walking after midnight

Patsy Cline had her big break with the lonely lovelorn locomotion of this country crossover classic.  Alan Block and Donn Hecht originally wrote 'Walkin' After Midnight' for Kay Starr; but her label was not interested in the song.  Years later Hecht brought the song to Four Star Records owner Bill McCall who made a deal with Patsy Cline to record the song.  She originally didn't want to do it; but agreed if she could also record 'A Poor Man's Roses (Or a Rich Man's Gold)'.  Both songs were recorded at the Bradley Film and Recording Studios and produced by Paul Cohen in November of 1956.  The session included Harold Bradley on acoustic guitar; Owen Bradley on piano; Patsy Cline on lead vocals; Farris Coursey on drums; Don Helms on steel guitar; Tommy Jackson on fiddle; Grady Martin on electric guitar; and Bob Moore on acoustic bass.

In January of 1957, Cline performed the song for 'Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts' on CBS television.  The audience response was so great that the applause meter malfunctioned.  Cline took first place in the competition, which led to 'Walkin' After Midnight' being released as a single in February.   It eventually went to number two on the country chart and number twelve on the pop chart.  It sold over one million copies and has become one of the most enduring songs in country music history.   The single became the centerpiece of her eponymous debut in August; but she had trouble repeating its success.  It was her only chart single until 'I Fall to Pieces' in 1961.  







http://www.patsycline.com/















I go out walking after midnight 
Out in the moonlight just like we used to do 
I'm always walking after midnight searching for you 
I walk for miles along the highway 
Well that's just my way of saying I love you 
I'm always walking after midnight searching for you 
I stopped to see a weeping willow 
Crying on his pillow 
Maybe he's crying for me 
And as the skies turn gloomy 
Night winds whisper to me I'm lonesome as I can be 
I go out walking after midnight out in the starlight 
Just hoping you may be 
Somewhere out walking after midnight searching for me 
I stopped to see a weeping willow 
Crying on his pillow 
Maybe he's crying for me 
And as the skies turn gloomy 
Night winds whisper to me I'm lonesome as I can be 
I go walking after midnight out in the starlight 
Just hoping you may be 
Somewhere out walking after midnight searching for me