Midnight at the Oasis

"Midnight at the Oasis"
Single by The Brand New Heavies
from the album Brother Sister
Released	August 1994
Recorded	March 1994
Genre	Acid jazz–Funk
Label	FFRR, Delicious Vinyl
Songwriter(s)	David Nichtern
The Brand New Heavies singles chronology

"Midnight at the Oasis"
Single by Maria Muldaur
from the album Maria Muldaur
B-side	"Any Old Time"
Released	February 1974
Recorded	1973
Genre	Soft rock[1]
Length	3:49
Label	Reprise
Songwriter(s)	David Nichtern
Producer(s)	Lenny Waronker, Joe Boyd

"Midnight at the Oasis" is a 1973 song written by David Nichtern. It was recorded by the singer Maria Muldaur for her self-titled album and is her best-known recording; it peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #21 in the UK Singles Chart in the spring of 1974. Billboard ranked it as the No. 13 song for 1974.[2] It was also nominated for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards, held in 1975. In Canada, the song reached #2 in the RPM magazine singles charts and #45 in the year-end chart.

Description

The song is a saucy, teasing offer of a desert love affair, in a fantasy setting that owes more to Rudolph Valentino sheik movies than to real Middle Eastern deserts. AllMusic reviewer Matthew Greenwald describes the song as "so sensual and evocative that it was probably one of the most replayed records of the era and may be responsible for the most pregnancies from a record during the mid-'70s".[3] Some of the lyrics are doubtlessly suggestive (such as: "let's slip off to a sand dune ... and kick up a little dust"; "you won't need no camel ... when I take you for a ride"; "cactus is our friend ... he'll point out the way"), but the tone is playful throughout.

The song features an instrumental section that features the guitar work of Amos Garrett.[4]

The lyric, "Cactus is our friend", is used several times in the song, but cacti are actually New World plants, native to North America, South America, and the West Indies, and are not naturally found on the Arabian Peninsula.

In 2008, Muldaur recalled that she wanted to add the song to her album as an "afterthought" at the last minute. She has acknowledged that people do approach her at her concerts or events and claim that this song has inspired sexual encounters, loss of virginity, and pregnancy.[5]

Personnel

Source:[6]

Maria Muldaur – vocals
David Nichtern – acoustic guitar
Mark T. Jordan – piano
Greg Prestopino – voices
Freebo – bass
Amos Garrett – bass, guitar, vocals, guitar solo
Jim Keltner – drums
Jim Gordon – drums
Nick DeCaro – string arrangements[7]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1974)	Peak position
Australia	10
Canada RPM Top Singles[8]	2
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[9]	1
UK	21
US Billboard Hot 100	6
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[10]	7
US Cash Box Top 100	5

Year-end charts

Chart (1974)	Rank
Australia	81
Canada RPM Top Singles[11]	45
US Billboard Hot 100[12]	13

Brand New Heavies version

A version of this song was recorded by the group Brand New Heavies, attributed to "Brand New Heavies featuring N'Dea Davenport".[13] This version reached #13 in the UK in August 1994 and was their biggest hit up until the departure of Davenport, when "Sometimes" made #11. The song featured on their 1994 album Brother Sister.

Track listing

UK CD Single

"Midnight at the Oasis" (Radio Version) – (3:48)
"Midnight at the Oasis" (Rogers Brand New Radio Anthem) – (4:35)

UK CD Single BNHCD 05

"Midnight at the Oasis" (Radio Version) – (3:48)
"Midnight at the Oasis" (Extended Version)
"Midnight at the Oasis" (Opaz 7" Version)
"Midnight at the Oasis" (Roger's Brand New Radio Anthem) – (4:35)

Personnel

Simon Bartholomew
N'Dea Davenport – Vocals
Jan Kincaid
Richard Stilgoe
Andrew Levy

