"Midnight at the Oasis" is a song by the American singer Maria Muldaur from her 1973 debut album, Maria Muldaur. Written by David Nichtern, it is her best-known recording. It reached #6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #21 in the UK Singles Chart in 1974. Billboard ranked it as the No. 13 song for 1974. It was also nominated for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 17th Annual Grammy Awards, held in 1975. In Canada, the song reached #2 in the RPM singles charts and #45 in the year-end chart.

Description

The song is an offer of a desert love affair in a fantasy setting. AllMusic reviewer Matthew Greenwald describes the song as "so sensual and evocative that it was probably one of the most replayed records of the era and may be responsible for the most pregnancies from a record during the mid-'70s." The song includes an instrumental section that features the guitar work of Amos Garrett. In 2008, Muldaur recalled that she wanted to add the song to her album as an "afterthought" at the last minute. She has acknowledged that people do approach her at her concerts or events and claim that this song has inspired sexual encounters, loss of virginity, and pregnancy.

Personnel

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Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Brand New Heavies version

A version of "Midnight at the Oasis" was recorded by British acid jazz and funk group Brand New Heavies, attributed to "Brand New Heavies featuring N'Dea Davenport". This version was released in July 1994 by FFRR and Delicious Vinyl, and reached number 13 in the UK and number 11 in Scotland in August 1994. It was their biggest hit up until the departure of Davenport, when "Sometimes" made number 11 in 1997 with new singer Siedah Garrett. "Midnight at the Oasis" was featured on their 1994 album Brother Sister.

Critical reception

Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian stated that N'Dea Davenport, "whose glistening voice glorifies even a lazy cover version of 'Midnight at the Oasis'." In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton described it as a "faithfully rendered cover". A reviewer from Music & Media said, "Usually lite funky music is identified with garden parties and romantic restaurants at night by trendy clubbers, but not if marketed under the acid jazz banner. This is hip guys!" Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five and named it Pick of the Week, writing, "Stripped of the stretched jazzy gliding that typified Maria Muldaur's original, this 1974 hit is speeded up somewhat but adapts perfectly to the Acid Jazz treatment. More radical overhauls are also included for clubs, where the record is already going down a storm." Ian McCann from NME declared it as "a latinish cover". Tony Cross from Smash Hits said it "sounds suspiciously like a funked-up Barry Manilow song".

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single. It was directed by directors Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini, known as just Max & Dania.

Track listing

Charts

Personnel

Other covers

Remix version

In 2004, Muldaur's original version was featured on the CD What Is Hip: Remix Project 1, a compilation of pop songs remixed for the clubs. The single is billed as the "Cuica Remix", with the track extended from its 3:49 recording to 4:49, incorporating portions of the background vocal, strings, and instrumental break with semi-chilled out Ibiza-themed elements.

In popular culture