The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
Encyclopedia
"The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" is a Southern Gothic
song written by songwriter Bobby Russell
and performed in 1972 by his then-wife Vicki Lawrence
. Reba McEntire
later covered it in 1991.
Recorded in late October 1972 in United/Western Studios on Sunset in Hollywood and released less than two weeks later in November 1972, the song centers around the older brother of the narrator, falsely convicted of and executed for a murder, which the narrator herself has committed.
("the judge said 'guilty' in a make-believe trial / slapped the sheriff on the back with a smile"), and hang
him that same night, effectively lynching
him. The phrase "the night the lights went out in Georgia" might refer to the idea that the "light" of justice went out that night as an innocent man was killed by the law.
In the final verse, the singer then reveals that she was the one who killed Andy and that she had also previously killed her promiscuous sister-in-law and disposed of her body ("one body that'll never be found"), and that her brother was lynched before there was a chance to tell anyone the truth.
Beyond simply the typical police corruption
, the song relates that the judge is just as corrupt as the sheriff ("...the judge in the town's got bloodstains on his hands"), as well as heartless, when rendering the guilty verdict: slapped the sheriff on the back with a smile, said "Supper's waiting at home and I gotta get to it" (The 1991 music video for the Reba McEntire version suggests that the judge was also sleeping with the wife and wouldn't listen to the truth to protect himself).
The song is in the key
of C minor
, with an approximate tempo of 86 beats per minute and a main chord pattern of Cm-B/C-Cm-Fm-Gm7-Cm on the verses. In the chorus, the song modulates to G major
, using a pattern of C-D-G three times followed by C-D-Gm. The vocals range from G3 to D5.
, but her then-husband and manager Sonny Bono
reportedly turned it down (he was said to be concerned that the song might offend Cher's southern fans).
Without an artist to record the song, Vicki Lawrence went into the studio to record the song for release. The song became a number-one hit for Lawrence (who was then a regular on The Carol Burnett Show
) on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
chart, and also reached the top forty of Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart. The song was number one for two weeks, being succeeded by Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
". In Canada
the single hit number one as well, topping the RPM 100
national singles chart on May 5 of the same year. On the RPM Country Singles chart, it reached #25 the following June 23.
recorded a different version (on an album of the same name) used later as the basis for the 1981 film The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
. Her altered lyrics were used as the basis for the plot line of the movie, which is not the same as the story of the original song.
In 1991, the song was covered by Reba McEntire
on her For My Broken Heart album. It hit #12 on Billboard magazines Hot Country Songs
chart; the song also had a hit music video
, wherein the older brother of the story is given the name "Raymond."
episode, Julia launches into one of her famous tirades, defending her beauty queen sister Suzanne against the catty remarks made by a shallow young woman, concluding with "And that was the night the lights went out in Georgia!"
The song is discussed in the breakfast scene of the 1992 film Reservoir Dogs
.
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Southern Gothic
Southern Gothic is a subgenre of Gothic fiction unique to American literature that takes place exclusively in the American South. It resembles its parent genre in that it relies on supernatural, ironic, or unusual events to guide the plot...
song written by songwriter Bobby Russell
Bobby Russell
Bobby Russell was an American singer and songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, he charted five singles on the Hot Country Songs charts, including the crossover pop hit "Saturday Morning Confusion." Russell was also married to singer and actress Vicki Lawrence from 1972 to 1974.-Career:Russell wrote...
and performed in 1972 by his then-wife Vicki Lawrence
Vicki Lawrence
Vicki Lawrence is an American actress, comedienne, and Billboard Hot 100 #1 singer, who was frequently a game show panelist in the 1970s and 1980s...
. Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
later covered it in 1991.
Recorded in late October 1972 in United/Western Studios on Sunset in Hollywood and released less than two weeks later in November 1972, the song centers around the older brother of the narrator, falsely convicted of and executed for a murder, which the narrator herself has committed.
Lyrical story
A young woman tells the story of her unnamed older brother who returns home after a two-week trip from a place called "Candletop." The brother meets his best friend, Andy Wolloe, at Webb's Bar ("Andy Wolloe said hello, and he said, 'Hi, what's doing, Wo?'"), and Andy informs the brother that his young wife (who is later described as "cheatin'") has been seeing another man in town, Seth Amos. Andy then reveals that he, too, has been sleeping with his friend's wife. The brother is understandably upset, which scares Andy, who leaves and walks home. The brother assumes his wife has left town, gets his gun, and heads out to the back woods to sneak up on Andy and confront him. When the brother arrives at Andy's house, he finds tracks outside ("tracks that were too small for Andy to make") and discovers that someone has already killed Andy. The brother, in a moment of panic ("he started to shake"), fires his gun in the air to summon a passing sheriff. When the sheriff approaches the scene, the brother is immediately accused of murder. A "backwoods Southern lawyer" doesn't keep the sheriff and a judge from convicting the brother in a kangaroo courtKangaroo court
A kangaroo court is "a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted".The outcome of a trial by kangaroo court is essentially determined in advance, usually for the purpose of ensuring conviction, either by going through the motions of manipulated procedure or...