Other covers

Jazz versions of this song have been recorded by Hubert Laws on The Chicago Theme and by Freddie Hubbard on the live album Gleam and the studio album Liquid Love.
Percy Faith recorded an easy listening version on Chinatown Feat. the Entertainer (1974), which features the guitar work of Larry Carlton.
A cover version of the song appears on the album Dust Yourself Off (1975) by the funk band Pleasure.
Saxophone instrumental version by Rudy Pompilli, player for Bill Haley & His Comets), was included on his 1976 album Rudy's Rock: The Sax That Changed the World.
Betty Wright Live (1978), by Betty Wright, includes a medley version of "Clean Up Woman" that includes parts of "Midnight at the Oasis".
The Sun City Girls released a version of the song on their album Midnight Cowboys from Ipanema (1986).
The American jazz vocalist Steve Oliver released a version of the song on his album First View (1993).
That Dog released a version of the song on the album Spirit of '73: Rock for Choice (1995).
Jazz guitarist Martin Taylor included an instrumental version on his album Kiss and Tell (2000) with support from saxophonist Kirk Whalum.
Actress and Broadway singer Valarie Pettiford of UPN's Half & Half covered the song on her album Hear My Soul (2004).
Renee Olstead sings the song on her 2004 self-titled album.
Marina Prior recorded the song for her album Both Sides Now (2012).

Remix version

In 2004, Muldaur's original version was featured on the CD What Is Hip: Remix Project 1, a compilation of pop songs remixed for the clubs. The single is billed as the "Cuica Remix", with the track extended from its 3:49 recording to 4:49, incorporating portions of the background vocal, strings, and instrumental break with semi-chilled out Ibiza-themed elements.

In popular culture

An instrumental version was used in the movie White Line Fever (1975), as was another David Nichtern song, "Drifting and Dreaming of You".
It was performed in American Pie at the prom.
The song is sung by the lounge act at the hotel in Sofia Coppola's film Lost in Translation.
In the film The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest (2002), Andy (played by Adam Garcia) plays this song while sitting on the floor of his room, and Alisa (Rosario Dawson) comes in singing and dancing.
In Whisper (2007), when Roxanne (Sarah Wayne Callies) lulls the kidnapped boy, David Sandborn (Blake Woodruff) to sleep.
The song was frequently used as bumper music on Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell.
The song was performed by Sheila and Ron Albertson (Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard) in their audition for the community theatre musical "Red, White, and Blaine" in the Christopher Guest mockumentary "Waiting for Guffman".

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References

Fontenot, Robert (February 21, 2016). "Too Much Information: The 10 Ickiest '70s Love Songs". About.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
"Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. New York, New York: Billboard Publications, Inc. December 28, 1974. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
Greenwald, Matthew. "Song Review: Midnight at the Oasis, Maria Muldaur". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
"Amos Garrett". Homespun Video. Archived from the original on 2006-11-05. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
Maria Muldaur (4 of 8) – Midnight at the Oasis on YouTube from Living Legends (January 8, 2008)
"Maria Muldaur (LP)". aln3.albumlinernotes.
Maria Muldaur at Discogs
"RPM Top Singles". RPM Weekly. RPM. 8 June 1974. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
"RPM Pop Music Playlist". RPM Weekly. RPM. 22 June 1974. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
"Adult Contemporary". Billboard. 4 May 1975. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
"The Top 200 Singles of '74". RPM Weekly. RPM. 28 December 1974. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
"Topp 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974". Music Outfitters. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
Arena, James. Stars of '90s Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co. p. 232. ISBN 147666756X. Retrieved 16 March 2018.

External links

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[1] Fontenot, Robert (February 21, 2016). "Too Much Information: The 10 Ickiest '70s Love Songs". About.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved March 16, 2018.

[2] "Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. New York, New York: Billboard Publications, Inc. December 28, 1974. Retrieved March 16, 2018.

[Greenwald-3] Greenwald, Matthew. "Song Review: Midnight at the Oasis, Maria Muldaur". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 March 2018.

[homespun-4] "Amos Garrett". Homespun Video. Archived from the original on 2006-11-05. Retrieved 2007-03-18.

[5] Maria Muldaur (4 of 8) – Midnight at the Oasis on YouTube from Living Legends (January 8, 2008)

[6] "Maria Muldaur (LP)". aln3.albumlinernotes.

[7] Maria Muldaur at Discogs

[8] "RPM Top Singles". RPM Weekly. RPM. 8 June 1974. Retrieved 16 March 2018.

[9] "RPM Pop Music Playlist". RPM Weekly. RPM. 22 June 1974. Retrieved 16 March 2018.

[10] "Adult Contemporary". Billboard. 4 May 1975. Retrieved 16 March 2018.

[11] "The Top 200 Singles of '74". RPM Weekly. RPM. 28 December 1974. Retrieved 16 March 2018.

[12] "Topp 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974". Music Outfitters. Retrieved 16 March 2018.

[13] Arena, James. Stars of '90s Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co. p. 232. ISBN 147666756X. Retrieved 16 March 2018.