"This Night" is a song by Billy Joel

Billy Joel

William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...

 and the fifth single from his album An Innocent Man

An Innocent Man

An Innocent Man is the ninth album by American singer/songwriter Billy Joel, released in 1983 .This album is Joel's tribute to the music of his childhood...

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The basis of the song's chorus uses the second movement of Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...

's Pathétique Sonata. Beethoven is credited as one of the song's writers on the sleeve of the album as "L.V. Beethoven".

The song, released as a single only in the UK and Japan, reached #78 on the UK Singles Chart

UK Singles Chart

The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

 chart and #88 on the Japanese Oricon

Oricon

, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...

 Singles Chart. Joel has said in interviews that "This Night" was written about his brief relationship with supermodel Elle Macpherson

Elle Macpherson

Elle Macpherson is an Australian model, actress, and businesswoman nicknamed "The Body". She is perhaps best known for her record five cover appearances for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue beginning in the 1980s...

, whom he dated just prior to second wife Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley is an American model and actress best known for her three consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, the longest ever of any model in history, and for her marriage...

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In the USA, This Night was the B-Side of Leave a Tender Moment Alone

Leave a Tender Moment Alone

"Leave a Tender Moment Alone" is a song performed by Billy Joel and the fifth single from his album An Innocent Man.Paying homage to Marvin Gaye, in particular his musical style from the early 70s, the song reached only twenty-seven on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts and spent two weeks at number...

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Chart positions

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Japan Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...  Singles Chart	88
UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...	78