"Leave Before the Lights Come On"
Single by Arctic Monkeys
B-side
Released14 August 2006 (2006-08-14)
RecordedMayfair, London
Length3:52
LabelDomino
Songwriter(s)Arctic Monkeys (Jamie Cook, Matt Helders, Andy Nicholson, Alex Turner)[1]
Producer(s)Jim Abbiss
Arctic Monkeys singles chronology
"Fake Tales of San Francisco"
(2006) 		"Leave Before the Lights Come On"
(2006) 		"Brianstorm"
(2007)
Music video
"Leave Before the Lights Come On" on YouTube

"Leave Before the Lights Come On" is a song by English indie rock band Arctic Monkeys. The song was released on 14 August 2006 as the band's third single in the United Kingdom. The song was not included on the band's debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, though Alex Turner has stated that it could have been on the album as it follows a similar theme to many of the album tracks. It was the band's final release before promotion began for their second album Favourite Worst Nightmare in spring 2007.[2]

"Leave Before the Lights Come On" entered the UK Singles Chart at number four on 20 August 2006, becoming their first single not to top the chart. It did, however, reach number one on the Scottish Singles Chart, becoming their third consecutive number-one in that region. The single was the Arctic Monkeys' first single to enter the Canadian Singles Chart, debuting at number two, behind Eva Avila's "Meant to Fly", by only 15 copies.[3] It descended to number three in its second week and remained on the chart for seven weeks.[4] The song also reached the top 20 in Denmark and Ireland.

Background

The single's release was confirmed on the band's website on 6 July 2006 and that the track would be released on 14 August as a three-track CD and a two-track 7-inch vinyl. The website did not offer any further information, but NME's website announced that the two B-side tracks for the single will be covers, "one of which will be their version of an old song and the other a cover of a track by one of their favourite groups."[5] In July 2006, it was confirmed on Gonzo that "Put Your Dukes Up, John" by The Little Flames would be one of the cover versions. On 17 July, it emerged on an Arctic Monkeys fan site that the other cover version would be "Baby, I'm Yours" originally recorded by Barbara Lewis. The official website soon confirmed this and added that the track would be a collaboration with the 747s.

Alex Turner confirmed the release of the single in an interview with NME: "'Leave Before the Lights Come On' feels very much like it could be on the album. So we're going to put that out as a single. I remember it's the last song that I wrote about that sort of time, going out and that. My life's not really like that any more."[6]

This is the first single to feature Nick O'Malley on bass following the departure of Andy Nicholson, which was announced on 20 June 2006.[7]

Music video

The video was released on the band's website on 3 August 2006. It was directed by John Hardwick, who was also at the helm for the video for "M.O.R." for the band Blur. The video was filmed in Sheffield in the Cultural Industries Quarter in July 2006 and features actors Kate Ashfield of Shaun of the Dead fame and Paddy Considine of The World's End, Hot Fuzz, and House of the Dragon fame. The video starts off with Ashfield on the top of a building (the Showroom Cinema) about to jump off. She drops her shoe as Considine is walking in the street below. He sees Ashfield and immediately runs to the top of the building. He puts out his hand then he and Ashfield hug. The two walk to nearby cafe and sit down to have coffee. Ashfield makes an attempt to kiss Considine. He stops her, showing his wedding ring, then walks out of the cafe but she makes an attempt to follow him. He gets her up against a fence and threatens her before walking off. Ashfield then runs back up to the top of the building where she purposely drops her shoe in front of an unsuspecting Matt Helders, strolling along in a T-shirt with the words 'Bang, Bang' on it, a recording company for the Arctic Monkeys, implying the events to be repeated cyclically.

Credits

Track listings

CD single[1]
No.TitleLength
1."Leave Before the Lights Come On" (Arctic Monkeys)3:51
2."Put Your Dukes Up John" (The Little Flames cover)3:02
3."Baby I'm Yours" (Barbara Lewis cover)2:41
7-inch single[8]
No.TitleLength
1."Leave Before the Lights Come On" 
2."Baby I'm Yours" (Barbara Lewis cover by the Newell Octet) 

Personnel

Arctic Monkeys

Additional musicians on "Baby I'm Yours"[9]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 14 August 2006 CD Domino [19]
Australia 23 October 2006 [20]

References

  1. ^ a b Leave Before the Lights Come On (UK CD single liner notes). Arctic Monkey. Domino Recording Company. 2006. RUG236CD.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ "Young Brains". San Diego CityBeat. 31 May 2006. Archived from the original on 18 October 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2006.
  3. ^ a b "The Arctic Monkeys are second-best". Toronto Sun. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 1 November 2006.
  4. ^ "Jam Canoe"[usurped]. Canadian airplay and sales charts. Retrieved 30 November 2006.
  5. ^ Arctic Monkeys release their first ever cover versions - NME.com URL accessed 10 July 2006
  6. ^ "Arctic Monkeys announce single details". Digital Spy. 7 July 2006. Retrieved 24 February 2004.
  7. ^ "Arctic Monkeys bassist leaves band". NME. 20 June 2006. Archived from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  8. ^ Leave Before the Lights Come On (UK 7-inch single vinyl disc). Arctic Monkey. Domino Recording Company. 2006. RUG236.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ "Arctic Monkeys - Leave Before The Lights Come On". Discogs.
  10. ^ "Issue 869" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Arctic Monkeys – Leave Before the Lights Come On". Tracklisten. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  12. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Leave Before the Lights Come On". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  13. ^ "Arctic Monkeys – Leave Before the Lights Come On". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  14. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  16. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  17. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2006" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  18. ^ "British single certifications – Arctic Monkeys – Leave Before the Lights Come On". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  19. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 12 August 2006. p. 23.
  20. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 23rd October 2006" (PDF). ARIA. 23 October 2006. p. 30. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 December 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
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