Steve Baltin from Cash Box felt the song "lives up to its name as one of the sultriest, sexiest singles to come along in years. Slow and entrancing, “Red Light Special” has definitely got the groove going on. A smash."[2] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report remarked that in numerous markets, this has been in
heavy rotation for weeks. He also viewed it as "another example of why
Babyface is the hottest writer/producer in the business. Flawless."[3] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian wrote that here, TLC "turn on the sweetness in inverse proportion to the raunchiness of the tune", adding that the song "which uses old blues imagery to express steamy lust, is superficially one of the prettiest numbers [on the album]."[4] Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times named it a "strong tune" from the CrazySexyCool album, and a "steamy Babyface production".[5]
In his weekly UK chart commentary,
James Masterton found that here, TLC are "slipping into a distinctly American summer groove to make what is arguably one of their best records ever and surpasses at a stroke the No.22 peak of "
Creep" back in January."[6]Simon Price from Melody Maker named "Red Light Special" "the finest shag song since...well, I can't remember. It's been a long time."[7] Ralph Tee from Music Week's RM Dance Update stated, "The follow-up to 'Creep' is this beat
ballad from the album. The pace of this genre of music is getting so slow now that if it's not careful it'll soon grind to a halt. Gerald Hall provides a mix that beefs up the rhythms a little to generate marginal dancefloor potential but the tune still needs a few rewinds to get into it."[8]Charles Aaron from Spin commented, "Sexy, sexier, sexiest. If you liked 'em better when they were more like cartoons, you should wise up."[9]
Music video
Shot in December 1994, the accompanying music video for "Red Light Special" was directed by
Matthew Rolston and is set in a
brothel. Male actors portray
prostitutes and Left Eye plays a
pimp while
Chilli and
T-Boz portray customers playing
strip poker. A young
Boris Kodjoe is featured as one of the male prostitutes. T-Boz is seen being caressed by a man in a room. Chilli is seen dancing with the guitar player. There are also black and white solo shots of the girls singing.[10]
The music video has three versions: one labelled "Sexy", the second "Sexier" and the final version "Sexiest". As a result of more sexually suggestive and racy footage being used in versions two and three, the first version is widely broadcast.
B-side: "My Secret Enemy"
For the CD single of "Red Light Special", Lopes produced a brilliant and darkly confessional B-side called "My Secret Enemy". On this relatively obscure track, Lopes explored the Rison incident – and her own conflicted feelings about it – with astonishing depth and style. It is such an exciting departure from the work the group has done with established producers that you start to feel that TLC’s album output thus far only hints at the women’s true capabilities.
The "Red Light Special" single contains the B-side "My Secret Enemy", a rap track led by
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who wrote the track alongside Steve Keitt and R.A.S. Posse.[12] Its lyrical content focuses on Lopes's coverage in the media and her relationship with
Andre Rison. Lopes went on to say that the song came out directly after the incident that saw her accidentally set fire to Rison's Atlanta mansion. "It happened right after that incident and I was feeling like I needed a way out," said Lopes of the track.[13]
^
abRed Light Special (US 12-inch single vinyl disc).
TLC.
LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24099-1.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Red Light Special (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24097-7.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Red Light Special (US cassette single sleeve). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24097-4.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Red Light Special (US & Australian CD single liner notes). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24099-2.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Red Light Special (US maxi-cassette single sleeve). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. 73008-24099-4.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Red Light Special (UK CD single liner notes). TLC. LaFace Records,
Arista Records,
BMG. 1995. 74321 27366 2.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Red Light Special (UK 12-inch single sleeve). TLC. LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27366 1.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Red Light Special (UK cassette single sleeve). TLC. LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27366 4.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Red Light Special (European CD single liner notes). TLC. LaFace Records, Arista Records, BMG. 1995. 74321 27692 2.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Red Light Special (Japanese CD single liner notes). TLC. LaFace Records. 1995. BVCA-8803.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)