The Moving Story Behind “Midnight Cry”
When Alabama’s touring group Gold City released “Midnight Cry” in 1999 — with Southern Gospel favorite Ivan Parker delivering the solo — few could have predicted the impact it would have. The powerful ballad quickly swept through the Christian music world, crossing borders, languages, and denominations. Today, it remains one of the most-recorded and most-beloved modern gospel songs.
But behind the soaring melody and timeless lyrics lies an origin story that is as moving as the hymn itself.
From Struggle to Inspiration
The song was written by brothers Chuck and Greg Day, who were born into a life of ministry. Their mother was a preacher who had been delivering sermons since she was just sixteen, and their childhood was spent moving from place to place wherever her calling took her.
Yet despite those roots, both brothers strayed in their early twenties, falling into struggles with alcohol and drugs. By 1986, their lives were heading down a dark road. That’s when a family visit to their parents’ home in Adel, Georgia, changed everything.
A Sermon Sparks a Song
That Sunday morning, the family attended church together. The visiting minister announced his sermon title: “The Midnight Cry.”
The words struck a chord immediately. Chuck pulled out a business card and scribbled the phrase down before the sermon had even begun. He didn’t know what it would become, only that it mattered.
The brothers listened closely as the message unfolded, the phrase echoing in their hearts throughout the day. Later that afternoon, back in their parents’ living room, Greg sat down at the piano and began to play a few simple chords. Almost instinctively, he and Chuck started trading lines. In just thirty minutes, “Midnight Cry” was born.
From Living Room to Legacy
That very evening, Chuck and Greg performed the new song at their church service. Its message of hope and Christ’s return resonated deeply with the congregation. What began as a spark during a Sunday sermon quickly grew into a song that would travel far beyond the walls of that Georgia church.
More than a decade later, Gold City’s recording with Ivan Parker would bring “Midnight Cry” to a global audience, and it has since been sung by countless choirs, soloists, and congregations across the world.
A Song That Lives On
What makes “Midnight Cry” so powerful isn’t just its message — it’s the testimony behind it. Two brothers, once lost, rediscovered faith and purpose through music. Their half-hour burst of inspiration has comforted millions, reminding believers everywhere of the hope that awaits.
As Chuck Day once said about the song’s creation, “It was God’s way of turning our brokenness into something beautiful.”