From the recording The Goddess
I have always been drawn to enigmatic women, particularly if they were artistic (in this case a ‘dancer’) in some way. This song materialized as I was ending a relationship and becoming a ‘free agent’ once again. Although I remember feeling very lonely at the time, I had a hopeful hunch that an important future relationship awaited me (a hunch that turned out to be correct). ‘Midnight Dancer’ is me recognizing the mysterious figure there under cover-of-night and saying ‘well, let’s get on with it!’ I would have sung the lead vocal on it, but lucky for me (for all of us, actually) I was able to get a colleague, Portland-based singer/pianist/songwriter Rory Merritt Stitt to sing it, Rory being one of the most truly talented people I know.
Lyrics
Midnight Dancer
almost time, Midnight Dancer…
Midnight Dancer
flash of fire in the dark
she comes and goes
where nobody but she knows
and waits for the night
far, far ‘cross miles of snowfield
under a nightshade she hides
are you there Midnight Dancer?
are you there Midnight Dancer?
are you there Midnight Dancer?
dance into the moonlight and show your face
daytime sleeper
Dancer’s out of her mind
dreaming in style she beguiles, sending smiles from her world
…who is that girl?
for so long I’ve sat by this window
chasing that same rising star
almost time, Midnight Dancer
almost time, Midnight Dancer
almost time, Midnight Dancer
step into the moonlight and show your face
and slowly the words to a song
long forgotten appear
O Pirouette Queen, must you stay so unseen
running off day after day
won’t you ever come and play?
holy darkness
what’s the secret you keep?
let’s see that painting in motion,
love poem in light
again tonight
show me your spin and your fancy
show me your satin and lace
now it’s time, Midnight Dancer the night no longer hides you
now it’s time, Midnight Dancer dancing naked across the crazy moon
yes it’s time, Midnight Dancer who knows what kind of goddess you are
if you dare, Midnight Dancer
dance out from the shadows and show your face…
Music & lyrics by George Wallace (c) 2008 Celestial Songs (ASCAP)