Folks, let's have a big hand, and a little hand, on the twelve.

April 12, 2008 1:12 AM

No doubt about it, that old midnight hour has long served as a potent muse for songwriters, as this sampling of live performances will attest: In The Midnight Hour ---- Walking After Midnight ---- Midnight Rambler ---- Midnight Rider ---- Midnight Special ---- Midnight Train To Georgia ---- Midnight Confessions ---- Midnight At The Oasis --- 'Round Midnight ----

Honorable mention, of course, goes to Midnight Cowboy, and by extension, Harry Nilsson's Everybody's Talking.

And just for good measure, here's another version of Monk's classic 'Round Midnight, from jazz guitar great Wes Montgomery. Oh, and there's that Miles Davis fellow, who was known to play the tune every now and again. He's joined here by a few of those chaps we saw a little earlier playing the tune with Bobby McFerrin...

The Allman Brother's Midnight Rider: original record version: audio is from the original record version, and the video is... Thomas the Tank Engine!

Gladys Knight's Midnight Train To Georgia: original record version.

And from DJ Shadow, Midnight In a Perfect World.

I imagine there'll be a few of those "What? No ______?" type comments, and as always I welcome additions from any of you with a midnight song to share. Please note, Eric Clapton's After Midnight didn't make it into this post because... I don't especially care for Eric Clapton. But go ahead and link to it in a comment, if you must...

posted by flapjax at midnite (70 comments total)

Here's an interesting fact: In The Midnight Hour was composed by Pickett and Steve Cropper* at the historic Lorraine Motel in Memphis where Martin Luther King, Jr. would later be murdered in April of 1968.

*Who some of you may know as the bearded guitarist in the Blues Brothers band...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:23 AM on April 12, 2008

Here's Odetta with a rendition of Midnight Special.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:27 AM on April 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Ahh I luuurve Midnight Train To Georgia. Well, I lurve all of these songs. Thanks, flapjax.
posted by amyms at 1:28 AM on April 12, 2008

And then, there's the wonderful poem by John Donne, "Nocturnal; Upon Saint Lucies Day, Being the Shortest Day"
posted by honest knave at 1:28 AM on April 12, 2008

And a great 1927 version of Midnight Special (purported to be the first recorded version), by Sam Collins.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:31 AM on April 12, 2008

ELO's Midnight Blue.
posted by amyms at 1:34 AM on April 12, 2008

Rufus & Chaka Khan: At Midnight My Love Will Lift You Up
posted by amyms at 1:44 AM on April 12, 2008

I was looking for the Cowboy Junkies' beyond-wonderful version of Walking After Midnight, but you'll have to settle for Blue Moon.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:00 AM on April 12, 2008

heh.

in the midnight hour
she cried more more more
with a rebel yell
she cried more more more
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:05 AM on April 12, 2008

No, amyms, no! Not THAT Midnight Blue. THIS Midnight Blue. Melissa Manchester 4EVAH! And I thought we could make it.
posted by wendell at 2:27 AM on April 12, 2008

wendell, I'll see your Melissa Manchester and raise you Lou Gramm.
posted by amyms at 2:31 AM on April 12, 2008

And Weird Al Yankovic's Midnight Star.
(They're keeping Hitler's brain alive inside a jar!)
posted by hjo3 at 2:57 AM on April 12, 2008

I was hoping for a different Midnight Rider.
posted by mediocre at 2:58 AM on April 12, 2008

I was hoping for a different Midnight Rider.

Read the hoverovers, y'all, read the hoverovers!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:27 AM on April 12, 2008

posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:12 AM

Great post flapjax, but your timing was a bit off.
posted by three blind mice at 3:38 AM on April 12, 2008

Y'know, three blind mice, it did occur to me that a midnight (midnite?) post would've been perfect, but you'll note that the number 12 did work its way into the picture: posted at 1:12 and all...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:41 AM on April 12, 2008

After Midnight is not an Eric Clapton song, it's a J.J. Cale song.
posted by tommyD at 4:13 AM on April 12, 2008

Thanks for the clarification, tommyD, I didn't know that. BUT... I did check out a live clip on YouTube of J.J. doing the song (which I wrongly assumed was a Clapton cover) with an eye toward including it in this FPP, but found the performance rather boring and decided not to include it. But anyone wanting to check it out, it's there on the Toobs...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:18 AM on April 12, 2008

Marvin Gaye - Rockin' After Midnight, from the Midnight Love album.

