Isn’t the night inspiring? The next ninety minutes are full of nocturnal activity. Please enjoy my nighttime mix blended with blues, jazz, pop, rock and reggae …
| Title | Artist | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Last Night A Dj Saved My Life | Indeep | “Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life” is a song written by Michael Cleveland, sung by American group Indeep, and released as a single in 1982. It features vocals from Réjane “Reggie” Magloire and Rose Marie Ramsey. Réjane Magloire (1964-October 2023) was a Congolese–American singer, model, and actress who later joined the studio-based Belgian project Technotronic. |
| The Nightfly | Donald Fagen | Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen, released his first solo album “The Nightfly” in 1982, containing all autobiographical songs. The title song is a jazz-influenced slice of pop/rock that finds him recalling his adolescent dream of being a late-night radio DJ. |
| Late In The Evening | Paul Simon | Paul Simon wrote “Late in the evening” for the semi-autobiographical movie One-Trick Pony, he starred in. The song describes a dream sequence that Paul Simon had when he was a teenager of being a rock star (he’s “under age in this funky bar”). It’s late at night (evening) and he’s hearing the radio as he falls asleep and the next then he knows he’s dreaming about walking down the street and then playing lead guitar in a band. |
| Slapeloze nachten | The Opposites | “Slapeloze nachten” (sleepless nights) by Dutch rap band The Opposites was released in 2012. The Opposites consists of rappers Willem de Bruin (Willy), short and a person of color, and Twan van Steenhoven (Big2), tall and white, hence the reference in the band name. The two started rapping when de Bruin had to write a rap for his teacher as a punishment. |
| In Dreams | Roy Orbison | Roy Orbison wrote “In Dreams”, first released in 1963, after it came to him in a dream. Typical of many Orbison songs, it’s a heartbreaker: asleep at night is the only time he can be with the one he loves, as when he wakes up, she’s gone. This song is featured in a key scene in the 1986 film Blue Velvet. |
| Are You Lonesome Tonight? | Elvis Presley | “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” was written in 1926 by the Tin Pan Alley songwriters Roy Turk and Lou Handman. Elvis Presley recorded it on request of his manager, Colonel Parker, because it was a favourite of Parker’s wife, Marie. Elvis recorded this song at the end of an all-night session at RCA Studio B in Nashville in the early morning of April 4, 1960. Tin Pan Alley, genre of American popular music that arose in the late 19th century from the American song-publishing industry centred in New York City. |
| Strangers In The Night | Frank Sinatra | “Strangers in the night” was Frank Sinatra’s big comeback song in 1966, composed by Bert Kaempfert with English lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder. One of the most memorable and recognizable features of the record is Sinatra’s scat improvisation of the melody (on take two) with the syllables “doo-be-doo-be-doo” as the song fades to the end. Sinatra despised the song and thought it was about two fags in a bar. Country star Glen Campbell, then a session musician for hire, played rhythm guitar on this track. |
| Southern Nights | Glen Campbell | “Southern Nights” was written and originally recorded by Allen Toussaint, released in 1975, about the idyllic evenings growing up in Louisiana when he would travel into the country an visit with the older folks. Glen Campbell arranged and recorded the song in 1977 because it reminded him of his rural childhood in Arkansas. |
| I Want To Spend The Night | Bill Withers | “I Want To Spend The Night”, having a distinct Latin feel, appeared on Bill Withers’ sixth studio album ‘Menagerie’, released on October 29, 1977, through the Columbia label. |
| Nightswimming | R.E.M. | “Nightswimming” written by R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills, playing piano on the track, is a nostalgic song that revisits an idyllic childhood memory of the band when they used to sneak on a guy’s property in Athens, Georgia to go swimming in a water hole. |
| Spirits In The Night | Manfred Mann’s Earth Band | The original version of “Spirit in the Night” was released in 1973 on Bruce Springsteen’s debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. British band Manfred Mann’s Earth Band covered the song in 1975 with the title “Spirits in the Night” as the European single release. Greasy Lake, where the action takes place is actually a composite of two locations that band members used to visit: man-made Lake Carasaljo and an unnamed swampy lake near Garden State Parkway. |
| One of These Nights | Eagles | “One of These Nights”, written by Eagles band members Glenn Frey and Don Henley, refers to everyone’s ultimate dream, saving it for ‘someday’. Don Felder, who was the Eagles newest guitarist, came up with the opening bass line. It’s Glenn Frey’s favourite Eagles record. |
| Nightshift | Commodores | “Nightshift” is the Commodores’ only big hit after Lionel Richie left the band in 1982 and is a tribute to singers Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson, who both died in 1984. Drummer Walter “Clyde” Orange sings lead on the track, with J.D. Nicholas taking the second verse. The title was inspired by the 1982 movie Night Shift. |
| Whatever Gets You thru the Night | John Lennon | “Whatever Gets You thru the Night”, written and performed by John Lennon in 1974, featuring Elton John on harmony vocals and piano, came from his late-night television watching Reverend Ike, a famous black evangelist, saying, ‘Let me tell you guys, it doesn’t matter, it’s whatever gets you through the night’. The music was inspired by George McCrae’s “Rock Your Baby”. |
| Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting | Elton John | “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” by Elton John, released in 1973, is about writer Bernie Taupin’s teen years going to British dance clubs, where fights were common. |
| Another Saturday Night | Cat Stevens | “Another Saturday Night”, was written by Sam Cooke when he was touring England in 1962 with Little Richard and recorded by Cat Stevens in 1974. |
| After Midnight | Eric Clapton | “After Midnight”, written by Oklahoma guitarist J.J. Cale, was Eric Clapton’s first solo single, released in 1970, while he was still a member of Derek and the Dominos, who along with Stephen Stills, supported Clapton. |
| Saturday Night | Herman Brood & His Wild Romance | “Saturday Night” by Dutch rocker Herman Brood and His Wild Romance, released in 1979 was co-written by Belgian musician Dany Lademacher. |
| Night Nurse (ft. Simply Red) | Sly & Robbie and All Stars | “Night Nurse” originally released in 1982 by famous Jamaican “Lovers” Reggae Singer (AKA the Cool Ruler) Gregory Isaacs, was covered IN 1997 by Jamaican duo Sly and Robbie featuring English band Simply Red. |
| Tonight Tonight | Hot Chelle Rae | “Tonight Tonight” is a song by American rock band Hot Chelle Rae (formerly known as Miracle Drug), released in 2011. |
| A Night Like This | Caro Emerald | Dutch jazz singer Caro Emerald (born Caroline van der Leeuw on April 26, 1981 in Amsterdam), released her second single “A Night Like This” in 2009, which describes a whirlwind love affair, after being used in a Martini commercial. |
| Queen For Tonight | Helen Shapiro | “Queen For Tonight” was released by Helen Shapiro in 1963 and a cover of “King For Tonight”, first recorded in May 1962 by Johnny Hallyday, who only released it more than ten years later, written by Arthur Wayne and Ben Wingate. |
| Love me tonight | Tom Jones | “Love me tonight” by Welsh singer Tom Jones is a cover of “Alla fine della strada”, first recorded by, Italian beat singer from Bologna, Junior Magli in 1969. |
| Stay the Night | James Blunt | “Stay the Night” by British former army officer James Blunt is a fun song about hanging out with friends in California and not wanting the night to end, co-written with his producer Steve Robson and Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic. |
Sources
The information sources of the song facts include, but are not limited to, Wikipedia, songfacts.com, discogs.com, secondhandsongs.com, YouTube and artists’ related websites.
