The Midnight Oil


The Midnight Oil is the third studio album released by American country singer Barbara Mandrell, released in 1973.
Mandrell had not released a solo studio album since 1971. It was her most successful album while under her Columbia label. This album brought Mandrell into riskier territory, especially with the title track, "The Midnight Oil" which discussed how a woman was cheating on her husband because when she comes home she still had the midnight oil all over her. The album spawned five Top 40 Country hits, "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home", "Show Me", "Holdin' On ", "Give a Little, Take a Little", and the title track. This album brought Mandrell's first pair of solo Top 10 hits on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The album consisted of 11 tracks, some of which were cover versions, including Tanya Tucker's "Jamestown Ferry", Martha Carson's "Satisfied" and the George Jones and Tammy Wynette hit, "We're Gonna Hold On". The album peaked at #8 on the Top Country Albums chart in 1974.

Track listing

  1. "The Midnight Oil" –
  2. "Give a Little, Take a Little" –
  3. "Jamestown Ferry" –
  4. "Show Me" –
  5. "In the Name of Love" –
  6. "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" –
  7. "Ain't It Good" –
  8. "Satisfied" –
  9. "Holdin' On " –
  10. "Smile, Somebody Loves You" –
  11. "We're Gonna Hold On" –

    Charts

Album – Billboard
YearChartPosition
1974Top Country Albums#8

Singles – Billboard
YearSingleChartPosition
1971"Tonight My Baby's Coming Home"Hot Country Singles & Tracks#10
1972"Show Me"Hot Country Singles & Tracks#11
1972"Holdin' On "Hot Country Singles & Tracks#27
1973"Give a Little, Take a Little"Hot Country Singles & Tracks#24
1973"The Midnight Oil"Hot Country Singles & Tracks#7