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.
Last Train
The Midnight Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The west scotch bottles and the soda guns
You missed the last train from the city tonight
Old friends see each other in a different, different light
You missed the last train tonight
The alphabet city as dive bares drone
And two pilgrims seek a makeshift home
Old friends see each other in a different, different light
You missed the last train tonight
There is a song, singin' in the dark
Don't get too close, it'll tear you apart
There is a reason for every season of the heart
There is a song, singin' in the fire
Don't get too close, it cuts like a wire
There is a reason for every season of desire
The subway rumbles under Union Square
And the morning finds an unlikely pair
Hotel lobby holding hands
Don't blink, don't think, don't look in her eyes
Is this for forever or is this goodbye?
Goodbye
There is a song, singin' in the dark
Don't get too close, it'll tear you apart
There is a reason for every season of the heart
There is a song, singin' in the fire
Don't get too close, it cuts like a wire
There is a reason for every season of desire
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we start
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we are
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we start
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we are
We are one beating heart
We are one beating heart
We are one beating heart
The Midnight's song Last Train is a melancholic ballad about a group of friends who have missed the last train from the city and are forced to face their emotions and desires as they wander through the night. The opening verse paints a picture of chaos, with the top shelf tumbling and the world clocks running, setting the tone for the restless energy that follows. The singers are described as missing the last train, which serves as a metaphor for missing out on opportunities in life. They encounter each other in new ways and their relationships shift, suggesting that this one night has changed everything for them. The chorus features an enigmatic "song singing in the dark," which warns of emotional vulnerability and the pain of desire. The song concludes with an unlikely couple, half-lit by the morning light and holding hands in a hotel lobby. Here, the lyrics suggest a potential end for the couple, leaving the listener with a sense of uncertainty.
The song contains vivid imagery and metaphors to convey a sense of longing and restlessness that many listeners may relate to. Through the characters' stories and experiences, the lyrics suggest that life is a journey full of missed opportunities, unmet desires, and unexpected encounters that can lead to both heartache and joy. The idea of a song singing in the dark serves as a reminder that emotions and desires can be both beautiful and dangerous, and that it's essential to tread carefully when navigating them.
Line by Line Meaning
The top shelf tumbles and the world clocks run
Time flies and things change quickly
The west scotch bottles and the soda guns
The bar is closed and the night is over
You missed the last train from the city tonight
You missed your chance to leave this place and start over
Old friends see each other in a different, different light
People change and things are not the same as they used to be
The alphabet city as dive bares drone
The city is loud and chaotic
And two pilgrims seek a makeshift home
Two strangers are looking for a place to belong
There is a song, singin' in the dark
There is always hope, even in dark times
Don't get too close, it'll tear you apart
Sometimes hope can be dangerous and disappointing
There is a reason for every season of the heart
Every emotion has a reason, even if we don't understand it
The subway rumbles under Union Square
Life goes on, even when we're not ready for it
And the morning finds an unlikely pair
Unexpected connections can arise from difficult situations
Hotel lobby holding hands
A moment of intimacy and uncertainty
Don't blink, don't think, don't look in her eyes
Sometimes it's easier to avoid the truth than to face it
Is this for forever or is this goodbye?
Uncertainty and fear about the future
Half in light and half in dark, Is where we start, Is where we are
Life is a balance between good and bad, and we have to accept it
We are one beating heart
We are all connected and share the same humanity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Tim McEwan, Tyler Lyle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dekuscrub4330
this song starts with Sunset and goes into Sunrise.
"The subway rumbles under Union Square
And the morning finds an unlikely pair
Hotel lobby, holding hands
Don't blink, don't think, don't look in her eyes
Is this for forever or is this goodbye?
