In 2006, Arthur's song "In the Sun" was covered by Michael Stipe (of R.E.M.) and Coldplay singer Chris Martin. Released for a Hurricane Katrina Relief program, the EP includes six versions of the cover, one of which has Arthur himself singing with Stipe.
Arthur established his own record label, Lonely Astronaut Records, in 2006, and released two studio albums, Let's Just Be (2007) and Temporary People (2008) with backing band The Lonely Astronauts. Arthur subsequently returned to performing and recording as a solo artist, releasing The Graduation Ceremony in 2011 and the double album, Redemption City in 2012.
Arthur is also an acclaimed painter and designer. His artwork has graced the sleeves of his entire discography; the sleeve design for his 1999 album entitled Vacancy was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.
In the middle of the night
Joseph Arthur Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can feel the sun
In the middle of the night
I think about our love
It's a terrible secret
That I keep from you
I vacated my soul on the broken hearted avenue
We could begin
We could begin again
After the end
In the middle of the night
My heart is never free
In the middle of the night
The truth is easy to see
If I could hold you
Now I would never let you go
But I'm all alone
Knowing that you reap what you sow
We could begin
We could begin
We could begin again
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
In the middle of the night
I think you're following me
In the middle of the night
I meet you in the doorway of my memory
I ask how is everything is going for you
Between us is a wall
Both of our hearts see through
We could begin
We could begin
We could begin again
After the end
In the middle of the night
Is when I start to cry
In the middle of the night
I throw a prayer for you
Across the sky
It's a terrible secret
That I kept from you
I vacated my soul on the broken hearted avenue
We could begin
We could begin
We could begin again
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
After the end
The song "In the Night" by Joseph Arthur is a melancholic ballad that tackles the pain of lost love and the yearning to start over again. The first stanza sets the tone of the song by describing the conflicting emotions of the singer in the middle of the night. He feels the sun, representing hope and a new beginning, but also keeps a terrible secret from his beloved. He vacated his soul, suggesting that he feels empty and incomplete, on the broken-hearted avenue, which highlights the emotional turmoil he is experiencing. The chorus "We could begin again, after the end" suggests that he wants to restart the relationship but is unsure if it is possible.
The second stanza continues to describe the singer's struggle to move on from the lost love. The truth is easy to see, implying that he can't ignore the reality of the situation. He wants to hold on to his love, but he is alone, and he knows that he must reap what he sowed. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes that starting over after a breakup is difficult but also highlights the possibility of a new beginning.
The final verse depicts the singer's memory of his beloved and the wall that separates them. He acknowledges that there are unresolved issues and that it is challenging to move on. The song ends with the singer throwing a prayer for his love across the sky, highlighting his hope and longing for a fresh start. "In the Night" is a poignant and relatable song that encapsulates the experience of heartbreak and the desire to heal and start over.
Line by Line Meaning
In the middle of the night
At a time when I feel most alone and vulnerable
I can feel the sun
I can still feel warmth and love despite the darkness
In the middle of the night
Even when it's the darkest and quietest, I still think of you
I think about our love
I miss what we had, and long to have it back
It's a terrible secret
I have a great shame that I hide from you and the world
That I keep from you
It's something so personal, I cannot even share it with you
I vacated my soul on the broken hearted avenue
My grief and heartbreak has left me empty and broken
We could begin
I still hope that we could start anew
We could begin again
I'm holding onto the possibility of a second chance with you
After the end
Even though it seems like it's all over, I believe there's still hope for us
My heart is never free
Even when I don't see you, my heart is still bound to you
The truth is easy to see
Despite my efforts to hide it, the reality of our situation is clear
If I could hold you
I wish I had the opportunity to be close to you again
Now I would never let you go
I know how much you mean to me, and how hard it is to find someone like you
But I'm all alone
Even with those thoughts, I remain isolated and alone
Knowing that you reap what you sow
I understand that I'm in this situation because of my actions and choices
I think you're following me
It feels like our memories and experiences are intertwined, and you're never far from my thoughts
I meet you in the doorway of my memory
Our shared past is a recurring image that I can't ignore
I ask how is everything is going for you
Even though we're apart, I still want to know how you're doing
Between us is a wall
No matter how much we care for each other, there are still obstacles that keep us apart
Both of our hearts see through
We both know that what we had and what we could have is real and special
Is when I start to cry
The pain and sadness become too much to bear
I throw a prayer for you
Even though I cannot be with you, I still hope and wish the best for you
Across the sky
To something greater than us
After the end
Despite all that's happened, I still believe that there's potential for us
After the end
Even after all this time and pain, there's still a possibility for us
After the end
We can still have a new beginning despite everything that's happened
After the end
The end is not the final word for us
After the end
Our story is not over, and there's a chance for a happy ending
After the end
Even when everything seems hopeless, there's still a possibility for us
After the end
Despite all the obstacles, we can still find a way to start again
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joseph Lyburn Arthur
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind