Midland Kiss and Tell in ‘Sunrise Tells the Story’ [Listen]

Midland’s “Sunrise Tells the Story” continues the group’s neotraditional sound and adds a cosmic flair. Swinging rhythms and starry-eyed lyrics give the hint of something more than a one-night stand on the horizon, as lead singer Mark Wystrach wonders what will come next.

This giddy morning-after track is rich with the imagery of a romantic night, but Wystrach is quick to insist that it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Like Brothers Osborne’s hit “Stay a Little Longer,” though, this song is as upbeat as it is emotionally charged.

“I don’t know where it’s going, I just want you to stay,” Wystrach confesses. The two are still strangers, but celestial characters in the chorus — a watchful moon and blushing stars — make this affair seem like the first whiff of destiny.

Ultimately, “Sunrise Tells the Story” feels hopeful and a little cautious — an optimistic turn for Midland, who typically thrive on the blues.

Did You Know?: Midland guitarist Jess Carson co-wrote “Sunrise Tells the Story'' with Jessi Alexander and Aaron Raitiere, and the guitar parts certainly shine. The song’s waltzy rhythm adds to its romanticism, incorporating classic country twangs and a steady acoustic backing.

Midland, "Sunrise Tells the Story" Lyrics

There's a half cigarette swimmin' in red wine / The record's still spinnin' / The scene of the crime / It's lookin' like a tornado might've come crashin' through the door / We can't say what happened, but one thing's for sure ...

Chorus:

The moon saw it all through a thin piece of glass / And the stars must have blushed when you kissed me like that / And we can't hide the evidence / It's scattered everywhеre in all its naked glory / The night knows thе truth / The sunrise tells the story ...

Well, the last I recall, it was a quarter 'til two / We headed back to my place like two strangers do / And who would've thought that we'd end up all tangled up together? / The night was a witness to our sweet surrender / And ...

Repeat Chorus

Is it a book or a chapter? / A few words on a page? / Don't know where it's goin' / I just want you to stay ...

And ...

Repeat Chorus

Oh, the night knows the truth / The sunrise tells the story ...

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