Round About Midnight
The Thelonious Monk Quintet Lyrics


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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

The Thelonious Monk Quintet's song 'Round Midnight is a heart-wrenching, haunting ballad that delves into the dark nights of the soul, where painful memories and heartbreak torment an individual in the wee hours of the night. The song starts with the singer confessing that after sundown and during suppertime, he starts feeling sad, but it's around midnight when it truly gets terrible. The mention of the time 'midnight' symbolizes the melancholic hour when one examines their life and soul and confronts their demons. The lyrics continue with how memories and unhealed wounds begin to surface around midnight, reminding the singer of his lost love. The night, in contrast with day, illuminates the things that were once hidden, and now the singer can't help but think of his former lover. He admits that he's still in love with his former partner and midnight knows his heart's secrets. The lyrics question the state of their relationship and whether their love will ever be the same since they've quarreled. Finally, the singer concludes his plea to his former lover to return, and the song ends on a melancholic note.


Line by Line Meaning

It begins to tell
The story starts


'Round midnight, midnight
Late at night when everything is quiet


I do pretty well, till after sundown
I manage fine until the day is done


Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
At dinner, I'm feeling down


But it really gets bad
But it gets worse than that


'Round midnight
Late at night when everything is quiet


Memories always start 'round midnight
Memories of you always come back to me late at night


Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
I can't bear those memories in my heart


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


And ol' midnight knows it, too
Late at night, my heart knows it


When a quarrel we had needs mending
When we need to fix an argument we had


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


Darlin' I need you, lately I find
My love, I'm in need of you lately and I realize


You're out of my heart
You're no longer in my heart


And I'm out of my mind
And I'm losing my mind


Let our hearts take wings'
Let our hearts fly away


'Round midnight, midnight
Late at night when everything is quiet


Let the angels sing
Let the angels sing our love song


For your returning
As we wait for your return


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


And old midnight comes around
And when late at night comes again


Feelin' sad
Feeling down


Really gets bad
It gets even worse


Round, Round, Round Midnight
Late at night when everything is quiet




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cootie Williams, Bernard D Hanighen, Theolonious S Monk

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@johnsadberry4864

Paris 1964. I'm a 2nd Lt hanging out with my E4 friend from Detroit. It's about 4 am and we are hungry for soul food and hopefully some late live music. So we go to Buttercup's, a joint still run by But Powell's widow. We order greens, pig feet and cornbread with vin ordinaire to wash it down. Suddenly we heard this piano that could only be the one and only Monk. He had finished his meal and got busy. He took us non stop until well into daybreak. Precious memory now that I'm in my late 70's.

@juanrodriguezvictor292

memories make our life beautiful or full of hate or ugliness beautiful it helps to live our life to the fullest of the good under any circumstance and we can live like lucky so and so's

@room2506

I like your story John

@haroldwalton932

really great story....music can take you anywhere...long may it be that way for you

@ElenaCiampaMusic

Incredible! That might be the best memory/scene I’ve heard about all year!

@daltonneilan5651

Wow! Amazing!

58 More Replies...

@erikpryor74

I’m 56 yrs old. Meaning I was born in 1965.
I am with Monk every day.Only God knows this connection. No one else in my family has ever introduced to this music but my 2 children listen to Monk with me Daily. I’d just like the world to know that I’m a better man for ingesting this in my soul. Thank you Monk. Thank you.

@maxstenner9543

Loved your comment

@mariamartin8516

Beautiful comment. I feel the same. The world is a better place thanks to music like this.

@kevinwhite1772

So I was just sitting here on a Sunday morning. I read a few Psalms and "Round Midnight " came into my mind. I am so glad a Universe that created this guy still has regard for me. Now off to church with my family.

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