'Round Midnight
Howard Johnson Lyrics


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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

The song 'Round Midnight by Howard Johnson & Gravity is a heartfelt ballad that speaks about the emotions of love, memory, and longing that arise around midnight. The lyrics suggest that the singer is feeling sad, particularly during suppertime, and his memories of love always begin around midnight. The midnight hour symbolizes the time when the singer is at his most vulnerable, as his thoughts center around his lost love.


The lyrics further suggest that the singer is pained by the thought of whether a previous quarrel signifies the end of the relationship. The eminence of midnight brings with it a sense of darkness and mystery, which is echoed in the restless and plaintive quality of the singer's voice. The song concludes with a hopeful tone, suggesting that if the singer's love returns, their hearts would "take wings" and the "angels would sing," ensuring that their love is safe and sound.


Overall, the song is a poignant and moving tribute to the power of love and memory, and the emotions that are stirred around midnight.


Line by Line Meaning

It begins to tell
The story starts


'Round midnight, midnight
Around midnight, when it's the darkest and the loneliest


I do pretty well, till after sundown
I manage to keep going until the evening comes


Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
During dinner time, I feel down


But it really gets bad
But my emotions get even worse


'Round midnight
Around midnight, the time when the memories start to flood in


Memories always start 'round midnight
The memories of us together always come back at midnight


Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
I can't bear to remember those times we had together


When my heart is still with you
Even though we're apart, my heart still belongs to you


And ol' midnight knows it, too
Midnight is like a witness that knows how I feel


When a quarrel we had needs mending
When we had a disagreement that needs to be sorted out


Does it mean that our love is ending
Is this a sign that our love is coming to an end


Darlin' I need you, lately I find
Oh my love, I need you, I've been feeling it lately


You're out of my heart
You're not in my heart like you used to be


And I'm out of my mind
I'm losing my mind without you


Let our hearts take wings'
Let's allow our hearts to soar with love


'Round midnight, midnight
Around midnight, where our love seems to be rekindled


Let the angels sing
Let the angels in heaven rejoice and sing


For your returning
For the moment when you come back to me


Till our love is safe and sound
Until our love is secure, steady and strong


And old midnight comes around
And that familiar midnight feeling returns


Feelin' sad
Feeling downhearted


Really gets bad
Feels worse than ever before


Round, Round, Round Midnight
Repeating the song title to emphasize the effect of midnight on emotions




Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cootie Williams, Bernard D Hanighen, Theolonious S Monk

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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