Midnight Madness (album)

Last updated
Midnight Madness
Midnightranger.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 1983 (1983-10)
Recorded1983
StudioImage Recording (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length38:56
Label MCA
Producer Pat Glasser
Night Ranger chronology
Dawn Patrol
(1982)
Midnight Madness
(1983)
7 Wishes
(1985)
Singles from Midnight Madness
  1. "(You Can Still) Rock in America"
    Released: November 1983 [3]
  2. "Sister Christian"
    Released: March 1984
  3. "When You Close Your Eyes"
    Released: July 1984
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Classic Rock Essential [5]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal 7/10 [6]

Midnight Madness is the second studio album by American rock band Night Ranger, released in October 1983 by MCA Records. The album produced three charting singles and contains the band's best known hit, "Sister Christian". It remains their highest selling album at over a million copies sold in the US. [7]

Contents

Singles

The first single/video, "(You Can Still) Rock in America" peaked at number 51 in early 1984 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart [8] and also reached number 15 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "Sister Christian" peaked at number 5 on Billboard's Hot 100 [8] and was one of the most played videos of 1984. The song also has been featured in several films including Boogie Nights and Rock of Ages among others. "When You Close Your Eyes" was the third single/video and reached number 14 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and number 7 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart. [8] The 1984 CD release contains a slightly different recording of the track. "Rumours in the Air" also charted on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart peaking at number 26 in the spring of 1984. [8]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."(You Can Still) Rock in America" Jack Blades, Brad Gillis 4:16
2."Rumours in the Air"Blades4:33
3."Why Does Love Have to Change"Blades3:49
4."Sister Christian" Kelly Keagy 5:03
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Touch of Madness"Blades5:01
2."Passion Play"Blades4:43
3."When You Close Your Eyes"Blades, Alan Fitzgerald, Gillis4:19
4."Chippin' Away"Blades, Gillis4:13
5."Let Him Run"Blades, Keagy, Jeff Watson 3:29

Personnel

Night Ranger
Additional musicians
Production

Charts

Chart (1984)Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [9] 24
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [10] 58
US Billboard 200 [11] 15

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [12] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA) [13] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Escape</i> (Journey album) 1981 studio album by Journey

Escape is the seventh studio album by American rock band Journey, released on July 17, 1981 by Columbia Records. It topped the American Billboard 200 chart and features four hit Billboard Hot 100 singles – "Don't Stop Believin'", "Who's Crying Now", "Still They Ride" and "Open Arms" – plus rock radio staple "Stone in Love". In July 2021, it was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) for at least ten million sales in the US, making it the band's most successful studio album and second most successful album overall behind Greatest Hits.

<i>4</i> (Foreigner album) 1981 studio album by Foreigner

4, also known as Foreigner 4, is the fourth studio album by the British-American rock band Foreigner, released on July 3, 1981 on Atlantic Records. Several singles from the album were hits, including "Urgent", "Waiting for a Girl Like You" and "Juke Box Hero".

<i>Into the Fire</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Bryan Adams

Into the Fire is the fifth studio album by the Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams. It was co-written by Jim Vallance. It was released on 30 March 1987 by A&M Records as the follow-up album to the chart-topping Reckless (1984). Into the Fire peaked at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart and reached the Top 10 in several other nations. Six singles were released from the album: "Heat of the Night", "Hearts on Fire", "Victim of Love", "Only the Strong Survive", "Into the Fire" and "Another Day".

<i>Heartbeat City</i> 1984 studio album by the Cars

Heartbeat City is the fifth studio album by American new wave band the Cars, released on March 13, 1984, by Elektra Records. This marks the band's first album not produced by long-time producer Roy Thomas Baker, instead opting to produce with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Considered a "comeback" album for the Cars, Heartbeat City represented a return to the success of the band's self-titled debut album.

<i>Leftoverture</i> 1976 studio album by Kansas

Leftoverture is the fourth studio album by American rock band Kansas, released in 1976. The album was reissued in remastered format on CD in 2001. It was the band's first album to be certified by the RIAA, and remains their highest selling album, having been certified 5 times platinum in the United States.

<i>Head Games</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Foreigner

Head Games is the third studio album by the British-American rock band Foreigner, released on 11 September 1979 by Atlantic Records. Recorded at Atlantic Studios in New York, with additional recording and whole mixing taking place at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, it was the only Foreigner album co-produced by Roy Thomas Baker, best known for working on Queen's classic albums. It marked the first appearance of new bass guitarist Rick Wills who replaced Ed Gagliardi, and was the last album with founding members Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood, who would leave the band after the recording. Head Games is also the last Foreigner album to feature a lead vocal by guitarist Mick Jones.

<i>Under Lock and Key</i> 1985 studio album by Dokken

Under Lock and Key is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Dokken, released on November 22, 1985, through Elektra Records. The album reached No. 32 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for 67 weeks. Two singles also charted: "The Hunter" and "In My Dreams", both reaching No. 25 and 24 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock respectively, with "In My Dreams" at No. 77 on the Billboard Hot 100. Under Lock and Key was certified Gold on March 4, 1986, and Platinum on April 14, 1987.

