Midnight Music

[nrgbeat]

Were there two versions of "Midnight Music"?

Sfbeary identified a version by Martin Stevens. I only remember a version by Stevie B or so I thought.

If there were two versions, which came out first?

[NickNack]

I think they're both 1979 so I'm not sure.

[sfbeary]

i can verify that there were two versions - i have them both!

the Martin Stevens version was issued by the Canadian wing of Columbia Records in 1979. the songwriting credits are "Stevie Bi." "Producer: PRODUCTIONS MICHEL DAIGLE LTEE" (the first E in LTEE takes an accent)

the Stevie B version was issued by Ariola in Germany, but doesn't list a date. the songwriting credits are also "Stevie Bi." "Produced by Stevie B. and Harald Steinhauer. Arranged by Stefan Klinkhammer And Stevie B Mixed By Dave Siddle"

although the arrangements are similar, the differences are most obvious in the vocals and the tempo. the Stevie B. version is slower and has a high falsetto vocal. the Martin Stevens version is faster and has a lower register vocal.

it's the Martin Stevens version that's featured on the 1983 Black Party audio clips. in fact, the DJ has taken that version, and has done some tricky tape edits with it that he wouldn't be able to execute with just two copies of the disc.

i can't tell you which one came first, but i would guess it was Stevie B. - Martin Stevens also had a cover version of "Love Is In the Air" right around the same time as John Paul Young, who i'm pretty sure was first in most places of the world, but Stevens had the hit with it in Canada, where radio favors Canadian artists.