Rock Music

The song was written by Bob Seger. It was released on his 1976 album Night Moves and then as a single later that year. Then in 1977, it rose to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #5 in Canada. It was within the Top 40 in Australia and New Zealand. The album Night Moves was certified 6x Platinum in the U.S. and 3x Platinum in Canada.

The story of the song is largely autobiographical, as it is based on Seger remembering the freedom and looseness of teenage love — summer storms and all. Of course, there are fictional elements to it, but Seger has said that the girl he was with had a boyfriend away in the military. When her man came back, they married, and it broke Seger’s heart. Influences and inspirations for the song, Seger says, came from the film American Graffiti as well as the Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGree” and Bruce Sprintsteen’s “Jungleland.”

“Night Moves” was recorded at Nimbus Nine Studios in Toronto, Canada, and was produced by Jack Richardson. At the time, players from The Silver Bullet Band had returned home, except for the bassist Christ Campbell, drummer Charlie Allen Martin, and Seger on vocals, acoustic guitar and piano. So Richardson brought in local session musicians to play guitar and organ. The backing vocals were provided by Sharon Lee Williams, Rhonda Silver, and Laurel Ward.

Here are the lyrics to “Night Moves” by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band:

I was a little too tall
Could’ve used a few pounds
Tight pants point hardly renowned
She was a black-haired beauty with big dark eyes
And points all her own sitting way up high
Way up firm and high

Out past the cornfields where the woods got heavy
Out in the back seat of my ’60 Chevy
Workin’ on mysteries without any clues
Workin’ on our night moves
Tryin’ to make some front page drive-in news
Workin’ on our night moves
In the summertime
In the sweet summertime

We weren’t in love, oh no, far from it
We weren’t searchin’ for some pie in the sky summit
We were just young and restless and bored
Livin’ by the sword
And we’d steal away every chance we could
To the backroom, to the alley or the trusty woods
I used her, she used me
But neither one cared
We were gettin’ our share
Workin’ on our night moves
Tryin’ to lose the awkward teenage blues
Workin’ on our night moves
And it was summertime
Sweet, summertime, summertime

And oh the wonder
Felt the lightning, yeah
And waited on the thunder
Waited on the thunder

I woke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started hummin’ a song from 1962
Ain’t it funny how the night moves
When you just don’t seem to have as much to lose
Strange how the night moves
With autumn closin’ in

mmmm
night moves
mm (night moves)
night moves (night moves)
yeah (night moves)
I remember (night moves)
Ah sure remember the night moves (night moves)
ain’t it funny how you remember (night moves)
Funny how you remember (night moves)
I remember I remember I remember I remember (night moves)
oooohh ohh wohh
and we were workin’
workin’ and practicin’ (night moves)
workin’ and practicin’ (night moves) all of the night moves
night moves (night moves)
ooooh (night moves) I remember
yeah yeah yeah (night moves) I remember
oooo (night moves) I remember
lord I remember lord I remember
ohh ho
oooo hooo
oh yeah, yeah, yeah
uh huh, uh huh
I remember, I remember

For More 70s Tunes

The System has daily featured music from all sorts of genres of 1970s music. You’re welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections in The System. Thank you for stopping by. Hope you enjoyed “Night Moves” by Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band.