The song was playing at a very interesting time in my life. It was the second semester of Grade 12, and I was busy finishing high school, working at a greenhouse after school and on weekends, and looking ahead to university in the Fall.
I lived on a farm, and I always felt like I was missing out on stuff going on with my friends in town. That began to change in the summer of 1986 and I got my licence. I finally began to feel some freedom. Then, in the Spring of 1987 my Mom bought a car. That gave our family another vehicle and just a bit more freedom.
Once my Mom got comfortable driving with me, on some occasions I got to take the car to school. I would drop my Mom off at the greenhouse two miles south and two miles west of Coaldale. Then I would head back into town for classes at Kate Andrews High School.
The first time this happened, I turned on the radio as I pulled out of the yard of the greenhouse. While stopped and looking both ways to make sure no one was coming, I flipped on the radio. When I heard the song just starting, I cranked the volume as I turned on to the Jail Road on the way back to town.
It was “Midnight Blue” by Lou Gramm.
Earlier tonight, I read that Lou Gramm is retiring from performing after 50 years.
It brought back all these memories of him and that little band he used to sing with – Foreigner.
On my own
The first time I heard about Foreigner, and its lead singer Lou Gramm, was on LA-107 FM. It was some feature, whether a profile or album highlight, that described the members of the band, such as Mick Jones, Dennis Elliott, Al Greenwood, Ed Gagliardi and – Lou Gramm.
The first time I heard about Foreigner, and its lead singer Lou Gramm, was on LA-107 FM. It was some feature, whether a profile or album highlight, that described the members of the band, such as Mick Jones, Dennis Elliott, Al Greenwood, Ed Gagliardi and – Lou Gramm.
Gramm and Foreigner had a lot of success. In fact, their first eight singles hit the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
Then, in 1987, Lou Gramm decided to venture out on his own, but not at the expense of leaving Foreigner.
Here I come “Ready or Not”
Lou Gramm released his first album, “Ready or Not”, in January of 1987. The first single was “Midnight Blue”, which is one of my favourite songs of that period. The song sounded like Foreigner, because of Gramm’s vocals, but it didn’t seem as angry or brooding. “Midnight Blue” seemed more upbeat and, for lack of a better word, hopeful.
Lou Gramm released his first album, “Ready or Not”, in January of 1987. The first single was “Midnight Blue”, which is one of my favourite songs of that period. The song sounded like Foreigner, because of Gramm’s vocals, but it didn’t seem as angry or brooding. “Midnight Blue” seemed more upbeat and, for lack of a better word, hopeful.
“Midnight Blue” went all the way to number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
A second single, the title track “Ready or Not”, peaked at number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number seven on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Overall, the album “Ready or Not” was a solid success, going all the way to number 27 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
In the movies
One of my favourite movies of 1987, and all of the ‘80s, is “The Lost Boys”. It came out in late July of 1987, after the end of Grade 12 and before I headed off to university in Edmonton in the Fall.
One of my favourite movies of 1987, and all of the ‘80s, is “The Lost Boys”. It came out in late July of 1987, after the end of Grade 12 and before I headed off to university in Edmonton in the Fall.
“The Lost Boys” at its heart is a vampire movie. A family moves into a small town, and quickly things become weird. The older brother gets involved with a group of boys that, as it turns out, are vampires. The younger brother, played by Canadian actor Corey Haim, meets a boy about his age, played by Corey Feldman, who fills him in on the vampire problem. Meanwhile, their mom is charmed by a kind man who, it turns out, is the head vampire.
I saw it again at the Garneau Theatre in Edmonton in the Fall of 1996, and it did not disappoint. It is still an awesome movie.
One of the best parts is the driving soundtrack. One of the best songs on the soundtrack is “Lost in the Shadows (Lost Boys)” by Lou Gramm.
Sadly, “Lost in the Shadows” did not chart, but that does not diminish what a great song it is.
Taking a look
Lou Gramm released “Long Hard Look”, his second solo album, in 1989. The first single was another song kind of like “Midnight Blue” in that the vocals sounded like Foreigner but the song seemed more upbeat and less angry and brooding. “Just Between You and Me” went all the way to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number four on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Lou Gramm released “Long Hard Look”, his second solo album, in 1989. The first single was another song kind of like “Midnight Blue” in that the vocals sounded like Foreigner but the song seemed more upbeat and less angry and brooding. “Just Between You and Me” went all the way to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number four on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
There was a second single from “Long Hard Look” called “True Blue Love”, that peaked at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 23 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts, but I don’t recall hearing it. “True Blue Love” came out in 1990, and by then I wasn’t listening to the radio as much.
That’s probably why I don’t recall hearing “Hangin’ On My Hip”, another song from “Long Hard Look” that also appeared in the 1990 movie “Navy SEALs”. I even went to see “Navy SEALS” in the theatre, but don’t remember that song.
The years after
Lou Gramm would leave Foreigner, re-join them then leave for good in 2003. He formed his own band, has recorded Christian music, and in 2013 released his autobiography “Juke Box Hero – My Five Decades in Rock ‘n’ Roll”.
Lou Gramm would leave Foreigner, re-join them then leave for good in 2003. He formed his own band, has recorded Christian music, and in 2013 released his autobiography “Juke Box Hero – My Five Decades in Rock ‘n’ Roll”.
He was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013.
In 2024, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of Foreigner.
Parting thoughts
There is just something about “Midnight Blue” that resonates with me. The song just takes me back to that time in high school and the first part of university.
There is just something about “Midnight Blue” that resonates with me. The song just takes me back to that time in high school and the first part of university.
Beyond the memories, I just like the guitar in the song, and Lou Gramm’s vocals.
It’s just a great song from a great singer.
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