It’s movie week on Song Lyric Sunday this week, so Jim is after something from a film soundtrack that was a ‘freestanding’ hit.

Back in 1977, I used to get in from work on a Friday afternoon just in time to listen to a weekly programme – whose name I have entirely forgotten – on BBC Radio 1. It was hosted by the DJ Emperor Rosko and featured some of the week’s new releases, which he played to a group of celebrity guests for their comments.

(There was a particularly memorable occasion when one of the guests was Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones, who had obviously just enjoyed a long and liquid lunch. Or, to put it another way, he was paralytic.)

Rosko played this song without naming the artistes. Madame and I looked at each other enquiringly. It sort of sounded like the Bee Gees, but it was such a departure from their previous work that it surely couldn’t be, could it? It was.

Listen to the ground:
There is movement all around.
There is something goin’ down
And I can feel it.

On the waves of the air,
There is dancin’ out there.
If it’s somethin’ we can share,
We can steal it.

And that sweet city woman,
She moves through the light,
Controlling my mind and my soul.
When you reach out for me
Yeah, and the feelin’ is right,

Then I get night fever, night fever.
We know how to do it.
Gimme that night fever, night fever.
We know how to show it.

Here I am,
Prayin’ for this moment to last,
Livin’ on the music so fine,
Borne on the wind,
Makin’ it mine.

Night fever, night fever.
We know how to do it.
Gimme that night fever, night fever.
We know how to show it.

In the heat of our love,
Don’t need no help for us to make it.
Gimme just enough to take us to the mornin’.
I got fire in my mind.
I get higher in my walkin’.
And I’m glowin’ in the dark;
I give you warnin’.

And that sweet city woman,
She moves through the light,
Controlling my mind and my soul.
When you reach out for me
Yeah, and the feelin’ is right,

Then I get night fever, night fever.
We know how to do it.
Gimme that night fever, night fever.
We know how to show it.

Here I am,
Prayin’ for this moment to last,
Livin’ on the music so fine,
Borne on the wind,
Makin’ it mine.

Night fever, night fever.
We know how to do it (Feels like forever baby, don’t you know)
Gimme that night fever, night fever.
We know how to show it (I’ll leave you never baby, don’t you know)

Written by Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb

Song Lyric Sunday 30 January 2022