Prior to forming The Midnight, Tyler Lyle and Tim McEwan were both established musicians. Lyle was an indie-folk singer-songwriter based in the state of Georgia and gained initial notability with several self-released titles, becoming regionally and nationally known. McEwan was a drummer and producer based in Denmark, later becoming a member of the Danish production group Deekay who has written and produced songs for many popular artists.
The pair met for the first time in 2012 at a songwriter’s workshop in North Hollywood organized by Katie Donovan, Lyle’s A&R representative at the time. Prior to meeting, McEwan had listened to some of Lyle’s previous work and liked Lyle’s folk sound. Despite differing musical backgrounds, they bonded over a mutual love of 80s rock and began to write songs together. After initially struggling to define their sound, McEwan suggested that they compose songs in the synthwave style. McEwan had prior exposure to the burgeoning genre and was inspired by the movie Drive. The first song they wrote together as a duo was WeMoveForward, which was included on their debut EP Days of Thunder.
STYLE AND WORKFLOW
For most of their career, The Midnight has created a strong and distinct synthwave sound in their music - Tim McEwan once described the band's early albums “as if Miami Vice had a baby with a John Hughes movie”. However, McEwan has continuously expressed a desire to evolve the synthwave genre and not be confined by it. Tyler Lyle has stated several times that the band's philosophy when composing is “combine, not confine”. Influences of genres such as lo-fi, soft rock, trance, and vaporwave can be heard on Monsters, and Lyle's musical background has brought influences of indie folk and Americana to the band's sound as well. Regarding the merging of their individual talents and styles, Lyle has said:
It’s rock and roll with synthesizers. Tim has a keen ear for production, and I can write songs that fit comfortably within the tradition of 20th century classic pop songwriting. Somewhere in the middle things get interesting.
McEwan employs various digital synths in his production, including Serum, Diva, TAL-U-NO-LX, Spire, and Roland Cloud's Jupiter 8 and Juno 106. In mid-2020, he mentioned that his favorite synth to use at the time was U-He's emulation of Prophet-5, known as Repro 5. McEwan has stated that he commonly begins with presets and then tweaks them to his liking. KONTAKT is used for sampling.
Both McEwan and Lyle use Logic Pro on macOS as their primary Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).Universal Audio interfaces are used to capture their sounds, which are then processed using UAD plugins. Using the same utilities makes it easier for them to share session files as a significant amount of their work is done remotely, due to living in different areas of the US. However, they will usually get together in the same room a few times during a release's production and will often write and record together while on tour. A release's sound and overall direction are generally created by the two bouncing ideas off each other - McEwan will send Lyle a rough track or beat, which Lyle will then think of lyrics and a title that would go good with the beat, after which McEwan will further build and produce the track. McEwan has stated that the production of a typical The Midnight album takes around three to six months, “from the early gestating part to finish”.
Production and drums are handled by McEwan, with Lyle providing guitar, lyrics, and vocals. Lyle has stated that he writes on a daily basis, and many lyrics come from a large number of fragments he keeps stored in Evernote. Most of the remaining instrumentation is digital, but on occasion songs (including most with saxophone and guitar solos) will at first have digital instruments that are then outsourced to other musicians to play live on the track. Thomas Edinger has been the primary saxophone player for The Midnight's releases, and McEwan's brother Oliver has frequently played bass for the band as well.
For live performances, various setups have been used by the band. Lyle stated that the Spring 2019 tour utilized an Ableton rig, with McEwan using an SPD SX sampling pad and MIDI controller. Lyle ran his guitars through a Kemper profiling amp, and he also used an OP1 for certain synth moments and pads.
A Place of Her Own
The Midnight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a nice place in its own way
She had to move back to Queens with her mom though
She takes the F train, it's a long way
Charlie's walking now
She knows that he'd be proud
She wakes up early in the mornin' for the F train
She's makin' her pay in the South Slope
It's a nice place
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothin'
And wasn't asking for gold
Just a place of her own
A place of her own, a place of her own
Carve out a space, just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
A place of her own
A place of her own, a place of her own
Summer's so hot and winter's so cold
On the F train to the South Slope
And most people are okay in their own way
It's a nice place, but it's a long way
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothin'
And wasn't asking for gold
Just a place of her own
Just a place of her own, just a place of her own
Carve out a space, just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
A place of her own
A place of her own, a place of her own
She says, "Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go"
Where do I belong? Where do I belong?
"Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go"
Where do I belong?
She says, "Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go"
Where do I belong? Where do I belong?
"Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go"
Where do I belong? Where do I belong?
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothin'
And wasn't asking for gold
Just a place of her own
A place of her own, a place of her own
Carve out a space, just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
A place of her own
A place of her own, a place of her own
The lyrics of "A Place of Her Own" by The Midnight tell the story of a woman who has had to move back to Queens with her mom after facing a difficult situation. She finds a job at a diner in the South Slope, which is described as a nice place in its own way, but it requires her to take the long F train commute every day. Despite the challenges she faces, she wakes up early and works hard to make a living in this new environment.
The woman's thoughts often turn to Charlie, who seems to have left a significant void in her life. She reflects on the fact that she never asked for much, just a place of her own where she can find some peace and stability. The lyrics emphasize her simple desires and the importance of having a space where she can feel safe and secure amidst the uncertainties of life.
Through vivid imagery, the song describes the contrasts of the seasons and the emotional journey the woman goes through as she navigates her daily routine on the F train to the South Slope. Despite the challenges she faces, she finds solace in the fact that most people she encounters are okay in their own way, and she appreciates the sense of community and belonging that exists in this place.
The repeated refrain of "Where do I belong?" echoes the woman's inner turmoil and longing for a place to call her own. The lyrics convey her feelings of displacement and the search for a sense of belonging in a world that can sometimes feel uncertain and isolating. Overall, the song captures the universal theme of seeking a place of one's own, both physically and emotionally, where one can carve out a space for themselves and find comfort in the midst of life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
She got a job at a diner in the South Slope
She found employment at a restaurant in a specific neighborhood
It's a nice place in its own way
Although unique, the diner is a pleasant establishment
She had to move back to Queens with her mom though
She had to return to Queens and live with her mother
She takes the F train, it's a long way
She commutes on the F train, which is a lengthy journey
Charlie's walking now
Charlie, her child, is now able to walk
She knows that he'd be proud
She is aware that Charlie would be proud of her
She wakes up early in the mornin' for the F train
She rises early to catch the F train
And she's makin' her way
She is progressing in her journey
She's makin' her pay in the South Slope
She earns her living in the South Slope neighborhood
It's a nice place
Despite challenges, the neighborhood is pleasant
He left a hole the size of the world
His absence has left a significant void
And she ain't never had nothin'
She has never had much in her possession
And wasn't asking for gold
She wasn't seeking material wealth
Just a place of her own
Simply seeking a space that belongs solely to her
Carve out a space, just enough to breathe
Create a corner where she can find solace and relaxation
For the long nights of uncertainty
To face the challenging nights filled with unknowns
Summer's so hot and winter's so cold
Extreme weather conditions year-round
Most people are okay in their own way
The majority of individuals are content in their own manner
But it's a long way
Despite the positives, the journey is lengthy
She says, 'Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go'
Expressing confusion and a search for belonging
Where do I belong? Where do I belong?
Questioning one's sense of place and identity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Nikki Flores, Royce Whittaker, Tim McEwan, Tyler Lyle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Timothy Warren
I've obsessively been in love with The Midnight from day one, and this latest Heroes album just cements the reality that they're only continue to get better and better and better.
I realised listening to this song, over and over, gosh the whole album has been on repeat since it came out, that there are some really beautiful similarities in melody and mood to Death Cab For Cutie.
If you ever tour together my organs are all relatively good condition and available for purchase.
Spectacular. Absolutely spectacular.
If you can feel your heart beat, you're not done yet, you can't be.
Repeat it forever. Thank you for being more help than you'll ever comprehend.
After A Fashion ASMR
She got a job at a diner in the south slope
It's a nice place in its own way
She had to move back to Queens with her mom though
She takes the F train, it's a long way
Charlie's walkin' now, she knows that he'd be proud
She wakes up early in the mornin' for the F train
And she's makin' her way and she's makin' her pay in the South Slope
It's a nice place
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothin', wasn't askin' for gold
Just a place of her own
Place of her own
Placе of her own
Carve out a space, just еnough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
Place of her own
Place of her own
Place of her own
Summer's so hot and winter's so cold
On the F train to the south slope
And most people are okay in their own way
It's a nice way, but it's a long way
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothin' and wasn't askin' for gold
Just a place of her own
Just a place of her own
Just a place of her own
Carve out a space, just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
Place of her own
Place of her own
A place of her own
She says, "yeah, you leave, yeah, you go
Where do I belong? where do I belong?"
"Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go
Where do I belong?"
