In September 1976, singer/bassist John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford, alumni of King Crimson, worked on forming a band with Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman. The project was stopped by Wakeman’s label. According to Bruford, “A&M Records were unwilling to let their ‘star,’ Wakeman, walk off with a used, slightly soiled King Crimson rhythm section, and the idea failed.”
Determined to work together, Bruford and Wetton next asked guitarist Robert Fripp to reform King Crimson which Fripp had disbanded in 1974. When Fripp declined, Bruford and Wetton decided that each would bring in a musician of his choice to formulate a band. Wetton brought in keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson, whom Wetton knew from his work with Roxy Music in 1976 – “stealing” him from Frank Zappa. Bruford recruited guitarist Allan Holdsworth (formerly of Soft Machine and Gong) who had played guitar on Bruford’s 1977 debut solo album, Feels Good to Me.
U.K. released their self-titled début album in 1978 and followed it with a supporting tour.
Following two lengthy American tours (June-October 1978), first Holdsworth and then Bruford departed U.K. over musical differences, going on to form the jazz rock fusion group Bruford. After the departure of Bruford and Holdsworth, U.K. didn’t bring in another guitarist. Drummer Terry Bozzio (another one-time Frank Zappa band member) joined Wetton and Jobson, and as a result U.K. became a trio with a progressive rock lineup of keyboards/bass/drums (albeit supplemented by Jobson’s violin). The trio recorded the album Danger Money, released in March 1979, and spent much of that year touring North America as opening act for Jethro Tull. A live album, Night After Night, was recorded in Japan that Spring and released in September. Following a final European tour in December 1979, and in spite of plans to record a new studio album in America in March 1980, U.K. disbanded. The reason for this was Jobson’s and Wetton’s different ideas on how the band should have gone on. Jobson wanted UK to go on with more long instrumental pieces, while Wetton thought that performing shorter songs was a better idea. Jobson stated that one song in particular was the reason of the band to disband: “When Will You Realise?”, a non-LP B-side (to date still unavailable on CD) featured on the “Night After Night” single, which Wetton would re-record (with slightly different lyrics) in 1980 on his solo album Caught In The Crossfire.
Throughout their brief existence, U.K.’s music was characterised by skilled musicianship, jazzy harmonies, close harmony vocals, use of odd time signatures (like 7/4 on the song “In the Dead of Night”), electric violin solos, and unusually varied synthesiser (Yamaha CS-80) sonorities.
Night After Night
U.K. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Traffic lines turning to stone
I'm driving myself half crazy
I wish i were headed for home
Say girl when we're not together
I feel like i'm losing my mind
Night after night
I look in the eyes of a stranger
Reminding myself of the past
Yesterday is what i will leave it
The future is moving too fast
Say girl when we're not together
I feel like i'm losing my mind
Night after night
It's the same lousy fight
And i know it ain't right that
It's night after night
I see the red lights on the runway
The jet is moving too fast
I hear the last roar of the engine
And beautiful silence at last
Think of the distance between us
All of the words left unsaid
Night after night
It's the same lousy fight
And i know it ain't right that
It's night after night
Think of the distance between us
All of the words left unsaid
Night after night
It's the same lousy fight
And i know it ain't right that
It's night after night
The song "Night After Night" by U.K is a lyrical depiction of the internal turmoil experienced by a person who is struggling with the pain of a separation from a loved one. The lyrics start by setting the ambiance of the gloomy setting of a freeway with the darkness descending and the traffic becoming still like a stone. The singer's mind is filled with thoughts of their loved one, and they wish they were headed home but have no choice but to continue driving. The singer confesses that being away from their loved one makes them feel they are losing their mind.
The verse then moves on to the singer's attempt to forget their troubles by adopting a nonchalant attitude towards their memories. They remind themselves of the past by looking into the eyes of a stranger, but they understand that yesterday is history and the future is moving too fast. Yet, the singer cannot help but feel that there is something missing in their life. They again confess that being away from their loved one makes them feel they are losing their mind. The chorus reinforces the agony of the fights and the same fight night after night.
