It's Midnight

"It's Midnight" is a 1974 song recorded by Elvis Presley. It was written by Jerry Chesnut and Billy Edd Wheeler.^[1]

"It's Midnight"
Single by Elvis Presley
from the album Promised Land
A-side	"It's Midnight"
B-side	"Promised Land"
Released	September 27, 1974
Recorded	December 10, 1973
Studio	Stax Studios, Memphis
Genre	Country
Length	3:20
Label	RCA Victor
Songwriter(s)	Billy Edd Wheeler and Jerry Chesnut
Producer(s)	Felton Jarvis
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"If You Talk in Your Sleep" / "Help Me" (1974) "It's Midnight" / "Promised Land" (1974) "My Boy" / "Thinking About You" (1975)

Recording

Elvis Presley recorded it during his December 10–16, 1973, recording sessions at Stax Records in Memphis.^[2][3] The session produced three more charting songs: "Promised Land", "If You Talk in Your Sleep" and "Help Me".

Release history

The song was first released in October 1974 as a B-side to a cover of Chuck Berry's "Promised Land".^[2][4] (While the Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records indicates "Promised Land" as the A-side,^[5] different pressings have "It's Midnight" as the A-side and "Promised Land" as a B-side and vice versa.)^[6]

Reception

"Promised Land" rose to number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100,^[2] while the two sides together (as "It's Midnight / Promised Land") and "It's Midnight" on its own charted on the Hot Country Singles chart.^[2] "It's Midnight" peaked on it at number 9 in January 1975.^[4][7]

Critical reception

Billboard in its review of the album Promised Land (in the January 18, 1975 issue) picked "It's Midnight" as one of the best cuts on the album.

Charts

Chart (1974–1975)	Peak position
US Billboard Easy Listening[8]	8*
US Billboard Hot Country Singles[4][7]	14* / 9**

^* as "It's Midnight / Promised Land"

^** as "It's Midnight"

References

1. Alanna Nash (1 February 2012). Elvis and the Memphis Mafia. Aurum Press. pp. 272–. ISBN 978-1-84513-759-5.
2. Rob Bowman (1997). Soulsville, U.S.A.: The Story of Stax Records. Music Sales Group. pp. 305–. ISBN 978-0-8256-7284-2.
3. Kevin Crouch; Tanja Crouch (9 April 2012). The Gospel According To Elvis. Music Sales Group. pp. 223–. ISBN 978-0-85712-758-7.
4. Maury Dean (2003). Rock and Roll. Algora Publishing. pp. 323–. ISBN 978-0-87586-207-1.
5. Martin Popoff (5 August 2010). Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records 1948–1991. Krause Publications. pp. 940–. ISBN 978-1-4402-1621-3.^{[permanent dead link]}
6. "Elvis Presley - It's Midnight / Promised Land at Discogs". Discogs. 1974.
7. "Elvis Presley - Chart history (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
   "Elvis Presley - Chart history (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
8. "Elvis Presley - Chart history (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-12-16.