<i>Reckless</i> (Bryan Adams album) 1984 studio album by Bryan Adams

Reckless is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, released by A&M Records on 5 November 1984 to coincide with Adams' 25th birthday. Like its predecessor Cuts Like a Knife, the album was entirely produced by Adams and Bob Clearmountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda (Boston song)</span> 1986 single by Boston

"Amanda" is a power ballad by American rock band Boston written by Tom Scholz. The song was released as the first single from the band's third album, Third Stage, in 1986, six years after it was recorded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janie's Got a Gun</span> 1989 single by Aerosmith

"Janie's Got a Gun" is a song by American rock band Aerosmith and written by Steven Tyler and Tom Hamilton. The song was released as the second single from Pump in 1989, peaking at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in 1990. In Australia, the song reached number one, becoming Aerosmith's first of two number-one singles there. It also reached number two in Canada, number 12 in Sweden, and number 13 in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love in an Elevator</span> 1989 single by Aerosmith

"Love in an Elevator" is a song performed by American rock band Aerosmith, written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It was released in August 1989 as the lead single from their third album with Geffen Records, Pump, released in September. It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The RIAA certified it gold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sister Christian</span> 1984 single by Night Ranger

"Sister Christian" is a song by the American hard rock band Night Ranger. A power ballad, it was released in March 1984 as the second single from their album Midnight Madness. It was ranked No. 32 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 1980s. It was written and sung by the band's drummer, Kelly Keagy, for his sister. It was the band's biggest hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and staying on the charts for 24 weeks. It also reached No. 1 in Canada. The song is used in several films, including Boogie Nights (1997), Superstar (1999), Friday the 13th (2009) and Ben Affleck's 2023 film Air (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waiting for a Girl Like You</span> 1981 single by Foreigner

"Waiting for a Girl Like You" is a 1981 power ballad by the British-American rock band Foreigner released as the second single from the album 4 (1981) and was co-written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones. The opening motif was written by Ian McDonald and the distinctive synthesizer theme was performed by the then-little-known Thomas Dolby.

<i>Dont Say No</i> (Billy Squier album) 1981 studio album by Billy Squier

Don't Say No is the second studio album by Billy Squier, released on April 13, 1981. It stands as Squier's biggest career album, including the hits "Lonely Is the Night", "In the Dark", "My Kinda Lover" and "The Stroke". The album hit the Top Five on the Billboard album chart and remained on the chart for over two years.

<i>Dawn Patrol</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Night Ranger

Dawn Patrol is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Night Ranger, released in November 1982 by Neil Bogart's The Boardwalk Entertainment Co. The cover art of the album features dishes of the Very Large Array in central New Mexico.

<i>7 Wishes</i> (Night Ranger album) 1985 studio album by Night Ranger

7 Wishes is the third studio album by the American hard rock band Night Ranger, released in 1985 and produced by Pat Glasser. The album features three Billboard Hot 100 chart hits: "Sentimental Street" reached No. 8, "Four in the Morning" No. 19 and "Goodbye" No. 17.

<i>Big Life</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Night Ranger

Big Life is the fourth studio album by Night Ranger, released in March 1987. It featured the single "The Secret of My Success", which was written for the 1987 film of the same name starring Michael J. Fox. The single flopped, stalling outside the Top 40, peaking at No. 64. It was a top twenty hit on the Mainstream Rock Chart though, hitting number 12, and was one of the most played videos in the spring of 1987 on MTV. "Hearts Away" was the second single/video and peaked at No. 90 on the Hot 100 chart. The third single/video, "Color of Your Smile" failed to chart in the U.S. at all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two Steps Behind</span> 1993 single by Def Leppard

"Two Steps Behind" is a song by English hard rock band Def Leppard from their 1993 compilation album Retro Active and the soundtrack to the film Last Action Hero. It reached number five on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, numbers 12 and 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, and number 32 on the UK Singles Chart. The music video was directed by Wayne Isham. In the 1993 Metal Edge Readers' Choice Awards, the song was voted "Song of the Year" and "Best Song from a Movie Soundtrack".

"(You Can Still) Rock in America" is a song written by Jack Blades and Brad Gillis, and the first single released from Night Ranger's 1983 album Midnight Madness. Former Deep Purple and Black Sabbath singer Glenn Hughes contribute backing vocals on the song.

"When You Close Your Eyes" is a song by American rock band Night Ranger from their 1983 album Midnight Madness.

References

  1. Corsi, Luca (April 20, 2008). "Recensione: Midnight Madness". TrueMetal (in Italian). Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  2. Elliott, Paul (December 16, 2023). ""When the Boogie Nights scene came on, I said, 'Man, I think I've been in that guy's house in the early 80s!'": the rise, fall and porn-assisted resurrection of AOR heroes Night Ranger". Classic Rock . Retrieved December 27, 2023. They cut three of the greatest AOR albums of that era: Dawn Patrol, Midnight Madness and 7 Wishes.
  3. "Night Ranger singles".
  4. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Night Ranger - Midnight Madness". AllMusic . All Media Network . Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  5. Elliott, Paul (February 20, 2015). "Buyer's Guide: Night Ranger". Classic Rock . Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  6. Popoff, Martin (November 1, 2005). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 2: The Eighties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 243. ISBN   978-1894959315.
  7. "RIAA Database: Search for Night Ranger". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Night Ranger Chart History". Billboard . Eldridge Industries . Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  9. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6817". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  10. "Offiziellecharts.de – Night Ranger – Midnight Madness" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  11. "Night Ranger Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  12. "Canadian album certifications – Night Ranger – Midnight Madness". Music Canada.
  13. "American album certifications – Night Ranger – Midnight Madness". Recording Industry Association of America.

Further reading