Why I Love the Song: The Nightshift

"Nightshift" by The Commodores was written for Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson who both died in 1984 in their forties. Gaye was shot by his father in an argument, and Wilson had a heart attack and was in a coma for 9 years, then died.

I grew up on this song (it was on the radio and my mother probably owned it), but it was only a year or so ago that I heard it in the background at a restaurant and thought to go home and buy it that night. (iTuuuuunes!) I love it more and more, in part because I've reached the point in my life where I'm getting into classic soul artists. (I add on an appreciation for an older artist, or genre, every year. I'm saving contemporary jazz for when I'm 80.)

The music and the singing on "Nightshift" are both beautiful--I love the churchy feeling of reverence. But lyrically, the song is genius. Four minutes without a single cheap rhyme* or filler line:

In the first verse he...
- works in Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" ("I can still hear him say: Talk to me so you can see what's going on")
- pays tribute to the content and social impact of Gaye's songs ("he opened up our minds") as well as his delivery ("his heart in every line")
- and by using their names, the song takes on this really intimate feeling... you're being given a glimpse into the heart and mind of the person writing the song, of how he felt when these two greats died young within the same year. It's a bit like listening in on a prayer.

Marvin, he was a friend of mine
And he could sing a song
His heart in every line
Marvin sang of the joy and pain
He opened up our minds
And I still can hear him say
Aw talk to me so you can see
What's going on
Say you will sing your songs
Forevermore (evermore)

In the second verse he...
- works in two of Jackie's songs ("Work It Out" and "Higher and Higher")
- switches to second person, which now moves the song to an even more intimate level
- refers to his electric on stage style which influenced so many artists and drove the crowds wild ("you set the world on fire")
- and has one of the most beautiful, tender, perfect lines: "you came and gifted us"

Jackie (Jackie), hey what you doing now
It seems like yesterday
When we were working out
Jackie (Jackie, oh) you set
The world on fire
You came and gifted us
Your love it lifted us
Higher and higher
Keep it up and
We'll be there
At your side
Oh say you will sing
Your songs forevermore (evermore)

And then the chorus with its great image of death as being the night shift, and of these great artists still existing somewhere, "pulling crowds" and entertaining people. And considering how much influence they've had in music (see the Jacksons movie clip below) it's pretty accurate to say that they're still alive. Just look at Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology)" - how many songs are that perfectly relevant after 39 years? And as far as I know, soul singers didn't sing about trees dying back then--folk singers did that.

Gonna be some sweet sounds
Coming down on the nightshift
I bet you're singing proud
Oh I bet you'll pull a crowd
Gonna be a long night
It's gonna be all right
On the nightshift
Oh you found another home
I know you're not alone
On the nightshift

In the repeat of the chorus, at the end, he then plays on the "night shift" metaphor: "at the end of a long day, it's gonna be okay" -- which I take both as a reference to the role of music in our lives, when things suck; or it's addressing the grief of losing someone.

Gonna miss your sweet voice
That soulful voice
On the nightshift
We all remember you
Ooh the songs are coming through
At the end of a long day
It's gonna be okay
On the nightshift
You found another home
I know you're not alone
On the nightshift

"What's Going On"


"Mercy Mercy Me"


"Sexual Healing" What awesome music, it would sound sexy even if there were no lyrics (though hear the gals scream at the first "baby.") Everytime I listen to the Ben Harper version I too think I'm capsizing. (And then I get up and dance! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!) And for those of you who prefer girls. And if you're Swis and your last name starts with B: this version. And if you're my dad: this version. And if you're in a uke band. So versatile.


Movie version of little Michael Jackson being inspired by Jackie Wilson's "Work It Out". (That's a great mini-series by the way. Joe Jackson is played by Freddie Boom-Boom Washington!)


Jackie Wilson "Higher and Higher" - look how effortlessly this guy sings and dances. You can see why they called him Mr Excitement. (I love the Otis Redding version too.)


And the first Jackie song I knew. She's sooooo fine. ("Reet Petite")


* I love Bruce Springsteen's "Fire" but it is a lyrical mess. But that's for another post.

cats in the hood

This is Sherry's personal basket, next to my bed. It's just filled with blankets and such for him to stretch out on. He's so cute. Look at him! Look!!

Here's me stretched out with the laptop, and the Demon Monkey demanding attention.

new sade

I'm sampling the new Sade album, because the first single is gorgeous. But I didn't post the actual video cause it detracts from the music. There's some serious cheese, and the dancers are out of sync with each other, which is annoying. (Now that we've all watched America's Best Dance Crew, we have Standards right?) Look at the above picture--see how their arms are all at a different position? Tsk tsk tsk.

Songs We're Sick Of: Summer of '69

Swissgirl's choice. While I'm not sick of it, I have to admit I liked it much better in the 80s, and probably did hear it too much to want to listen to it now.

Gotta love the fruit-throwing Rebellious Behaviour! And the oh so funny Cops Slip on Fruit! And Brian... he's so little!


Does this version help at all? It gets better halfway through when the guy switches to Hindi!