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Haunted Songs in Country Music: Midnight In Montgomery

by Jessica Blankenship

When Alan Jackson first started out in the early 1990s, he recorded the self-penned tune, Midnight In Montgomery. The haunting tune tells the story of Alan Jackson stopping by a grave on his way to a New Year’s Eve show. Throughout the song, he reveals that he meets someone who was a tall man wearing a cowboy hat and a Nudi suit. That person would then disappear in the mist, but as Alan gets back on his bus, he sees the shadowy figure once again as a train rolls by.

The experience and song itself is the haunting Jackson experienced while visiting Hank Williams, Sr.’s grave on the hillside of Montgomery, Alabama. There have been many sightings and hauntings of the legendary performer over the years. The sound of the steel guitar playing gives that lonesome and chilling effect as the listener pays attention to the song.

Midnight in Montgomery peaked at the Billboard Charts at the #3 position. It comes from the album, Don’t Rock the Jukebox. The video itself would go on to win the Country Music Association’s Video of the Year in 1992 and TNN/Music City News Video of the Year in 1993.

Midnight in Montgomery Lyrics:
Midnight in Montgomery, silver eagle, lonely road
I was on my way to Mobile for a big New Year’s Eve show
I stopped for just a minute to see a friend outside of town
Put my collar up, I found his name, and felt the wind die down

Then a drunk man in a cowboy hat took me by surprise
Wearing shiny boots, a Nudi suit and haunting haunted eyes
He said ‘Friend it’s good to see you, it’s nice to know you care’
Then the wind picked up and he was gone
Was he ever really there

‘Cause it’s midnight in Montgomery
Just hear that whipporwill
See the stars light up the purple sky
Feel that lonesome chill
Cause when the wind is right, you’ll hear his songs
Smell whiskey in the air
Midnight in Montgomery
He’s always singing there

Well, I climbed back on that eagle, took one last look around
Through red tail lights a shadow moved slow across the ground
And off somewhere a midnight train is slowly passing by
I could hear that whistle moaning
I’m so lonesome I could cry

‘Cause it’s midnight in Montgomery
Just hear that whipporwill
See the stars light up the purple sky
Feel that lonesome chill
Cause when the wind is right, you’ll hear his songs
Smell whiskey in the air
Midnight in Montgomery
He’s always singing there
He’s always singing there
Oh Hank’s always singing there