The first studio album by the rock band The Strokes became a highlight in the world of underground music in the 2000s. Is This It was praised by critics for its natural sound, choice of life stories, interesting mixes of different genres, and a revival of garage rock traditions. The record was included in numerous ratings of the best albums and had a great influence on the development of indie rock.
Three songs were released as singles in support of Is This It, including the track Last Nite, which will be discussed below.
History of creation
Music and lyrics by Last Nite were composed by Julian Casablancas. The text describes the feelings of a guy who is tired of the girl’s complaints about the lack of attention. The author did not say whether the song is based on personal experience.
The guitar riff that sounds at the beginning of the song is reminiscent of the break from the American Girl track – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Tom Petty commented on the fact of possible borrowing:
The Strokes used American Girl. In one interview with their participation, they openly admitted this. I just laughed out loud, like, “Okay, well done.” It doesn’t bother me.
Rolling Stone 2006
All tracks for the Is This It album were recorded at Transporterraum Studios in New York in March-April 2001. Julian Casablancas said that their producer Gordon Raphael wanted to sound “like a band from the past that has been transported in time into the future.”
Release and achievements
In November 2001, Last Nite was released as the second single from The Strokes’ debut album Is This It.
Last Nite peaked at number fourteen on the UK charts. It climbed to number five on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart.
NME ranked Last Nite at number one in its Top 50 Tracks of the Decade, and also included it on its lists of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, The 50 Greatest Indie Anthems, and The 150 Best Tracks of the Last Fifteen Years. Rolling Stone singled her out for “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and “The 50 Best Songs of the Decade”. Last Nite is featured in Q magazine’s “Top 100 Guitar Tracks”.
Videoclip of Last Nite
The music video for Last Nite – The Strokes was directed by Roman Coppola, son of the legendary Francis Ford Coppola. The band members at first did not want to appear in the video, but then they gave the go-ahead for a video with a simple plot.
Cover versions
In 2003, the song Last Nite was recorded by the pop group Vitamin C. The track uses an excerpt from Heart of Glass – Blondie. We watch a clip with views of New York at night and the legendary CBGB club in separate scenes.
Cover versions of Last Nite have also been performed by The Detroit Cobras, Ke$ha, Adele and other popular artists.
Interesting Facts
- Heineken offered The Strokes $600,000 to use the Last Nite song in a beer commercial. The musicians turned down the offer.
Last Nite Lyrics
last night she said
Oh baby I feel so down
Oh it turn me off
When I feel left out
So I, I turned around
Oh maybe I don’t care no more
I know this for sure
I’m walking out that door
Well I’ve been in town for just now fifteen oh minutes now
Oh baby I feel so down
And I don’t know why
I’ve been walking for miles
See people they don’t understand
No girlfriends they can’t understand
Your grandsons they won’t understand
On top of this ain’t ever gonna understand
last night she said
Oh baby don’t feel so down
Oh it turn me off
When I feel left out
So I, I turn around
Oh baby gonna be alright
It was a great big lie
As I left that night, yeah
Oh people they don’t understand
No girlfriends they don’t understand
In spaceships they won’t understand
And me ain’t ever gonna understand
Chorus 1
Last Nite Lyrics
Last night she said
Oh baby, I’m so sad.
Oh I don’t get turned on
When I feel superfluous.
So I turned around
Maybe I don’t care now
I’m sure,
I’m just leaving
I stayed in the city for fifteen minutes, no more,
Oh baby, I’m so sad
And I don’t know why
I’ve been wandering for so long
And people don’t understand
And the girls can’t understand
And your grandchildren will not understand
Moreover, I myself will never understand
Last night she said
Oh baby, I’m so sad.
Oh I don’t get turned on
When I feel superfluous.
So I turned around
Oh baby it’ll be alright
It was a huge lie
When I left that night.
And people don’t understand
And the girls can’t understand
In spaceships they won’t understand
And I myself will never understand
Verse 1
