Blues at Midnight (formerly known as "But The Blues" or "What To Do") is a formerly unidentified country blues song by Cleveland-based country rock band Deadly Earnest and the Honky Tonk Heroes, released in 1980 on the album Deadly Earnest II.
Search History[]
The song was first posted into YouTube on November 16th, 2008 by user rg3855. They said song song was recorded onto an 8-hour tape from 105.7 in Cleveland, Ohio on November 1st, 1982. This was the only song on the tape that he couldn't identify.
On December 18th, 2023, a Cleveland Scene article was written about the mystery. Multiple blues musicians and DJs from the Cleveland area were contacted about by Cleveland Scene about the song, but none of them had any leads.[1]
On December 26th, 2023, the song was identified by Dave Greenwood and Jim Zadanzky as "Blues at Midnight" by Deadly Earnest and the Honky Tonk Heroes, from 1980 album Deadly Earnest II.
On December 30th, 2023, the full song was posted, and on January 11th, 2024, a slightly higher quality version was posted.
Lyrics[]
Got no oil in my burnin' lamp
Fire's out, logs to damp
What's this man to do while you're away?
Got no ring in my telephone
Head's wired, throat's dry as a bone
What's a man to do while you're away?
But the blues come rollin' 'round midnight
At one, I'm down and thinkin' of you
At two, I'm writin' letters missin' you
At three, I'm down, think only of you
Can't handle this lonely gig
My mind's floatin' like a leaf off a twig
What's a man to do while you're away?
Can't say, and I just don't know
About the time my dusty clock shows
What's a man to do while you're away?
Oh, but the blues come rollin' 'round midnight
At one, I'm down and thinkin' of you
At two, I'm writin' letters missin' you
At three, I'm down, think only of you
Deadly Earnest and the Honky Tonk Heroes[]
Deadly Earnest and the Honky Tonk Heroes was a country and bluegrass band from Cleveland Heights, Ohio. They formed in 1975.
The band consisted of Deadly Earnest (real name Dennis Earnest), Denny Jones, Greg Giancola, Jay Vecchio, and Joe Culp.
In 1978, they released their first album, self titled Deadly Earnest.
In 1978, they released their first single, Wheeler Inn Cafe, with two songs.
- Wheeler Inn Cafe
- Leavin’ For Texas
In 1978, they released their second single, Don’t Make Me Laugh (While I’m Drinkin’), with two songs.
- Don’t Make Me Laugh (While I’m Drinkin’)
- New Mexico
In 1980, they released their third single, Oklahoma That’s A Big O.K. By Me, with two songs.
- Oklahoma That’s A Big O.K. By Me
- Stray Cat
In 1980, they released their second album Deadly Earnest II, which included this song,
In 1982 they released their final single, Let’s Go Let’s Skoal / Rock It Billy, with two songs.
- Let’s Go Let’s Skoal
- Rock It Billy
In 1982, they released their last album, Dance To The Modern Sound Of Deadly Earnest & The Honky-Tonk Heroes.
Sometime after 1982, they disbanded.
Gallery[]
Links[]
References[]
- ↑ Oprea, Mark (December 18, 2023) "A Cleveland Music Mystery: Who Sang This '80s Song?". Cleveland Scene. Retrieved May 11, 2024