The Midnight Oil
Encyclopedia
The Midnight Oil is the name of the third studio album released by American country singer, Barbara Mandrell
released in 1973.
Mandrell had not released a solo studio album since 1971. It was her most successful album while under her Columbia label. This album brought Mandrell into riskier territory, especially with the title track, "The Midnight Oil" which discussed how a woman was cheating on her husband because when she comes home she still had the midnight oil all over her. The album spawned five Top 40 Country hits, "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" (#10), "Show Me" (#11), "Holdin' On (To the Love I Got)" (#27), "Give a Little, Take a Little" (#24), and the title track (#7). This album brought Mandrell's first pair of solo Top 10 hits on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The album consisted of 11 tracks, some of which were cover versions including Tanya Tucker
's "Jamestown Ferry", Martha Carson
's "Satisfied" and the George Jones
and Tammy Wynette
hit, "We're Gonna Hold On". The album peaked at #8 on the Top Country Albums chart in 1974.
Singles – Billboard (North America)
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
released in 1973.
Mandrell had not released a solo studio album since 1971. It was her most successful album while under her Columbia label. This album brought Mandrell into riskier territory, especially with the title track, "The Midnight Oil" which discussed how a woman was cheating on her husband because when she comes home she still had the midnight oil all over her. The album spawned five Top 40 Country hits, "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" (#10), "Show Me" (#11), "Holdin' On (To the Love I Got)" (#27), "Give a Little, Take a Little" (#24), and the title track (#7). This album brought Mandrell's first pair of solo Top 10 hits on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The album consisted of 11 tracks, some of which were cover versions including Tanya Tucker
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13...
's "Jamestown Ferry", Martha Carson
Martha Carson
Martha Carson , born Irene Amburgey, was an American gospel-country music singer most popular during the 1950s.-Early life and rise to fame:Ambergay was born in Neon, Kentucky...
's "Satisfied" and the George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
and Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
hit, "We're Gonna Hold On". The album peaked at #8 on the Top Country Albums chart in 1974.
Track listing
- "The Midnight Oil" - (Joseph Allen)
- "Give a Little, Take a Little" - (Michael Kossler, Steve Pippin)
- "Jamestown Ferry" - (Bobby Borchers, Mack VickeryMack VickeryMack Vickery was a musician, songwriter, and inductee in the Hillbilly Hall of Fame whose songs have been recorded by artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, George Strait, and George Jones....
) - "Show Me" - (Joe TexJoe TexJoseph Arrington, Jr. , better known as "Joe Tex", was an American Southern soul singer-songwriter, most popular during the 1960s and 1970s...
) - "In the Name of Love" - (Earl Montgomery, Carmol Taylor)
- "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" - (Billy SherrillBilly SherrillBilly Sherrill is a record producer and arranger who is most famous for his association with a number of country artists, most notably Tammy Wynette...
, Glenn Sutton) - "Ain't It Good" - (Weller)
- "Satisfied" - (Martha CarsonMartha CarsonMartha Carson , born Irene Amburgey, was an American gospel-country music singer most popular during the 1950s.-Early life and rise to fame:Ambergay was born in Neon, Kentucky...
) - "Holdin' On (To the Love I Got)" - (C. Taylor, Norris Wilson, Tammy WynetteTammy WynetteVirginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
) - "Smile, Somebody Loves You" - (Austin)
- "We're Gonna Hold On" - (George JonesGeorge JonesGeorge Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
, Earl Montgomery)
Charts
Album – Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Top Country Albums | #8 |
| 1974 | The Billboard 200 | #N/A |
Singles – Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" | Hot Country Singles & Tracks | #10 |
| 1972 | "Show Me" | Hot Country Singles & Tracks | #11 |
| 1972 | "Holdin' On (To the Love I Got)" | Hot Country Singles & Tracks | #27 |
| 1973 | "Give a Little, Take a Little" | Hot Country Singles & Tracks | #24 |
| 1973 | "The Midnight Oil" | Hot Country Singles & Tracks | #7 |