Goodbye"
-third verse
@cathyhelle6039
The top shelf tumbles and the world clocks run
The west scotch bottles and the soda guns
You missed the last train from the city tonight
Old friends see each other in a different, different light
You missed the last train tonight
The alphabet city as dive bares drone
And two pilgrims seek a makeshift home
Missed the last train from the city tonight
Old friends see each other in a different, different light
You missed the last train tonight
There is a song, singin' in the dark
Don't get too close, it'll tear you apart
There is a reason for every season of the heart
There is a song, singin' in the fire
Don't get too close, it cuts like a wire
There is a reason for every season of desire
The subway rumbles under Union Square
And the morning finds an unlikely pair
Hotel lobby holding hands
Don't blink, don't think, don't look in her eyes
Is this for forever or is this goodbye?
Goodbye
There is a song, singin' in the dark
Don't get too close, it'll tear you apart
There is a reason for every season of the heart
There is a song, singin' in the fire
Don't get too close, it cuts like a wire
There is a reason for every season of desire
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we start
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we are
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we start
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we are
We are one beating heart
We are one beating heart
We are one beating heart
@felip6180
Lyrics
The top shelf tumbles and the world clocks run
The west scotch bottles and the soda guns
You missed the last train from the city tonight
Old friends see each other in a different, different light
You missed the last train tonight
The alphabet city as dive bares drone
And two pilgrims seek a makeshift home
Missed the last train from the city tonight
Old friends see each other in a different, different light
You missed the last train tonight
There is a song, singin' in the dark
Don't get too close, it'll tear you apart
There is a reason for every season of the heart
There is a song, singin' in the fire
Don't get too close, it cuts like a wire
There is a reason for every season of desire
The subway rumbles under Union Square
And the morning finds an unlikely pair
Hotel lobby holding hands
Don't blink, don't think, don't look in her eyes
Is this for forever or is this goodbye?
Goodbye
There is a song, singin' in the dark
Don't get too close, it'll tear you apart
There is a reason for every season of the heart
There is a song, singin' in the fire
Don't get too close, it cuts like a wire
There is a reason for every season of desire
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we start
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we are
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we start
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we are
We are one beating heart
We are one beating heart
We are one beating heart
@abcustomzz1468
The top shelf tumbles and the wall clocks run
Well scotch bottles and the soda guns
You missed the last train from the city tonight
Old friends see each other in a different, different light
You missed the last train tonight
The Alphabet City's dive bars drone
And two pilgrims seek a makeshift home
Missed the last train from the city tonight
Old friends see each other in a different, different light
You missed the last train tonight
There is a song singin' in the dark
Don't get too close or it'll tear you apart
There is a reason for every season of the heart
There is a song singin' in the fire
Don't get too close, it cuts like a wire
There is a reason for every season of desire
The subway rumbles under Union Square
And the morning finds an unlikely pair
Hotel lobby, holding hands
Don't blink, don't think, don't look in her eyes
Is this for forever or is this goodbye?
Goodbye
There is a song singin' in the dark
Don't get too close or it'll tear you apart
There is a reason for every season of the heart
There is a song singin' in the fire
Don't get too close, it cuts like a wire
There is a reason for every season of desire
[Bridge]
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we start
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we are
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we start
Half in light and half in dark
Is where we are
We are one beating heart x4
@irenemesias1686
Who else sees The Midnight as a beautiful escape from reality? Everything seems better with this music... (:
@josephbaez1327
I'm with you 😊🎶🎵
@green1982
This sums up the Midnight. A nostalgic escape from reality.
@WolfmansGotNards
Absolutely. Close your eyes and enjoy. Or even better, go out at night, lay down and stare at the stars while listening. It's just magical.
@vitorsouza361
Com certeza.. e é tão dificil achar pessoas que gostam ou conhecem..
@waltercantopher1969
Totally agree with you there.. just transports you to another dimension
@pradeeprajana7146
Midnight is that one musical thing, most people keep searching forever.
@rvssoumya4961
I am glad Indians are finding this kind of music
@jtrizzle2000
@@rvssoumya4961 Everyone can benefit from The Midnight. It's such soulful music, it appeals to all of humanity.
@indah8752
aspecially me