About The Song
“Rhythm of the Night” is an upbeat pop-R&B song written by Diane Warren and recorded by DeBarge for Motown Records. Released on February 23, 1985, as the lead single from their fourth album, Rhythm of the Night, it peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 1, 1985, spending 16 weeks on the chart. It also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart, reaching the top 10 in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. The album, released on March 14, 1985, reached No. 19 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. The B-side, “You Wear It Well,” peaked at No. 46 on the Hot 100.
Recorded in late 1984 at Yamaha R&D Studio in Glendale, California, the track was produced by Richard Perry, known for work with The Pointer Sisters. It features El DeBarge’s lead vocals, with Bunny and James DeBarge on backing vocals, and session musicians like John Robinson on drums and Paul Jackson Jr. on guitar. The song was commissioned for the soundtrack of The Last Dragon, a 1985 martial arts film produced by Motown’s Berry Gordy, and its vibrant, danceable beat complemented the movie’s urban flair, as noted in Billboard. Warren, a prolific songwriter, wrote it specifically for the film, aiming for a “party anthem” feel, per a 2015 Songfacts interview.
DeBarge, a family band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, formed in 1979, consisted of brothers El, Bunny, James, Mark, and Randy. By 1985, they were Motown’s rising stars, following hits like “All This Love” (No. 17, 1983). “Rhythm of the Night” marked a shift from their smooth R&B roots to a poppier sound, driven by Perry’s production and Warren’s hook-heavy writing. The song’s creation began when Warren, fresh off penning Laura Branigan’s “Solitaire,” met with Gordy, who requested a high-energy track for the film’s club scenes, as detailed in Rhino’s Motown archives. The band recorded it quickly, with El’s falsetto and the song’s Latin-inflected rhythm standing out, per American Songwriter.
The music video, directed by Peter Allen, featured the band performing in a neon-lit club, interspersed with The Last Dragon clips, airing heavily on MTV. The song earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group in 1986 but lost to The Commodores’ “Nightshift.” Covers include a 1997 version by 911 (No. 38 UK) and a 2008 remake by Moulin Rouge. It appeared in TV shows like Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and was sampled in Ariana Grande’s 2014 “Break Free.” DeBarge performed it live on a 1985 Soul Train episode and during their 1986 tour, but internal strife and El’s 1986 solo departure halted their momentum, as noted in Stereogum.
Video
Lyric
When it feels like the world is on your shoulders
And all of the madness has got you goin’ crazy
It’s time to get out, step out into the street
Where all of the action is right there at your feet
Well, I know a place where we can dance the whole night away
Underneath the electric stars
Just come with me and we can shake your blues right away
You’ll be doin’ fine when the music starts, ohTo the beat of the rhythm of the night, dance until the morning light
Forget about the worries on your mind, you can leave them all behind
To the beat of the rhythm of the night, oh, the rhythm of the night, oh yeahLook out on the street now, the party’s just beginning
The music’s playing, a celebration’s starting
Under the street lights, the scene is being set
A night for romance, a night you won’t forget
So, come join the fun, this ain’t no time to be staying home
Oh, there’s too much going on
It’s time to get down, let’s step into the night
You’ll be feeling fine when the music’s right, ohTo the beat of the rhythm of the night, dance until the morning light
Forget about the worries on your mind, you can leave them all behind
To the beat of the rhythm of the night, oh, the rhythm of the night, oh yeahTo the beat of the rhythm of the night, dance until the morning light
Forget about the worries on your mind, you can leave them all behind
To the beat of the rhythm of the night, dance until the morning light
Forget about the worries on your mind
To the beat of the rhythm of the night (oh, baby, I’m feeling good)
Dance until the morning