“Dead of Night” by Orville Peck

Orville Peck’s “Dead of Night” is a love song which is most possibly based on a homosexual romance, i.e. ‘the boys walking on by’ in the chorus likely being a reference to the singer and his romantic interest, the addressee. But more to the point is this piece serving as a narrative harping back to the adventurous, golden days of their relationship. 

Said period was highlighted by the two of them hitchhiking through Nevada and by the looks of things having the time of their lives.

Meanwhile, the third verse is set in the present. By now, the vocalist and addressee have parted ways. And evidently the previous reminiscing is indicative of the former being heartbroken, i.e. now, some “six summers” later, still being unable to get over his past beau.

And as explained by Orville Peck, the third verse would actually be the most important as far as the sentiment this song is designed to relay. That’s because as conceptualized, “Dead of the Night” is actually meant to speak to the concept of being unable to get over a relationship that has expired, even if said union was less-than-ideal when it was intact. 

Well as noted, it is quite clear that the singer is currently in his feelings as a result of the addressee being absent. But the idea of him having been the victim of an unrequited love, as intended by Peck, doesn’t really come through in the lyrics.

“Dead of Night”

Also, the term “dead of night” is basically another way of saying ‘middle of the night’. But as used in this song, it is not alluding to a time of day per se. Rather, in the first and second verses the phrase can be deemed as a symbol of the two characters’ love when it was at its peak. 

As used in the third verse (rather being phrased “dead in the night”), it points to the vocalist now being heartbroken.

Orville Peck

Orville Peck is a singer from Canada who specializes in country music. Not much is definitively known about him at the present outside of the fact that he’s gay. The reason not much is known about him is that he is an extremely private person. For example, up until this point Peck has opted to make public appearances wearing a mask. 

However, it is widely believed that he is one Daniel Pitout. Daniel is a musician who initially made his way onto the music scene as a drummer as part of a since-defunct early 2010s group known as Nü Sensae.

Facts about “Dead of the Night”

“Dead of the Night” was officially released on 7 December 2017. It is the opening track of Orville Peck’s debut album, 2019’s “Pony”. The entire “Pony” project is a product of US-based Sub Pop, i.e. the same label that put out Nirvana and Soundgarden. 

Peck has verified that this was in fact the first song he wrote for said album.

In January of 2022, this song went viral and became one of the most searched songs on Shazam. This was after it was featured on the second-season opener of the TV series Euphoria, which aired on 9 January 2022.

This track’s official music video was directed by Michael Maxxis.