She says, "yeah, you leave, yeah, you go
Where do I belong? where do I belong?"
"Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go
Where do I belong? where do I belong?"
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothin' and wasn't askin' for gold
Just a place of her own
Place of her own
A place of her own
Carve out a space, just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
Place of her own
Place of her own
A place of her own
How beautiful this song is.
Bruno Cabral
Sing:
She got a job at a diner in the south slope
It's a nice place in its own way
She had to move back to Queens with her mom though
She takes the F train, it's a long way
Charlie's walkin' now, she knows that he'd be proud
She wakes up early in the mornin' for the F train
And she's makin' her way and she's makin' her pay in the South Slope
It's a nice place
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothin', wasn't askin' for gold
Just a place of her own
Place of her own
Place of her own
Carve out a space, just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
Place of her own
Place of her own
Place of her own
Summer's so hot and winter's so cold
On the F train to the South Slope
And most people are okay in their own way
It's a nice way, but it's a long way
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothin' and wasn't askin' for gold
Just a place of her own
Just a place of her own
Just a place of her own
Carve out a space, just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
Place of her own
Place of her own
A place of her own
She says, "Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go
Where do I belong? where do I belong?"
"Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go
Where do I belong?"
She says, "Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go
Where do I belong? where do I belong?"
"Yeah, you leave, yeah, you go
Where do I belong? where do I belong?"
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothin' and wasn't askin' for gold
Just a place of her own
Place of her own
A place of her own
Carve out a space, just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
Place of her own
Place of her own
A place of her own
TGX
💃🌠🕺She got a job at a diner in the South Slope
It's a nice place in its own way
She had to move back to Queens with her mom though
She takes the F train
It's a long way
Charlie's walking now
She knows that he'd be proud
She wakes up early in the morning for the F train
And she's making her way
She's making her pay in the South Slope
It's a nice place
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothing
Wasn't asking for gold
Just a place of her own
Place of her own
Place of her own
Carve out a space
Just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
Place of her own
Place of her own
Place of her own
Summer's so hot
And winter is so cold
On the F train to the South Slope
Most people are okay in their own way
It's a nice place
But it's a long way
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothing
It wasn't asking for gold
Just a place of her own
Just a place of her own
Just a place of her own
Carve out a space
Just enough to breathe
For the long nights of uncertainty
Place of her own
Place of her own
Place of her own
She says, 'Yeah you leave
Yeah you go
Where do I belong
Where do I belong'
Yeah you leave
Yeah you go
Where do I belong
She says, 'Yeah you leave
Yeah you go
Where do I belong
Where do I belong'
Yeah you leave
Yeah you go
Where do I belong
Where do I belong
He left a hole the size of the world
And she ain't never had nothing
It wasn't asking for gold
Just a place of her own
A place of her own
A place of her own
Carve a space just enough to breathe
For the longs nights of uncertainty
Place of her own
Place of her own
Place of her own
🌠🌕🌠
ASH Midnight Beats
I'm feeling sorry for the people who still don't know who The Midnight are
bluetech7753
well I feel sorry for my whole entire community since Wave music is so unheard of down here where I live it's sad and pitiful. a lot of people in my town don't know what they're missing. I remember when I started off listening to synthwave discovered it on YouTube the very first track was collateral by the midnight. I think it was off their album nocturnal that instrumental drew me in quickly and I soon began to discover more synthwave groups been listening to it ever since and I love it. this is just another awesome song by the midnight.
Marián Hyčko
And they are sorry for you because you don't know who are their favourite musicians 🤷♂️
Travis Ryan
I agree! I'm in illinois where they all listen to country music. Nothing wrong with that though. I just wish I could find someone around here with similar music interests.
trhaverstock
@Travis Ryan I am in Western Illinois and have been listening to these guys for close to 4 years. In fact, my high school son told me his teacher was playing Lonely City in class while the kids were working!
Padge Vounder
it's funny, several years ago I went on a date with a woman and she was singing the lyrics to FM84s Running In the Night. Out of curiousity, I looked it up and listened, love the style of the music. I had no idea what retrowave was. Then the Midnight got suggested to me by the youtube algorithim. All these little turn of events that led to me discovering them. Couldn't stand her but she had great taste in music!
Synthwayvz
DUDE. We need an 80’s romance movie edit with this song over it ASAP. Its so good!!
Scribby
Naani get on it!
Matthew Ziegler
The Midnight always kills on the Slow Jam Tracks 🤩🌉
Jeremy bell
Yes, yes they do