Midnight Special
John Fogerty Lyrics


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The Midnight Special

John Fogerty

Well, you wake up in the mornin', you hear the work bell ring
And they march you to the table to see the same damn thing
Ain't no food upon the table, and no pork up in the pan
But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man

Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me

Yonder come miss Rosie, how in the world did you know?
By the way she wears her apron, and the clothes she wore
Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand
She come to see the gov'nor, she wants to free her man

Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me

If you're ever in Houston, well, you better do the right
You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down
The next thing you know, boy, Oh! You're prison bound

Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me

Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me




Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me

Overall Meaning

John Fogerty's "Midnight Special" is a traditional blues standard that originated in the early 1900s. The song has been passed down through generations and adapted by various artists. The song's lyrics lament the harsh work conditions and lack of food for prisoners, and it echoes the realities of life and survival in American prisons during the first half of the 20th century.


The song's opening lyrics describe the lack of food and dismal living conditions endured by prisoners who are forced to work every day. The central refrain, "Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me," refers to the mythical train that runs through prisons at midnight and is said to carry freedom seekers away from their captivity. The prisoners hope the light from the train will fall upon them, offering them a path to freedom.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, you wake up in the mornin', you hear the work bell ring
You start your day by hearing the sounds of your work bell.


And they march you to the table to see the same damn thing
You go to the table and see that there is no food or pork in the pan, which is a regular occurrence.


Ain't no food upon the table, and no pork up in the pan
There is no food or pork to eat.


But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man
If you complain, you will face consequences from those in power.


Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
The Midnight Special can provide guidance and help in a time of hardship.


Yonder come miss Rosie, how in the world did you know?
Someone named Miss Rosie is approaching, but it's unclear how the singer knows her.


By the way she wears her apron, and the clothes she wore
The way Miss Rosie is dressed suggests that she is coming to see the governor to try to free her man.


Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand
Miss Rosie is carrying an umbrella and a paper, which could be a petition or a legal document.


She come to see the gov'nor, she wants to free her man
Miss Rosie is trying to seek the governor's help to release her man from prison.


If you're ever in Houston, well, you better do the right
If you ever find yourself in Houston, you should ensure that you do the right thing.


You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all
It's not wise to gamble, fight, or engage in any sort of trouble in Houston.


Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down
If you break the law, the sheriff and his group of men will arrest you and you'll end up in prison.


The next thing you know, boy, Oh! You're prison bound
If you're not careful, you'll end up in jail, which is a terrible fate.


Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me
The Midnight Special can be a symbol for hope, and the singer is using it to request guidance and help.




Writer(s): JOHN FOGERTY

Contributed by Elena E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@Maddawwg45

i remember as a small boy in the 70's everyone listened to CCR summers were endless ,camping trips, throwing a sleeping bag in the bed of a truck and watching movies at the drive inn till u fell asleep there was no xbox no one i knew had a computer and ,u didnt have to worry about locking ya doors ...lord whats happened to our country i miss it to bad this generation will never experience things like i did growing up !!

@breizizel3256

Yeah ! Same story ! The best years in my spleety vw .... now time ist wrong

@alc6670

Just a perfect song. Cheers to anybody listening to these legends today.

@rogerpr364

Cheer's to you too ALC☺

@alc6670

@@rogerpr364 Thank-you! 😊😊😊

@salinacarter1342

Cheers! 🙌

@dalejeffries5720

I can't get enough of this song I just put it on repeat and Let It Go!🤪🎸🇺🇸

@Morganasnotarobot0

🙌🙌Cheers! 🎉🍾

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@fansofwrestling9115

Still listing in 2024‼️

@hillarychapman1

his voice is so authentic i'm speechless..no autotune, no nothin'

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