Gladys Knight & The Pips "midnight Train To Georgia" (1974) | Ad-Free

Released in August 1973, became the signature song of Gladys Knight & The Pips. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 27, 1973, and later earned the group their first Grammy Award in 1974. Origins and Inspiration

: Gospel singer Cissy Houston (mother of Whitney Houston) was the first to cover it. She requested the title be changed to "Midnight Train to Georgia" because her family was from Georgia and she preferred the idea of taking a train over a plane. Gladys Knight & The Pips "Midnight Train To Georgia" (1974)

"Midnight Train to Georgia" was the second single from the group’s album Imagination , their first project after leaving Motown for Buddah Records. Released in August 1973, became the signature song

: Knight’s publisher heard Houston’s version and brought it to the group. Knight identified with the lyrics, relating them to the many people who move to Los Angeles seeking stardom only to fail and eventually return home. Chart Success and Awards Origins and Inspiration : Gospel singer Cissy Houston

The song was written by country songwriter , who originally titled it "Midnight Plane to Houston" . Weatherly was inspired by a 1970 phone call with actress Farrah Fawcett, who mentioned she was packing for the "midnight plane to Houston" to visit family.