The Midnight Oil

The Midnight Oil
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 9, 1973
RecordedSeptember 29, 1971–May 25, 1973
StudioColumbia (Nashville, Tennessee)
GenreCountry
Length
  • 26:41
  • 39:10 (2010 CD reissue & 2018 expanded edition)
LabelColumbia
ProducerBilly Sherrill
Barbara Mandrell chronology
A Perfect Match
(1972)
The Midnight Oil
(1973)
This Time I Almost Made It
(1974)
Singles from The Midnight Oil
  1. "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home"
    Released: November 29, 1971
  2. "Show Me"
    Released: March 20, 1972
  3. "Holdin' On (To the Love I Got)"
    Released: September 25, 1072
  4. "Give a Little, Take a Little"
    Released: March 26, 1973
  5. "The Midnight Oil"
    Released: July 23, 1973

The Midnight Oil is the second solo studio album by American country music singer Barbara Mandrell, released in 1973.

Mandrell had not released a solo studio album since 1971. It was her most successful album while under her Columbia label. This album brought Mandrell into more controversial territory, especially with the title track, "The Midnight Oil" which discussed a woman cheating on her husband. The album spawned five Top 40 Country hits, "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" (#10), "Show Me" (#11), "Holdin' On (To the Love I Got)" (#27), "Give a Little, Take a Little" (#24), and the title track (#7). This album brought Mandrell's first pair of solo Top 10 hits on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The album consisted of 11 tracks, some of which were cover versions, including Tanya Tucker's "The Jamestown Ferry", Martha Carson's "Satisfied" and the George Jones and Tammy Wynette hit, "We're Gonna Hold On". The album peaked at #8 on the Top Country Albums chart in 1974.