach, page 204]

Controversy

Two claims of plagiarism were made. It was alleged that the track ripped off both "Rub A Dub Dub" by The Equals and "Fog on the Tyne" by Lindisfarne. Both claims were dismissed. The melody to the track is also strongly reminiscent of "Spanish Bombs" by The Clash.

It has been alleged that the song was actually sung by the artist Ann Lee.Fact|date=September 2008

Its often mentioned that the dance moves was created by a spanish gym teacher, however they are identical bar a few changes to the dance moves performed in gay clubs for Kylie Minogue the locomotion during the late 80s and early 90s.

Track listings

; CD single - UK [SYSCD3]
# "Saturday Night" (radio mix)
# "Saturday Night" (extended nite mix)
# "Saturday Night" (nite mix)
# "Saturday Night" (beagle mix)
# "Saturday Night" (dida mix)
# "Saturday Night" (deep nite mix)
# "Saturday Night" (trance beat mix)

; CD single - Australia (Released in 1997 in Australia)
# "Saturday Night" (radio mix)
# "Saturday Night" (euro beagle mix - radio edit)
# "Saturday Night" (euro beagle mix - extended)
# "Saturday Night" (classic vocal remix - U.S. remix)
# "Saturday Night" (nite mix)
# "Saturday Night" (radio edit)
# "Saturday Night" (beagle mix)
# "Saturday Night" (deep nite mix)
# "Saturday Night" (dida mix)
# "Saturday Night" (deep nite extra mix)
# "Saturday Night" (fishbone beat's trance beat mix)
# "Saturday Night" (fishbone beat's afternoon mix); CD maxi - Remixes
# "Saturday Night" (trance beat remix) — 4:44
# "Saturday Night" (afternoon) — 4:40
# "Saturday Night" (deep night remix) — 5:45
# "Saturday Night" (extended nite remix) — 5:55
# "Saturday Night" (radio mix) — 4:07

Charts

{| class="wikitable sortable"!align="left"|End of year chart (1994)!align="center"|Position
-
align="left"|French Singles Chart [1994 French Singles Chart [http://www.disqueenfrance.com/classements/singles/classement_annuel.asp?date=9 Disqueenfrance.com] (Retrieved September 10, 2008)]
align="center"|30
-
align="left"|Swiss Singles Chart [1994 Swiss Singles Chart [http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=1994 Hitparade.ch] (Retrieved September 10, 2008)]
align="center"|23
-

References