("the judge said 'guilty' in a make-believe trial / slapped the sheriff on the back with a smile"), and hang
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
him that same night, effectively lynching
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
him. The phrase "the night the lights went out in Georgia" might refer to the idea that the "light" of justice went out that night as an innocent man was killed by the law.
In the final verse, the singer then reveals that she was the one who killed Andy and that she had also previously killed her promiscuous sister-in-law and disposed of her body ("one body that'll never be found"), and that her brother was lynched before there was a chance to tell anyone the truth.
Beyond simply the typical police corruption
Police corruption
Police corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest....
, the song relates that the judge is just as corrupt as the sheriff ("...the judge in the town's got bloodstains on his hands"), as well as heartless, when rendering the guilty verdict: slapped the sheriff on the back with a smile, said "Supper's waiting at home and I gotta get to it" (The 1991 music video for the Reba McEntire version suggests that the judge was also sleeping with the wife and wouldn't listen to the truth to protect himself).
The song is in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of C minor
C minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
, with an approximate tempo of 86 beats per minute and a main chord pattern of Cm-B/C-Cm-Fm-Gm7-Cm on the verses. In the chorus, the song modulates to G major
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
, using a pattern of C-D-G three times followed by C-D-Gm. The vocals range from G3 to D5.
Reception
Originally, Bobby Russell did not want to even record a demo for the song because he didn't like it. Vicki Lawrence, his wife at the time, revealed the history of the song on her talk show in the 1990s when Reba McEntire was a guest on her show. According to Lawrence, she believed it was destined to be a hit and recorded the demo herself. The publisher didn't quite know where to pitch the song. The first thought was to pitch the song to Liza Minnelli. However, "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" was first offered to CherCher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, but her then-husband and manager Sonny Bono
Sonny Bono
Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono was an American recording artist, record producer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades.-Early life:...
reportedly turned it down (he was said to be concerned that the song might offend Cher's southern fans).
Without an artist to record the song, Vicki Lawrence went into the studio to record the song for release. The song became a number-one hit for Lawrence (who was then a regular on The Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett Show is a variety / sketch comedy television show starring Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and Tim Conway. It originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 278 episodes and originated from CBS Television City's Studio 33...
) on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, and also reached the top forty of Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart. The song was number one for two weeks, being succeeded by Tony Orlando and Dawn's "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" is a song by Dawn featuring Tony Orlando, written by Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown and produced by Hank Medress and Dave Appell. It was a worldwide hit for the group in 1973....
". In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
the single hit number one as well, topping the RPM 100
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
national singles chart on May 5 of the same year. On the RPM Country Singles chart, it reached #25 the following June 23.
Cover versions and altered lyrics
In 1973, Tanya TuckerTanya Tucker
Tanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13...
recorded a different version (on an album of the same name) used later as the basis for the 1981 film The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (film)
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia is a 1981 film, starring Kristy McNichol, Dennis Quaid, Mark Hamill, and Don Stroud, directed by Ronald F. Maxwell. It was very loosely inspired by the Vicki Lawrence song of the same name...
. Her altered lyrics were used as the basis for the plot line of the movie, which is not the same as the story of the original song.
In 1991, the song was covered by Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
on her For My Broken Heart album. It hit #12 on Billboard magazines Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart; the song also had a hit music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, wherein the older brother of the story is given the name "Raymond."
Cultural references
In a 1986 Designing WomenDesigning Women
Designing Women is an American television sitcom that centered on the working and personal lives of four Southern women and one man in an interior design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. It aired on the CBS television network from September 29, 1986 until May 24, 1993. The show was created by head writer...
episode, Julia launches into one of her famous tirades, defending her beauty queen sister Suzanne against the catty remarks made by a shallow young woman, concluding with "And that was the night the lights went out in Georgia!"
The song is discussed in the breakfast scene of the 1992 film Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs is an American crime film marking debut of director and writer Quentin Tarantino. It depicts the events before and after a botched diamond heist, but not the heist itself. Reservoir Dogs stars an ensemble cast: Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, and...
.
Vicki Lawrence version
| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 36 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary | 2 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 25 |
Reba McEntire version
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 12 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 7 |
See also
- Murder balladMurder balladMurder ballads are a sub-genre of the traditional ballad form, the lyrics of which form a narrative describing the events of a murder, often including the lead-up and/or aftermath...
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