The song's climax is when the singer sees the red lights on the runway, signifying an ending or a departure. The jet moves too fast, and the last roar of the engine echoes into silence. The singer thinks of the distance between themself and their loved one and the words still left unsaid. The song ends with the chorus's repetition, emphasizing the singer's anguish and the fights they have been continually experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
Darkness descends on the freeway
The night creates a sense of uncertainty and foreboding on the road
Traffic lines turning to stone
The stillness of the traffic adds to the eerie feeling of the night
I'm driving myself half crazy
The singer's feelings of being lost and alone in the night are causing major distress
I wish i were headed for home
The comfort of home and the familiar surroundings would allay the artist's fears
Say girl when we're not together
The artist knows that the girl is the only one who can offer solace and support
I feel like i'm losing my mind
The singer's thoughts are overpowered by fear and anxiety, and it's hard to stay sane in such a situation
I look in the eyes of a stranger
The singer is trying to find something familiar in a world that has become strange and hostile
Reminding myself of the past
The past seems like a safer option as the present is too volatile
Yesterday is what i will leave it
The past should also be left behind and not become a crutch for present-day problems
The future is moving too fast
The constant change is overwhelming and the future seems unreachable
It's the same lousy fight
Every night feels like a battle that cannot be won
And i know it ain't right that
The artist feels that this situation is unfair but cannot escape it
I see the red lights on the runway
The airplane's lights remind the singer that escape is possible and things can change
The jet is moving too fast
The potential for change is overwhelming and almost too much to bear
I hear the last roar of the engine
Even the last sound of the airplane is a reminder that it's possible to leave everything behind
And beautiful silence at last
The peace that comes after the constant noise and chaos is beautiful and calming
Think of the distance between us
The artist is separated from the girl and it feels like an insurmountable gap
All of the words left unsaid
The singer regrets not having expressed their feelings and fears to the girl before the distance became too great
Contributed by Evan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@pockmonters
Here are the time stamps:
Night After Night: (0:00)
Danger Money: (5:09)
The Only Thing She Needs: (13:17)
Nothing To Lose: (22:31)
Bass Solo: (27:43)
Thirty Years: (32:54)
Carrying No Cross: (39:14)
Rendezvous 602: (52:41)
As Long As You Want Me Here: (58:13)
Alaska: (1:03:19)
Time To Kill: (1:07:37)
Violin Solo: (1:11:58)
Time To Kill - Reprise: (1:16:29)
By The Light Of Day: (1:18:50)
Presto Vivace: (1:20:24)
Drum Solo: (1:21:31)
In The Dead Of Night: (1:25:17)
Caesar’s Palace Blues: (1:31:38)
@pockmonters
Here are the time stamps:
Night After Night: (0:00)
Danger Money: (5:09)
The Only Thing She Needs: (13:17)
Nothing To Lose: (22:31)
Bass Solo: (27:43)
Thirty Years: (32:54)
Carrying No Cross: (39:14)
Rendezvous 602: (52:41)
As Long As You Want Me Here: (58:13)
Alaska: (1:03:19)
Time To Kill: (1:07:37)
Violin Solo: (1:11:58)
Time To Kill - Reprise: (1:16:29)
By The Light Of Day: (1:18:50)
Presto Vivace: (1:20:24)
Drum Solo: (1:21:31)
In The Dead Of Night: (1:25:17)
Caesar’s Palace Blues: (1:31:38)
@SLAYERSWINE1
Wow. This must have been an extended version released later. First time hearing this set. Thanks.
@howdydoody6312
What Rareities do you have coming up with Elp and more
Jobson, Wetton, Bozzio UK ?
@howdydoody6312
This one's FANTASTIC !
@bennylai3425
How can I download this to my laptop?
@cbureriu
can't believe it was in the 70s
so ahead of their time
still ahead of our time
@gilbertostler4480
John Wetton had such an awesome rock voice ... died too soon ... RIP John
@genscolberg6557
I think most people found out about John with his success with the band Asia but he was great all the way back to UK and King Crimson
@DarkDruid7
I'm a millennial but I got to see him with the band in 2012. The band was about to wrap up cause John wasn't feeling too hot, but then they hit with The Only Thing She Needs. Feel bad that the audience (including me) pushed John to do the encore but it was quite a show regardless.
@Keithlfpieterse
gilbert ostler: Most people die too soon! Respect to the downtrodden...the majority!