(And for the sake of being thorough, Midnight Love by Snoop Dogg.)
posted by grabbingsand at 4:22 AM on April 12, 2008

... and to make up for the questionable Snoop Dogg track, there's Porter Wagoner's Midnight.
posted by grabbingsand at 4:26 AM on April 12, 2008

The JAM! Down In The Tube Station At Midnight
posted by vronsky at 4:36 AM on April 12, 2008

Beds Are Burning C'mon Ubu! you should'a had this one.
posted by vronsky at 4:40 AM on April 12, 2008

Not midnight related, but a funny drummer video for flapjax.

Have you ever heard this Odetta Christmas album flap? One of my all time faves. Bit of a sonic marvel too.
posted by vronsky at 5:07 AM on April 12, 2008

Oh yeah, vron, the Korean drummer was the subject of an FPP just a few days back. He makes me glad to be here on the planet and breathing!

And no, never heard the Xmas Odetta, but I'm coming to somehow appreciate her more these days, so as next holiday season rolls around, I'll pick that one up. Thanks!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:14 AM on April 12, 2008

I sang "Midnight Train to Georgia" on the train from Baku to Tblisi. My inebriated companions especially enjoyed the "Woo Woo" bits, even if they didn't really get the rest of it, or how incredibly apropos it was.
posted by Meatbomb at 6:15 AM on April 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

Oh, and of course it was the night train.
posted by Meatbomb at 6:16 AM on April 12, 2008

OK, so now I have to drag out the old J-Bass and try and keep up with The Duck and The Hook all over again. It's a miserable Saturday morning here in darkest New Jersey, so I might as well try. Don't hold your breath.
posted by Sk4n at 6:36 AM on April 12, 2008

There's also Ellington's "Midnight Indigo" from Anatomy of a Murder later recorded in vocalese by Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, but I can't find it to link to because I fail at the internets.

Thanks for the post, flapjax!
posted by trip and a half at 6:45 AM on April 12, 2008

Night Train?
posted by Wolof at 6:48 AM on April 12, 2008

There's good rockin' at midnight.
posted by owhydididoit at 6:52 AM on April 12, 2008

Lame-o clip, with no vid, sorry.
posted by owhydididoit at 6:53 AM on April 12, 2008

On the contrary: 4am is the new midnight, according to TED speaker and performance poet Rives.
posted by drea at 6:55 AM on April 12, 2008

Is it to early for Judas Priest? It is? Then maybe my favorite Hendrix song will do. Nice post flapjax. Odetta's rendition of Midnight Special is pretty special.
posted by Sailormom at 7:09 AM on April 12, 2008

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)

This is my second post related to this song in the last few hours. Can I keep finding tangential ways to drop this Abba song into threads?

Only time will tell.
posted by Locative at 7:14 AM on April 12, 2008

Midnight Cruiser
posted by strachan at 7:34 AM on April 12, 2008

Eponyhysterical!
posted by Wonderwoman at 8:35 AM on April 12, 2008

Beat Happening: Midnight a Go-Go
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:18 AM on April 12, 2008

If you ever feel lonesome, and you're down in San Antone...

Midnight Moonlight by Peter Rowan, covered by a good many people including the Be Good Tanyas.
posted by circumspect at 9:49 AM on April 12, 2008

Lift up your hands!
posted by pernoctalian at 9:54 AM on April 12, 2008

This should all be very useful to the secret Midnight Moderator.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:04 AM on April 12, 2008

This is one pumpkin of a post!
posted by not_on_display at 10:20 AM on April 12, 2008

And if not useful to said secret moderator, at least excellent entertainment.
posted by LiveLurker at 10:23 AM on April 12, 2008

Please note, Eric Clapton's After Midnight didn't make it into this post because... I don't especially care for Eric Clapton. But go ahead and link to it in a comment, if you must...

