Summary
"Midnight Blue" is a song by American rock singer-songwriter Lou Gramm, issued as a 7" single in the United States in January 1987 by Atlantic Records. It was the lead-off single from Gramm's debut album, Ready or Not, released in February 1987. An extended remix of the song was available as a 12" single.
| "Midnight Blue" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Lou Gramm | ||||
| from the album Ready or Not | ||||
| B-side | "Chain of Love" | |||
| Released | January 1987 | |||
| Recorded | 1986 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:54 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Lou Gramm singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception edit
In a contemporary review, Cash Box praised the single as being "riveting" and "triumphant."[5] Bret Adams has described "Midnight Blue" as "a terrific pop/rock song" on AllMusic. He has claimed that "despite its hit status, it's one of the decade's truly underappreciated singles".[6] Stephen Thomas Erlewine, while reviewing the Foreigner retrospective collection Jukebox Heroes: The Foreigner Anthology (2000), has called the song "the last great single of the album-rock era".[7]
The single peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100[8] and spent five weeks on the top of the Mainstream Rock chart, starting on 14 February 1987.[9] "Midnight Blue" has remained Gramm's highest-charting solo hit to date.
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Midnight Blue" | Lou Gramm, Bruce Turgon | 3:54 |
| 2. | "Chain of Love" | Gramm, Turgon | 3:58 |
| Total length: | 7:52 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Midnight Blue" (extended remix) | Gramm, Turgon | 5:23 |
| 2. | "Chain of Love" | Gramm, Turgon | 3:58 |
| Total length: | 9:21 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Midnight Blue" (extended remix) | Gramm, Turgon | 5:23 |
| 2. | "Midnight Blue" | Gramm, Turgon | 3:54 |
| 3. | "Chain of Love" | Gramm, Turgon | 3:58 |
| Total length: | 13:15 | ||
Personnel edit
- Lou Gramm – vocals; producer
- Eddie Martinez – lead guitar
- Bruce Turgon – rhythm guitars
- Stanley Sheldon – bass guitar
- Phil Ashley – keyboards, programming
- Ben Gramm – drums
- Mark Rivera – backing vocals
- Sherryl Marshall – backing vocals
- Cookie Watkins – backing vocals
Technical personnel edit
- Pat Moran – producer, engineer
- Ted Jensen – mastering engineer (at Sterling Sound, New York)
- Timothy White – cover photography
- Bob Defrin – art direction
Charts edit
Weekly charts edit
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian (Kent Music Report)[10] | 8
|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11] | 15 |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[12] | 45 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] | 29 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] | 40 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[15] | 82 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[8] | 5 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[9] | 1 |
Year-end charts edit
| Chart (1987) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] | 51 |
| US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[17] | 82 |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "The Cassette Chronicles – Lou Gramm's ' Ready or Not'". 15 October 2020.
- ^ "Ready or Not - Lou Gramm | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "Album Review : Lou Gramm – Questions and Answers". 23 July 2021.
- ^ Eddy, Chuck (22 March 1997). "Working-Woman Rock from Sigmund Freud to Simon Frith". The Accidental Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll: A Misguided Tour Through Popular Music. Da Capo Press. p. 21. ISBN 0-306-80741-6.
- ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 24 January 1987. p. 9. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- ^ Adams, Bret. Lou Gramm: Ready or Not > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Foreigner: Jukebox Heroes: The Foreigner Anthology > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Lou Gramm Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Lou Gramm Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 128. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0799." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Lou Gramm – Midnight Blue" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Lou Gramm – Midnight Blue" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Lou Gramm – Midnight Blue". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Australian Music Report No 701 – 28 December 1987 > National Top 100 Singles for 1987". Australian Music Report. Retrieved 11 December 2019 – via Imgur.
- ^ "1987 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 52. 26 December 1987.