Black Night
Encyclopedia
"Black Night" is a song by British hard rock
band
Deep Purple
, first released as a single in June 1970
and later included on the 25th Year Anniversary version of their 1970 album, In Rock. The song became a hit following its release, peaking at #2 on UK charts, and to this day remains Deep Purple's highest charting UK single. It was also the first single penned by the band.
asked for a suitable single to be recorded to help promote the album. Though Roger Glover
claims that Ricky Nelson
's 1962 hard rocking arrangement of the George Gershwin
classic "Summertime
" was the basis for the Mk II Deep Purple single "Black Night", it is also similar to Blues Magoos
's 1966 psychedelic hit song "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet
".
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
, first released as a single in June 1970
1970 in music
- Events :*January 3**Davy Jones announces he is leaving the Monkees**Former Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett releases his first solo album The Madcap Laughs....
and later included on the 25th Year Anniversary version of their 1970 album, In Rock. The song became a hit following its release, peaking at #2 on UK charts, and to this day remains Deep Purple's highest charting UK single. It was also the first single penned by the band.
Writing process and recording
Once In Rock had been completed, EMIEMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
asked for a suitable single to be recorded to help promote the album. Though Roger Glover
Roger Glover
Roger David Glover is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. Glover is best known as the bassist and lyricist for the hard rock band, Deep Purple.-Early career:...
claims that Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson
Eric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor...
's 1962 hard rocking arrangement of the George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
classic "Summertime
Summertime (song)
"Summertime" is an aria composed by George Gershwin for the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. The lyrics are by DuBose Heyward, the author of the novel Porgy on which the opera was based, although the song is also co-credited to Ira Gershwin by ASCAP....
" was the basis for the Mk II Deep Purple single "Black Night", it is also similar to Blues Magoos
Blues Magoos
The Blues Magoos was a rock music group from the The Bronx, New York. They were at the forefront of the psychedelic music trend, beginning as early as 1966.-1964 - 1971:The band was formed in 1964 as "The Trenchcoats"...
's 1966 psychedelic hit song "(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet
(We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet
- The Spectres cover version :" Nothin' Yet" is a single released by the British Rock band The Spectres in 1967.- Track listing :# " Nothin' Yet" # "I Want It"...
".
Live performances
"Black Night" made its way into the setlist soon after release, generally as the first encore. The song was not played in full after Ian Gillan and Roger Glover left the band in 1973, but snippets were often played by Ritchie Blackmore as part of his improvisations. On the reformation of Deep Purple in 1984 "Black Night" returned as part of the main set list. There are many versions of the song available on Deep Purple live albums.Personnel
- Ian GillanIan GillanIan Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...
- vocals - Ritchie BlackmoreRitchie BlackmoreRichard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
- guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Roger GloverRoger GloverRoger David Glover is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. Glover is best known as the bassist and lyricist for the hard rock band, Deep Purple.-Early career:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Jon LordJon LordJonathan Douglas "Jon" Lord is an English composer, pianist and Hammond organ player.Jon Lord, also known as 'Hammond Lord', is a classically trained piano player. He is recognised for his Hammond organ blues-rock sound and for his pioneering work in fusing rock and classical or baroque forms...
- organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with... - Ian PaiceIan PaiceIan Anderson Paice is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Covers
- In 1982, post-punk group The Fall took to performing a medley integrating the song into their own composition "Cash 'n' Carry"; a recording of this was belatedly issued in 2002 on a reissue of Fall in a HoleFall In a HoleFall In A Hole is a live album by The Fall, released in 1983 on the Flying Nun label of New Zealand.The album was recorded at the last show of the group's 1982 tour of Australia and New Zealand and was originally only released in those countries...
. - MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
played the intro during the encore of their shows in 1989. - Bruce DickinsonBruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
- B side of single: "Dive, Dive, DiveDive! Dive! Dive!"Dive! Dive! Dive!" is the third single from Bruce Dickinson's debut solo album, Tattooed Millionaire. It was released in August 1990.- Track listing :# Dive! Dive! Dive! – 04:42# Riding With The Angels [live] – 04:23...
", recorded live in 1990. - In 1991, Vic ReevesVic ReevesJames Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
covered the song on I Will Cure YouI Will Cure YouI Will Cure You is the only album by the comedian Vic Reeves. It was released in 1991, produced by Steve Beresford, Andy Metcalfe and Philip Oakey...
album. - Bad MannersBad MannersBad Manners are an English 2 Tone ska band. They quickly became the novelty favourites of the UK pop scene through their bald outsized frontman's on-stage antics, earning early exposure through their Top of The Pops exploits and an appearance in the live film documentary, Dance Craze.They were at...
- ska version on their 1997 album Heavy PettingHeavy Petting (album)Heavy Petting, also known as Don't Knock the Baldhead, is the eighth studio album by Bad Manners, released in 1997 .-Track listing:* All songs by Bad Manners unless noted.# "Don't Knock the Baldheads"...
. - CJ CrewCJ CrewCJ Crew are a dance music DJ duo, consisting of Chris Bucknall and John Briely. Other aliases include Big Vin & Hugh Jardon, Chi K Monkey, Chi K Munki, Connie and the Plainsman, Demanche Noir, Muff and the Munchers, Nancy and the Boys, The Orff Ki Ensemble, Pyan Issim, Pynck Hobo, Terry and the...
also covered this song for the DancemaniaDancemaniaDancemania is a series of remix compilation albums by i-DANCE. The series deals primarily with dance music, especially eurodance. Despite its tracks have been made by various musicians from all over the world mainly from the European continent, the albums have been released exclusively in Japan.The...
compilation series, but has a heavier sound to it. - A version also appears on 2005 Live DVD, Castles and DreamsCastles and DreamsCastles and Dreams is a DVD released by the band Blackmore's Night in 2005. It was released as a Region 2 DVD on May 30, 2005 after being pushed back multiple times. It was released as a Region 1 DVD on October 11, 2005...
by Blackmore's NightBlackmore's NightBlackmore's Night is an English-American traditional folk rock duo led by Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night .-Early:...
. - Pat TraversPat TraversPatrick Henry "Pat" Travers is a Canadian rock guitarist, keyboardist and singer who began his recording career with Polydor Records in the mid-1970s...
has recorded a version on his album P.T. Power Trio 2 in 2006. - The song is also recorded by the American death metalDeath metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band DeicideDeicide (band)Deicide is an American death metal band formed in 1987. Their first two albums, Deicide and Legion, are ranked second and third place in best-selling death metal albums of the SoundScan era.-As Amon/Carnage :...
on their 2006 album, The Stench of Redemption, though with rewritten lyrics. - In 2007, FinnishFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
power metalPower metalPower metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Twilight GuardiansTwilight GuardiansTwilight Guardians was a power metal band from Salo, Finland. Formed in 1996, they were most famous for their 2007 album Ghost Reborn, and also achieved minor notoriety for their 2006 cover of Madonna's 1987 single "La Isla Bonita", from their third album Sin Trade.They were signed to Spinefarm...
covered the song for their fourth and last album, Ghost RebornGhost RebornGhost Reborn is the fourth and last album by Finnish power metal band Twilight Guardians. It was released on Spinefarm on November 2007. The Japanese version included a cover version of Black Night, a song originally performed by Deep Purple.-Track listing:...
, as a Japanese bonus trackBonus trackIn terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
.