I must.

JJ Cale & Eric Clapton play After Midnight

and another version with Mark Knopfler lending a hand
posted by wabbittwax at 10:54 AM on April 12, 2008 [1 favorite]

also

Jimi Hendrix, Burning of the Midnight Lamp
posted by wabbittwax at 10:58 AM on April 12, 2008

It may be too early for Priest, but it's never too early for Maiden.
posted by stargell at 11:04 AM on April 12, 2008

Midnight? I wonder if this counts.
posted by Green With You at 11:25 AM on April 12, 2008

Calling Sister Midnight - I'm an idiot for you. (Bowie version)
posted by Zack_Replica at 12:16 PM on April 12, 2008

...I know what you want
Gonna take you to a midnight show tonight
If you can keep a secret
I got a blanket in the backseat on my mind...
posted by flatluigi at 12:20 PM on April 12, 2008

Midnight at the Oasis. Sorry, guys.
posted by grounded at 1:52 PM on April 12, 2008

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight (from the Midnight Marauders album, even)
posted by box at 3:41 PM on April 12, 2008

vronsky - damn you! (the tube station at midnight)

here's a better Midnight Oil song, although this version by the Chaser is superior*

* since Garrett joined the Labor Party & sold out on most of his former principles, rather than what should have been his natural choice - The Greens.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:53 PM on April 12, 2008

It was midnight on the murder mile. (Typically for Carter, full of references.)
posted by blech at 3:54 PM on April 12, 2008

Iron Maiden - Two Minutes to Midnight
posted by rxrfrx at 4:09 PM on April 12, 2008

I don't especially care for Clapton either flap. In fact, I think he may be the most boring musician alive. But I love JJ Cale.

That Chaser video had me howling Ubu :)
posted by vronsky at 5:10 PM on April 12, 2008

No: "---"
Yes: "—" —
Html entities, learn 'em, love 'em
posted by signal at 6:31 PM on April 12, 2008

Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell
posted by swapspace at 6:57 PM on April 12, 2008

Yo, signal...

No: "pointlessly snarky, smug and self-satisfied comments about punctuation"
Yes: "comments that contribute something positive or interesting to a thread"

Not being a jerk. Learn it, live it.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:24 PM on April 12, 2008

No shirt, no shoes, no dice.
posted by box at 9:26 AM on April 13, 2008

Esteemed mr. flapjax at midnite,

no: "..."
yes: "…" …
posted by signal at 12:47 PM on April 13, 2008

Actually, now that I think of it:

no: ""
yes: “ ” “ ”
posted by signal at 12:49 PM on April 13, 2008

Flappers, Siggers —
You both have lovely breasts. Don't force me to choose.

Love,
The Pope
posted by Wolof at 6:38 AM on April 14, 2008

Don't force me to choose.
Well, you didn't write: “Flappers, Siggers ----”
Looks to me like you made your choice right there.
posted by signal at 9:12 AM on April 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

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posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:37 PM on April 14, 2008

___________________________________________________________________
posted by Wolof at 11:44 PM on April 14, 2008

_________________ ------------------------------
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posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:39 AM on April 15, 2008

˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.˜.`.
posted by Wolof at 5:28 AM on April 15, 2008

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===== '/'/'/'/'/'/'
'/'/'/'/'/'/' =====
===== '/'/'/'/'/'/'
'/'/'/'/'/'/' =====
===== '/'/'/'/'/'/'
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posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:36 AM on April 15, 2008

Manamana
posted by Wolof at 5:44 AM on April 15, 2008

9732;9732;9732;9732;9732;
9732;9732;9732;9732;9732;9786;9786;
9786;9786;9786;9786;9786;9786;9786;9786;
9786;9786;9786;9786;9786;9786;9786;9786;9836;
9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;
9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;9836;
9836;9836;9836;
9836; 9836;9836;9836;9836;
9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;
9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;
9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;
9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;
9731;
9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;9731;
posted by signal at 6:32 AM on April 15, 2008

You load 16 tons and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:33 PM on April 15, 2008