The year was 1965. The artist was Wilson Pickett, and In the Midnight Hour would become his breakout hit, hitting #21 in the U.S. and #12 in the UK. He went on to become a soul music legend and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
Pickett and guitarist Steve Cropper wrote this, interestingly, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where Martin Luther King would later be assassinated in 1968. Said Cropper …
“I say in my shows that playing the guitar is real simple, you just follow the dots – the dots on neck on every guitar are in the same place. That’s how I came up with the intro for this. They go, It couldn’t be that simple,’ then all of them go home and get their guitars out and go, ‘Wow, it is!'”
In the Midnight Hour
Wilson Pickett
I’m gonna wait ’till the midnight hour
That’s when my love come tumbling down
I’m gonna wait ’till the midnight hour
When there’ no one else around
I’m gonna take you, girl, and hold you
And do all things I told you, in the midnight hour
Yes I am, oh yes I am
One thing I just wanna say, right here
I’m gonna wait till the stars come out
And see that twinkle in your eyes
I’m gonna wait ’till the midnight hour
That’s when my love begins to shine
You’re the only girl I know
Can really love me so, in the midnight hour
Oh yeah, in the midnight hour
Yeah, all right, play it for me one time, now
I’m gonna wait ’till the midnight hour
That’s when my love come tumbling down
I’m gonna wait, way in the midnight hour
That’s when my love begin to shine, just you and I
Oh, baby, just you and I
Nobody around, baby, just you and I
Oh, right, you know what?
I’m gonna hold you in my arms, just you and I
Oh yeah, in the midnight hour
Oh, baby, in the midnight hour
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Wilson Pickett / Steve Cropper
In the Midnight Hour lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music Inc
Great song, a great time for music. Same hotel, huh? Wow!
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Glad you liked it! I don’t know how anybody could NOT like this one! Yep, I got a bit of a chill by that coincidence.
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I feel the same way!!
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More! More! More!. More! More!
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WOW!!!! You liked it? You really liked it? I am so happy! 🥳
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Oh, Jill, if you only knew everything I liked. I had 8 older siblings growing up, and they gave me a love of everything from KA-LI-GA to North to Alaska, and all the way into Ronnie Dove (Can you imagine me singing “When Liking Turns to Loving”? I tried!) Roy Orbison is one of my 50’s favourites, but I ‘m not sure how well you know him, except maybe from the Travelling Wilburys. But I’m thinking I’m needing some early Doors soon, it’s been awhile since I let Jim mumble at me.
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Hah! I can’t imagine you singing that at all, but then … I’m not sure I can picture you singing … period. Of Roy Orbison, I mostly remember only “Pretty Woman”, though I’m sure there were others I have heard and perhaps liked at the time. Some early Doors, eh? I’ll see what I can come up with.
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Lol. Thank you.
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A touch of genius on this one. the perfect voice for the perfect sound. Deserved his place in the .Rock and Roll Hall of Fame..
Cwtch
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I agree on all counts! I’m really glad you liked it!
Cwtch
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Super tune, Jill. Thanks
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I’m glad you liked it!
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Jill, the Staxx Records sound that emanated from the Memphis area with folks like Wilson Pickett and Steve Cropper was profound. This soulful song rendered by one of greatest voices is worth the listen. The band which was the basis for Booker T and the MGs (think “Green Onions” and later the Blues Brothers) backed many a great artist like Pickett, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, etc. Great tune. Keith
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Indeed, some great artists came from that area and era … I had completely forgotten about Sam and Dave!!! Thanks for the reminder! Glad you liked my choice today!
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