"Red Light Special" is a song by the American vocal girl group TLC from their second studio album, CrazySexyCool (1994). The song was written and produced by Babyface. LaFace and Arista Records released it as the second single from the album on February 17, 1995. The song became popular on music charts, reaching number one on the US Billboard Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Matthew Rolston directed the music video, which shows the group performing in a brothel.
Critical reception
Steve Baltin from Cash Box said the song "Red Light Special" is one of the most seductive and sexy singles in recent years. He described it as slow and captivating, with a strong rhythm. He called it a hit. Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report noted that the song has been played frequently on the radio in many areas for weeks. He also said it shows why Babyface is one of the most successful songwriters and producers in the music industry, calling it "flawless." Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian wrote that TLC balances sweetness and boldness in the song. She mentioned that it uses old blues themes to express strong desire and is one of the most beautiful songs on the album. Dennis Hunt from the Los Angeles Times called it a strong song from the CrazySexyCool album and praised Babyface's production as steamy.
In his UK chart report, James Masterton said TLC is using a summer rhythm typical of American music to create what he believes is one of their best songs ever. He noted it outperforms their previous song "Creep," which reached No. 22 in January. Simon Price from Melody Maker called "Red Light Special" "the finest shag song since…well, I can't remember. It's been a long time." Ralph Tee from Music Week's RM Dance Update said the song follows "Creep" and is a slow-paced ballad from the album. He mentioned that the slow tempo of this music style might eventually stop being popular, but a mix by Gerald Hall adds some rhythm to make it more dance-friendly. Charles Aaron from Spin wrote that the song is very sexy, even more so than when TLC had a more playful style.
Music video
The music video for "Red Light Special," filmed in December 1994, was directed by Matthew Rolston, an American artist, photographer, director, and creative director. The video takes place in a brothel. Men play the role of prostitutes, Left Eye portrays a pimp, and Chilli and T-Boz act as customers playing strip poker. A young Boris Kodjoe appears as one of the male prostitutes. T-Boz is shown being touched gently by a man in a room, and Chilli is seen dancing with the guitar player. The video also includes individual scenes of the girls singing.
The music video has three versions named "Sexy," "Sexier," and "Sexiest." Because versions two and three include more suggestive and risqué scenes, the first version was shown more often on television.
B-side: "My Secret Enemy"
The CD single for "Red Light Special" includes a B-side called "My Secret Enemy," created by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. This not widely known song discusses the Rison incident and Lopes's mixed emotions about it. The track was written by Lopes, Steve Keitt, and R.A.S. Posse. It was released shortly after an event in which Lopes accidentally caused a fire at Rison's home in Atlanta. Lopes explained that the song was made soon after this incident and that she felt the need for an outlet to express her feelings.