Frank Morgan (b. Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 23, 1933; d. Minneapolis,… Read Full Bio ↴Frank Morgan (b. Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 23, 1933; d. Minneapolis, December 14, 2007) was a jazz saxophonist with a career spanning over 50 years. He mainly plays alto saxophone but also plays soprano saxophone. During the 1950's he was known as a Charlie Parker protege and recorded several bebop albums. He, too, developed a heroin habit, and spent much of the next two decades incarcerated. He was absent from performing for an extended period, but unlike many suffering from that particular affliction, was able to create a second act in his playing career.
In 1985 he started recording again, releasing "Easy Living" in June 1985. He suffered a stroke in 1998, but recovered and recorded additional albums before his death from colon cancer.

Discography

* Night in the Life (2007)
* Reflections (2006)
* Raising the Standard (2005)
* City Nights (2004)
* Bop (1997)
* Love, Lost and Found (1995)
* Mood Indigo (1989)
* Listen to the Dawn (1994)
* You Must Believe In Spring (1992)
* A Lovesome Thing (1991)
* Yardbird Suite (1988)
* Lament (1987)
* Double Image (with George Cables) (1986)
* Easy Living (1985)
* Frank Morgan (1955)

Round Midnight
Frank Morgan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It begins to tell
'Round midnight, midnight
I do pretty well, till after sundown
Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
But it really gets bad
'Round midnight

Memories always start 'round midnight

Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
When my heart is still with you
And ol' midnight knows it, too
When a quarrel we had needs mending
Does it mean that our love is ending
Darlin' I need you, lately I find
You're out of my heart
And I'm out of my mind

Let our hearts take wings'
'Round midnight, midnight
Let the angels sing
For your returning
Till our love is safe and sound
And old midnight comes around
Feelin' sad

Really gets bad
Round, Round, Round Midnight

Overall Meaning

"Round Midnight" is a song by jazz saxophonist Frank Morgan composed by pianist Thelonious Monk in 1944. The song's haunting melody and introspective lyrics have made it a popular standard and one of the most recorded jazz tunes. The song's lyrics capture the sense of regret and loneliness that often come in the late hours of the night, as the singer reflects on lost love and feelings of despair. The first verse describes how the singer copes with the sadness that comes after sundown by doing pretty well, but things get worse "round midnight." Memories from the past start to haunt him, and he cannot shake the feeling of lost love.

The second verse speaks more directly to the pain of heartbreak, as the singer wonders whether a quarrel they had means the end of their love. He admits that he needs his lover, but lately he cannot find her in his heart, and he feels like he is losing his mind. The final verse offers a glimmer of hope as the singer invites his lover to let their hearts take wings around midnight and let the angels sing for their returning till their love is safe and sound. Overall, the song conveys a universal message of the power of love and the pain that comes with losing it.

Line by Line Meaning

It begins to tell
The story starts

'Round midnight, midnight
At the time of midnight

I do pretty well, till after sundown
I manage to function well until the evening

Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
During dinner time, I become unhappy

But it really gets bad
But it gets worse

'Round midnight
At the time of midnight

Memories always start 'round midnight
My memories always resurface at midnight

Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
I am not strong enough to endure those memories

When my heart is still with you
When my heart still belongs to you

And ol' midnight knows it, too
And midnight is aware of it

When a quarrel we had needs mending
When there is a disagreement that needs to be resolved

Does it mean that our love is ending
Does it signify the end of our love?

Darlin' I need you, lately I find
Darling, I require you, and lately I have discovered

You're out of my heart
You are no longer in my heart

And I'm out of my mind
And I am losing my sanity

Let our hearts take wings'
May our hearts soar

'Round midnight, midnight
At the time of midnight

Let the angels sing
May the angels sing

For your returning
For your return

Till our love is safe and sound
Until our love is secure and free from danger

And old midnight comes around
And when midnight approaches

Feelin' sad
Feeling unhappy

Really gets bad
It becomes worse

Round, Round, Round Midnight
At the time of midnight

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cootie Williams, Bernard D Hanighen, Theolonious S Monk

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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