Born and raised in New York City, Kenny Rankin was a singer/songwriter whos… Read Full Bio ↴Born and raised in New York City, Kenny Rankin was a singer/songwriter whose music combined jazz, folk and pop influences. Between 1967 and 2002, he released 13 albums. Among the most successful were 1976's "The Kenny Rankin Album," which reached No. 99 on the "Billboard" album charts, and 1980's "After the Roses," which charted at No. 171. Both albums were produced by Don Costa.

Rankin's best-known composition, "Peaceful," was a major hit for Helen Reddy in 1973. He had a major fan in Johnny Carson, who had Rankin appear on "The Tonight Show" more than two dozen times. Carson wrote the liner notes for Rankin's 1967 debut album, "Mind Dusters."

Rankin died June 7, 2009, in Los Angeles. According to his management company, he was diagnosed with lung cancer three weeks earlier.

Round Midnight
Kenny Rankin 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

Kenny Rankin's "Round Midnight" is a poignant ballad about heartbreak and the pain that comes from the memories of a lost love. The song begins with the singer remarking that he usually manages to do well until after sundown, but that suppertime is when he really starts to feel sad. However, it is "round midnight" when the memories of his lost love begin to flood in, and his heart yearns for her once again. As the singer contemplates whether the quarrel they had means the end of their love, he admits that he needs her more than ever before. He realizes that she has been out of his heart and that he is out of his mind.

The song's refrain repeats the phrase "round midnight," emphasizing the time when the singer is most vulnerable to his feelings of heartache. Toward the end of the song, the singer's mood lightens as he envisions his lost love returning to him, and the two of them finally putting their quarrel to rest. The lyrics of "Round Midnight" are beautifully crafted, and the minimalist arrangement of the song allows the words to speak for themselves.

Line by Line Meaning

It begins to tell
The story of the night starts to unfold

'Round midnight, midnight
The specific time being referred to is midnight

I do pretty well, till after sundown
I feel okay until the evening sets in

Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
I become gloomy during dinner time

But it really gets bad
The sadness becomes unbearable

'Round midnight
Once midnight strikes, things get worse

Memories always start 'round midnight
Midnight is when memories of the past start resurfacing

Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
I cannot emotionally handle those memories

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

And ol' midnight knows it, too
Even the night understands my heart's longing for you

When a quarrel we had needs mending
If a dispute we had needs to be resolved

Does it mean that our love is ending
Does this suggest that our love is coming to an end?

Darlin' I need you, lately I find
My love, I have been realizing how much I need you

You're out of my heart
I have stopped loving you

And I'm out of my mind
I have lost my sanity

Let our hearts take wings'
May our hearts feel free

'Round midnight, midnight
In the middle of the night

Let the angels sing
May the heavenly beings sing

For your returning
In anticipation of your return

Till our love is safe and sound
Until our love is secure and protected

And old midnight comes around
Once midnight descends again

Feelin' sad
I become sorrowful

Really gets bad
The sadness deepens

Round, Round, Round Midnight
The cycle continues, suffering each time midnight strikes

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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