Midnight Blue

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove to the smooth vibes of Midnight Blue by Lou Gramm from his 1987 solo debut album Ready or Not! This track, a staple of '80s rock, hit #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and held the #1 spot on the Mainstream Rock chart for five weeks. In an interview with Songfacts, Lou shared that the song’s title reflects the deep, mysterious hue of the sky under moonlight, symbolizing a darker, introspective mood compared to the upbeat “cherry red” he contrasts in the lyrics. The song’s unapologetic love story, where Lou vows to return and “paint it cherry red,” captures his bold, confident style. Fun fact: the music video, featuring actress Traci Lind and a mysterious guy in a red GTO, was shot in iconic locations like Griffith Park and Joshua Tree, as revealed by director Jim Hershleder in a 2015 Songfacts piece. Posts on X from @OldSchool80s remind us that the single dropped on January 31, 1987, kicking off Lou’s solo journey with a bang.

Another cool tidbit comes from the song’s creation process. Lou co-wrote Midnight Blue with Bruce Turgon, a longtime friend and former bandmate from his pre-Foreigner days in Black Sheep. Turgon later joined Foreigner as a bassist in 1992, making their collaboration a full-circle moment. A 2021 review of Lou’s anthology Questions and Answers highlights an extended remix of the track, calling it “amazingly compelling” for its driving percussion and sparse rock orchestration. Lou himself celebrated the song’s chart success in a 2018 X post, sharing a live version from 1987 that still rocks hard. Fans on the Lou Gramm Official Facebook page often rave about how the song’s “ballsy and bluesy” vibe stands out, with some calling it one of the decade’s most underappreciated singles, as noted by AllMusic’s Bret Adams.

Now, let’s rewind to how Lou Gramm got his start. Born Louis Andrew Grammatico on May 2, 1950, in Rochester, New York, Lou’s musical journey began as a drummer for the band Black Sheep. By the mid-1970s, he’d taken on lead vocal duties, fronting the group for their 1975 self-titled debut on Capitol Records. Though Black Sheep didn’t break through, their albums caught the ear of guitarist Mick Jones, formerly of Spooky Tooth. Jones recruited Lou to front his new band, Foreigner, in 1976, and the rest is rock history. Lou’s powerful vocals and songwriting, co-penning hits like Cold as Ice and Hot Blooded, helped Foreigner sell over 37.5 million albums in the U.S. alone. His solo career kicked off with Ready or Not during a Foreigner hiatus, driven by a desire to rediscover a raw, spontaneous sound, as noted in an Amazon bio. Despite health challenges, including a benign brain tumor in 1997, Lou’s resilience kept him rocking, from Foreigner reunions to his 2009 Christian rock album with the Lou Gramm Band.

Stay connected with Lou through his official website, where you can find tour dates and merch. Follow him on Facebook for fan discussions and updates, check out his Instagram for behind-the-scenes shots, and catch his latest thoughts on X. Zoo Freaks looking for more can join the Lou Gramm Fan Club on Facebook, a lively group where fans share memories, photos, and love for Lou’s music. For deeper dives, the fan-run lougramm.com offers a treasure trove of discography details and career highlights. Keep spinning those records, Zoo Crew, and let Midnight Blue take you into the night!