This song starts with about 25 seconds of an extremely annoying tick-tock sound, presumably to indicate that the time was half past midnight. After that, it features multi-part harmonies that reminded me of early Hollies records.
The Staccatos were from Ottawa and began their recording career in 1965. They reached the Canadian national Top 30 six times between 1965 and 1967. "Half Past Midnight", the only song to get airplay in Toronto, reached #5 nationally. The Staccatos also recorded a split album with The Guess Who in 1968, with each band appearing on one side.
The Staccatos renamed themselves The Five Man Electrical Band in 1969. In 1971, the renamed band had a huge North American and Australian hit with "Signs", which reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold over one million copies. Frontman and principal songwriter Les Emmerson also released some solo singles in the 1970s; he passed away from COVID-19 in 2021.
Created May 4, 2026.