| "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 | ||||
| ||||
"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.
Reception
In a contemporary review, Cash Box praised the single as being "riveting" and "triumphant." 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". 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".
The single peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent five weeks on the top of the Mainstream Rock chart, starting on 14 February 1987. "Midnight Blue" has remained Gramm's highest-charting solo hit to date.
Track listing
| 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
- 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
- Pat Moran – producer, engineer
- Ted Jensen – mastering engineer (at Sterling Sound, New York)
- Timothy White – cover photography
- Bob Defrin – art direction
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian (Kent Music Report) | 8
|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 15 |
| Germany (GfK) | 45 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 29 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 40 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 82 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard) | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1987) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 51 |
| US Top Pop Singles (Billboard) | 82 |
See also
References
- ^ "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.
