Dr. John – Such A Night

I remember this well from my childhood on WMAK, an AM station in Nashville that played the hits. Dr. John (Malcolm John Rebennack) had a voice that was hard to forget along with his delivery. This one was written by Dr. John not to be confused with The Drifters song Such A Night. 

This song was from the album In the Right Place released in 1973. It’s is a delight…you have John’s New Orleans-style funk and his unique voice. When I first heard it I would have sworn he was saying “Saturday Night” instead of Such a Night when I heard him on the Last Waltz doing this song. He put a little New Orleans in everything he did.

This was his breakthrough album. It peaked at #24 on the Billboard Album Charts. Before this album he was a musician’s musician but after he became a pop star as well. This song peaked at #42 on the Billboard 100 but Nashville must have liked it more than that…they played it a lot. 

Dr. John collaborated with legendary producer Allen Toussaint and The Meters, a huge New Orleans funk band and the results were gold. I knew I heard of Allen Toussaint before…he worked with The Band. Robbie Robertson wanted horns on Life Is A Carnival and Toussaint did it. After that, Robbie asked him to write horn parts for an entire live show. He did that over Christmas of 1971 and The Band’s live album Rock Of Ages came out of that collaboration. 

Such A Night

Such a night, it’s such a nightSweet confusion under the moonlightSuch a night, such a nightTo steal away, the time is right

Your eyes caught mine, and at a glanceYou let me know that this was my chanceBut you came here with my best friend JimAnd here I am, tryin’ to steal you away from him

Oh, but if I don’t do it, you know somebody else willIf I don’t do it, you know somebody else willIf I don’t do it, you know somebody else willIf I don’t do it, you know somebody else will

And it’s such a night, it’s such a nightSweet confusion under the moonlightIt’s such a night, such a nightTo steal away, the time is right

Yeah, I couldn’t believe my ear and my heart just skipped a beatWhen you told me to take you walkin’ down the streetOh yeah, you came here with my best friend JimHere I am, I’m stealin’ you away from him

Oh, but if I don’t do it, you know somebody else willIf I don’t do it, you know somebody else willIf I don’t do it, you know somebody else willIf I don’t do it, you know somebody else will‘Cause it’s such a night

…

Unknown's avatar

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

30 thoughts on “Dr. John – Such A Night”

  4. Pingback: Dr. John – Such A Night – MobsterTiger

  8. Rather like Glyn said he was known by name but not much by his music, which is a bit of a shame. I never heard this until I started listening to David Marsden’s eclectic show in the early 2000s, he liked this song & played it semi-regularly. As you say, only song I’d heard before that by him was ‘Right Place, Wrong Time’ which was a hit in Canada. Alleged role model for Dr. Teeth on the Muppets…

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Oh that makes sense with Dr. Teeth! I think Animal was Keith Moon.
      His voice I love…him and Leon Russell kind of held a similiar place in music. Great musicians who had a huge hit album and that made them known to the masses….while other music fans in the know…knew them.

      Like

      Reply

  11. I liked both of his personae – Dr. John and Mac Rebbenack. “I walk on gilded splinters” may be the ultimate Dr John, the Night Tripper song. “Goin’ Back to New Orleans” makes clear his debt to Professor Longhair and the Mardi Gras Indians as Mac Rebbenack.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  12. What a talent we lost in him. Didn’t know this song until I bought a greatest hits collection. Kept track of him for the most part ever since. Allen Toussaint was incredible too.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. I had a buddy who turned me onto so much good music way back. I was already on the road listening to all that Cream, Traffic, Fleetwood Mac, Floyd stuff. I remember him playing this record for me. A different sound but I dug it then and still do. A big Mac fan.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    1. He just seemed like a cool guy and a man that loved music regardless of fame or whatever he justloved playing. Those are the guys to listen to.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. He dabbles in so many different styles. I’ve been spinning his ‘Duke Elegant’ album the last few years. Along with other albums from his library.
        Toussaint’s music will give you some gems Max, he’s a machine.

        Liked by 1 person

  16. One of my favorite songs from The Last Waltz concert. I remember swooning the first time I heard it. Dr. John gets some good cameos in the Treme series, which is set in NOLA and all about NOLA music. Highly recommended series!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a reply to Christian's Music Musings Cancel reply