Tonight’s song is a soul record from New York that almost nobody in America remembers. But in the north of England it became a legend.
Learn from Songs · Unit 4: The future · B1
Long After Tonight Is All Over
A forgotten New York soul record that became a legend on the dance floors of northern England: time clauses with a future meaning (when the music stops, we’ll…), until, as soon as and long after, and will and will still for promises, with Philo, Sophia, Marcos and Demetria.
SOPHIA
DEMETRIA
Why the north of England?
SOPHIA
Because young people there danced all night to American soul records, and at eight in the morning, this was one of the last three records of the night.
MARCOS
All night? That’s my kind of party.
Before you listen: the song
New York, 1964, and Wigan, the 1970s
Jimmy Radcliffe was a singer and songwriter from New York who sang on many demonstration records for other artists. In 1964 he recorded “Long After Tonight Is All Over”, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the team behind many hits for Dionne Warwick. In America it was not a big hit.
In the 1970s, young people in the north of England fell in love with rare American soul records. The scene was called Northern Soul, and its most famous club was the Wigan Casino, where people danced from midnight until eight in the morning. Every night ended with the same three records, the “three before eight”, and this was one of them. The club closed in 1981, but the dancers never forgot.
In the song, the singer makes a promise: when the night is over and the music stops, his feelings will still be there, long after tonight.
When the music stops, a promise begins.
Listen: the promise
PHILO
Listen once. What does he promise? When will it still be true?
SOPHIA
Listen for the drums and the brass that made people dance. Then answer Section A.
🕺 Listen to the song: “Long After Tonight Is All Over” (Burt Bacharach and Hal David, 1964), sung by Jimmy Radcliffe.Find the recording →
📜 Read the words while you listen: “Long After Tonight Is All Over”, Jimmy Radcliffe.Read the lyrics →
Time clauses with a future meaning
MARCOS
When the music stops, we’ll go home. After tonight is over, I’ll remember.
SOPHIA
After when, after, before, as soon as, until, use the present simple for the future, not will: When the music stops, never “when the music will stop”. The will goes in the other half of the sentence.
Until and as soon as
DEMETRIA
We’ll dance until the sun comes up. As soon as the band arrives, we’ll start.
SOPHIA
until = up to that time, then stop. as soon as = immediately when. Both take the present simple for the future.
Will still, long after
PHILO
I’ll still remember this night. Long after tonight, people will talk about it.
SOPHIA
will still + verb = it will continue to be true. long after / long before = a long time after / before: long after midnight.
Sophia’s comparison: the lamps of Sais
SOPHIA
Herodotus writes that in Sais, in the Delta, there is one night when people all over Egypt light lamps around their houses, and the lamps burn until morning: the Festival of Lamps.
PHILO
And in the Temple, the priests must keep the lamp burning from evening until morning, every night. Some lights are a promise.
Sophia’s summary
| Words and forms | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| when / after / before + present simple | future time clauses | When the music stops, we’ll go. |
| until + present simple | up to that time | We’ll dance until the sun comes up. |
| as soon as + present simple | immediately when | As soon as he arrives, we’ll start. |
| will still | it will continue | I’ll still remember. |
| long after / long before | a long time after / before | long after tonight |
Practice
Listen to the song for Section A, then do the rest. Press “Check my answers” at the end. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Listen: the song
Listen to the song and choose the best answer.
1. What does the singer promise?
2. Who wrote the song?
3. Was it a big hit in America?
4. Where did it become a legend?
5. What was the Wigan Casino famous for?
6. What were the “three before eight”?
B · Grammar and vocabulary
Write the missing word or words.
7. When the music , we’ll go home. (stop)
8. We’ll dance the sun comes up.
9. As as the band arrives, we’ll start.
10. I’ll remember this night when I’m old.
11. Call me when you home. (get)
12. I’ll wait here until you back. (come)
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
13. “When the music will stop, we’ll go home.”
14. “As soon as the sun comes up, we’ll leave.”
15. “I’ll still remember it long after tonight.”
16. “We’ll dance until the sun will come up.”
Talk and write
Discussion and writing
Plan the night. In groups, plan a party or festival. Say what will happen when, as soon as, until and after: As soon as the guests arrive, we’ll…
Discuss. 1. Why do some songs become famous years later, far from home? 2. Is a promise made at a party worth anything? 3. Which song would you choose to end a perfect night?
Write (100–120 words). Long after tonight. Describe a special night that is coming (a wedding, a festival, a concert) and what you will remember long after it is over. Use four time clauses.
Now play the gamebook: the Festival of Lamps, and music until dawn.Play the gamebook →