Midnight Memories (song)

### Composer(s)

Julian Bunetta, Liam Payne, Jamie Scott, John Ryan, Louis Tomlinson, Joe Elliott, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Phil Collen, Steve Clark, Richard Savage

### Producer(s)

Julian Bunetta, John Ryan, Jamie Scott, Robert John "Mutt" Lange

## *Midnight Memories* Chronology

**Midnight Memories** is a song by the English-Irish boy band One Direction from their third studio album of the same name. It was co-written by Julian Bunetta, Jamie Scott, John Ryan, band members Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson and written samples Joe Elliott, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Phil Collen, Steve Clark and Richard Savage.

On January 25, 2014, it was announced that "Midnight Memories" would be the third single from the album. It received an official release on March 9, 2014.

Lyrically, the song describes partying with friends, and cleverly depicts the act of singing about 'midnight memories' while actually creating the midnight memories themselves.

The song was the opening number for the *Where We Are Tour*, and was performed on the *On The Road Again Tour.*

## Background

On January 23, 2014, a 19 second clip of Liam discussing Midnight Memories was released, where he stated "It's actually one of the songs I wrote with Louis. This is the first song we wrote on the album, so this kinda like paved the way for this whole album sound and the way it all changes and stuff".

It is the second single to be written by members of the band, following the previous single of the same album, "Story of My Life". Talking to *MTV News* about the track, Bunetta said, "It's the title of the album and it just happens to fall in line with *Up All Night*, *Take Me Home*, it's all references to in the evening. And midnight memories are where most of the memories of this record were made. [It] was between midnight and 5 in the morning. We have so many memories of just being in the studio or being after a show or being in the back of the bus or going to one of the guys' places and hanging and writing. Or, just when you're young and that's when you kind of have all your experiences."

The song does not feature a solo part from member Zayn Malik, which led to some negative responses from the fans.

## Lyrics

**[Harry]**

Straight off the plane to a new hotel

Just touched down, you could never tell

Big house party with a crowded kitchen

People talk shhh but we don't listen

**[Louis]**

Tell me that I'm wrong but I do what I please

Way too many people in the Addison Lee,

Now I'm at the age where I know what I need, oh whoa

**[Chorus - Zayn leading]**

Midnight memories, oh, oh, ohhh

Baby you and me

Stumbling in the street

Singing, singing, singing, singing

Midnight memories, oh oh oh

Anywhere we go

Never say no

Just do it, do it, do it, do it

**[Liam]**

5 foot something with the skinny jeans

Don't look back baby follow me

**[Niall]**

I don't know where I'm going but I'm finding my way

Same old shhh, but a different day

**[Louis]**

Tell me that I'm wrong but I do what I please

Way too many people in the Addison Lee

Now I'm at the age where I know what I need, oh whoa

**[Chorus - Zayn leading]**

Midnight memories, oh, oh, ohh

Baby you and me

Stumbling in the street

Singing, singing, singing, singing

Midnight memories, oh oh oh

Anywhere we go

Never saying no

Just do it, do it, do it, do it

**[Niall]**

You and me and all our friends

I don't care how much we spend

Baby this is what the night is for

**[Harry]**

I know nothing's making sense

For tonight let's just pretend

I don't wanna stop so give me more

**[Chorus]**

Midnight memories, oh, oh, ohh

Baby you and me

Stumbling in the street

Singing, singing, singing, singing

Midnight memories, oh oh oh

Anywhere we go

Never saying no

Just do it, do it, do it, do it

## Music Video

 **Length**
 **Director**
 **Location**
 **VEVO views**

### Background

The official music video was filmed in London in December 2013. On 25 January 2014, it was announced that the video would premiere on Vevo at midnight on 31 January. To date, the video has over 140 million views. The video begins with One Direction at a house party, they are all bored until the DJ starts playing "Midnight Memories". They then leave the house and over run a take-away. They flirt with and ride around the streets of London with five elderly women on motorized scooters, steal a police boat and ride down the River Thames and the video ends with One Direction standing on the edge of the Tower Bridge.

## Reception

On 25 November, in a track-by-track review on *Billboard* writer Chris Payne and by Michael Craig on the *Daily Mirror* It opens with groovy guitar licks, leads into a peppy pre-chorus, and rocks out in the chorus behind a riff reminiscent of Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me."

## Controversy

On 19 December 2013, it was announced that Def Leppard had asked their lawyers to look into allegations that "Midnight Memories" and "Pour Some Sugar on Me" bear striking similarities. However, Def Leppard guitarists Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell confirmed to *Billboard* that they were not, in fact, pursuing legal action. Collen called the songs "very similar in structure", but nothing more. Campbell said: "The chords are one-four-five. Those are the blues. You don’t get more basic than that. I think what’s more reminiscent of the Leppard thing is the production, the sound, the vocals, the reverb and the way it’s assembled.

## References

1. ↑ ONE DIRECTION'S *MIDNIGHT MEMORIES*
2. ↑ 1D fans furious over Zayn's Midnight Memories snub