Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedIn the Midnight Hour
Soul1960s111BPM
E majKey
More around 110 BPM → · More in E major →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Wilson Pickett & Steve Cropper), no dispute found — shares co-writer Cropper with “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” (this batch).
Quick Facts
Released1965
AlbumIn the Midnight Hour
GenreSoul, R&B
LabelAtlantic Records
ProducerJerry Wexler
Recorded atStax Studios, Memphis
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Wilson Pickett & Steve Cropper
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Atlantic; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A much-covered soul standard (Grammy Hall of Fame; National Recording Registry 2016); shares co-writer Steve Cropper with “Dock of the Bay” (this batch).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Shares co-writer Steve Cropper (this batch)
Its chord progression is an inverted version of this song’s — written at the same Lorraine Motel (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Wilson Pickett & Steve Cropper
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A record executive dancing “the Jerk”
The innovative “delayed backbeat” came about when Atlantic president Jerry Wexler physically demonstrated a dance step called “the Jerk” in the studio — Cropper described the 48-year-old executive “just dancing around the studio, shadowboxing” to show the exact rhythmic emphasis, which Cropper and drummer Al Jackson Jr. built into the track. Pickett and Cropper wrote it in a room at Memphis’ Lorraine Motel. No lyrics reproduced.
Library of Congress · read it →
A historical footnote, presented factually
The song was written at the Lorraine Motel — the same Memphis motel where, three years later, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated; the site is now the National Civil Rights Museum.
Classic Song of the Day · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
A Grammy Hall of Fame soul standard
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
MH
Wilson Pickett (estate) & Steve Cropper / Atlantic
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
Find a similar sound that's 100% freeBrowse the catalog →
References
Every source cited on this page — 4 in total
Was this page helpful?
Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 16)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass