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.
Golden Gate
The Midnight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then we got drunk in the Upper Haight
It was a sunny day, all our friends got laid
And then we got a little older, moved away
Took I80 into New York City
It's a long damn way, but it sure is pretty
We ran out of gas near Colfax
Nine months after that
And I just called to say
I know you're always sittin' in the barrio waitin'
But there will come a day
And it'll be easier to fly away
Than it will be to stay
Lived in a New York studio
Till we left the city for a modest home
A Springstein song, a whole life long
A breeze that lifts your hair
Once before it's gone, gone
Time will come and shift it's weight
The laugh lines, bruised knees, birthday cake
And when I die I'll see your face
In a sundress on a Saturday
Or far away
And I just called to say
I know you're always sittin' in the barrio waitin'
I know that there will come a day
And it'll be easier to fly away
Than it will be to stay
Stay, stay, stay
Stay, stay, stay
The first verse of "Golden Gate" by The Midnight tells the story of a couple's journey together. They start by getting married under the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Following their wedding, they celebrate with their friends in the vibrant neighborhood of Upper Haight, indulging in the joyful and carefree atmosphere of the sunny day. As time progresses, they grow older and eventually move away from the city they once called home.
The second verse shifts the focus to their move to New York City. They take the I80 highway and admire the beauty of the long journey, even though they encounter a minor setback when they run out of gas near Colfax. Despite this hiccup, they manage to arrive safely in the city and soon thereafter, they welcome their first child into the world, proudly embracing the responsibilities of parenthood.
In the chorus, the singer calls their significant other to share a message. It seems that the other person is always waiting in the barrio, possibly referring to a neighborhood where they've settled. The singer acknowledges this and assures their loved one that there will come a day when it will be easier for them to fly away, to leave their current circumstances behind, rather than to stay.
The third verse reveals that the couple's life in New York involves living in a small studio until they decide to leave the bustling city behind and move to a more modest home. They find solace and nostalgia in a song by the iconic musician Bruce Springsteen, which becomes a symbol of their shared history. The lyrics reflect on how moments of beauty and happiness can be fleeting, like a breeze that rustles through your hair before it fades away.
The final lines of the song explore the passage of time and the inevitability of mortality. The lyrics suggest that as they grow older, memories will become more precious. The mention of laugh lines, bruised knees, and birthday cake alludes to the experiences and joys of a lifetime. The singer imagines that even after death, they will continue to cherish and remember their loved one's face in various joyful moments, perhaps in a sundress on a Saturday or in a distant place.
Throughout the song, there is a bittersweet tone, acknowledging the challenges and sacrifices that come with love and life. The chorus represents a moment of understanding and reassurance between the two partners as they navigate the complexities of their shared journey, acknowledging that one day they may find it easier to venture into the unknown than to cling onto what they have.
Line by Line Meaning
When we got married under the Golden Gate
We celebrated our marriage ceremony beneath the iconic Golden Gate Bridge
Then we got drunk in the Upper Haight
Afterwards, we indulged in excessive drinking in the Upper Haight neighborhood
It was a sunny day, all our friends got laid
The weather was beautiful, and all our friends found romantic connections
And then we got a little older, moved away
As we grew older, we relocated to a different place
Took I80 into New York City
We traveled on Interstate 80 to reach New York City
It's a long damn way, but it sure is pretty
The journey was quite long, but the city's beauty made it worthwhile
We ran out of gas near Colfax
Unfortunately, our vehicle ran out of fuel close to Colfax
And delivered our first child
Coincidentally, we welcomed our first child at that moment
Nine months after that
Nine months later, our child was born
And I just called to say
I'm reaching out right now to express
I know you're always sittin' in the barrio waitin'
I understand that you're constantly waiting in the neighborhood
But there will come a day
However, there will be a future moment
And it'll be easier to fly away
And it will be simpler to escape from our current situation
Than it will be to stay
Than it will be to remain here
Lived in a New York studio
We resided in a small studio apartment in New York
Till we left the city for a modest home
Until we decided to depart the bustling city for a more humble dwelling
A Springstein song, a whole life long
A Bruce Springsteen song became the soundtrack of our lives, accompanying us through the years
A breeze that lifts your hair
There was a gentle wind that delicately lifted your hair
Once before it's gone, gone
A fleeting moment, disappearing before we realize
Time will come and shift it's weight
Inevitably, time will arrive and bring changes
The laugh lines, bruised knees, birthday cake
Laugh lines, minor injuries, and birthday celebrations will mark the passage of time
And when I die I'll see your face
When my life ends, I expect to see your face
In a sundress on a Saturday
Perhaps, I will envision you wearing a sundress on a Saturday
Or far away
Or maybe, I will see your face even in a distant place
Stay, stay, stay
Please, remain with me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Nikki Flores, Royce Whittaker, Tim McEwan, Tyler Lyle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dhantisiregar2153
We got married under the Golden Gate
Then we got drunk in the Upper Haight
It was a sunny day, all our friends got laid
And when we got a little older, we moved away
Oh
[Verse 2]
Took I-80 into New York City
It's a long damn way, but it sure is pretty
We ran out of gas near Colfax
And delivered our first child nine months after that
Oh
[Chorus]
And I just called to say
I know you're always sittin' in the barrio, waitin'
There will come a day
And it'll be easier to fly away than it will be to stay
[Verse 3]
Lived in a New York studio
'Til we left the city for a modеst home
A Springsteen song, a whole life long
A breezе that lifts your head once before it's gone
Gone
[Verse 4]
Time will come and shift its weight
The laugh lines, bruised knees, birthday cake
And when I die, I'll see your face in a sundress on a Saturday
Or far away
[Chorus]
And I just called to say
I know you're always sittin' in the barrio, waitin'
I know that there will come a day
And it'll be easier to fly away than it will be to stay
[Post-Chorus]
Stay
Stay
Stay
Stay
Stay
Stay
@AnthonyLaibStudio
Just thank you.
I was so sad that you didn't finally come to Lyon,France this April because you're one of my best brand since 2017.
Collateral are my best one for example.
I didn't know you released this album to this day, and wow... the first one hits different.
And Aerostar is also beautiful.
Wonderful.
Thank you, THANK YOU !
I hope one day to feel your song with you guys the next time you will be close to where I live.
I hope.
Anthony.
@jyotirmoybhattacharya5719
We don't need a time machine to relive the magical 80s. We have "The Midnight" to feel the 80s forever and ever.
@rodrigogomez6502
I couldn't agree more
@natekapitanski8615
Love this. So accurate.
@francisdelapaz5351
I agree i was a part of the 80s in my dreams
@erazohar6731
Amen.
@AsadDaddy
It' true' 🎧🎶 close eye's nd Time' travel started 😂😂
@mikealls8938
Honestly in all my 44 years ,I have never found a band that has made me feel the way you guys do! I don't know how you do it, but every time you release a track, I listen and fall in love again. You change my mood, my outlook on life and stir emotions like no other musicians. You are truly talented, god bless you all and keep the music going ! Amazing album 😊😊😊❤️❤️❤️
@BrittanniMelissa
I totally agree with this comment 👍
@tallblonde4489
Same!!! Many of the 80s bands who made songs like that are gone now...
@sonicclang
I would HIGHLY recommend seeing them live. I bought tickets in mid 2021 for a concert in April 2022 and had to wait a long time for the concert. I knew all their songs and thought I knew what to expect. But nothing could have prepared me for how incredible they were live. From the first note until the last. I was completely blown away. They sounded much more like a real rock band. And the saxophone player! Oh my god.