Fishin' in the Dark

The song is about a couple who plan to have a romantic encounter together at night while fishing. "Fishin' in the Dark" has a fast tempo in the key of D major, with its verses based mainly around an open fifth consisting of D and A.{{cite web | url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0074996 | title='Fishin' in the Dark' sheet music | date=15 June 2009 | publisher=MusicNotes.com | accessdate=August 22, 2024}} Jimmy Ibbotson, then the band's bass guitarist, sings lead vocals.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/130748058/ | title=Record Rack | work=The Palm Beach Post | date=April 5, 1987 | accessdate=July 12, 2024 | author=Holly Gleason | pages=8L}}

Co-writer Jim Photoglo, a native of California, made trips to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1984 at the suggestion of songwriter Wendy Waldman. While staying at a Shoney's Inn in Nashville, he began playing open fifths on his guitar into a tape recorder. Waldman suggested the title "Fishin' in the Dark" after listening to A Prairie Home Companion on the radio.{{cite book |last=Roland |first=Tom |title=The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits |year=1991 |publisher=Billboard Books |isbn=0-8230-7553-2 |pages=500–501}} As both they and record producer Josh Leo lived in the same apartment complex, Leo became aware of the song and recommended it to Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, for whom he was producing at the time.{{cite web | url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/02/25/story-behind-song-fishin-dark/24031923/ | title=Story Behind the Song: 'Fishin' in the Dark' | publisher=The Tennessean | date=February 28, 2015 | accessdate=July 12, 2024 | author=Dave Paulson}} Before the band recorded it, Ed Bruce also included a version on his 1986 album Night Things.{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/night-things-mw0000956517 | title=Night Things | publisher=AllMusic | accessdate=July 12, 2024}}

Almost three decades after the song's release, Photoglo would join Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, taking over for Ibbotson on bass guitar.{{cite web | url=https://www.kmuw.org/music/2019-03-20/the-nitty-gritty-dirt-band-celebrates-new-members-new-notes | title=The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Celebrates New Members, New Notes | publisher=KMUW | date=March 20, 2019 | accessdate=July 12, 2024 | author=Jedd Beaudoin}}

Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe gave the song an "A", stating that "The lyrics paint such a clear picture that you feel you’re out on the water with this young couple getting ready to do some fishin’ in the dark. No word on whether they catch any fish, but they’re definitely catching feelings, and that’s the secret sauce of this little gem. It captures the euphoria of those early days of a new romance, where the activity doesn’t matter so much as the chance to be alone together."{{cite web | url=https://www.countryuniverse.net/2024/05/22/every-1-country-single-of-the-eighties-nitty-gritty-dirt-band-fishin-in-the-dark/ | title=Every #1 Country Single of the Eighties: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, "Fishin' in the Dark" | publisher=Country Universe | date=May 22, 2024 | accessdate=August 22, 2024 | author=Kevin John Coyne}} Group member Jeff Hanna later stated that the song was considered Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's signature song, and became most popular during summertime.{{cite web | url=https://tasteofcountry.com/the-nitty-gritty-dirt-band-fishin-in-the-dark-gold/ | title=The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 'Fishin' in the Dark' goes gold after two decades | publisher=Taste of Country | date=May 3, 2011 | accessdate=July 12, 2024 | author=Alanna Conaway}} It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), honoring one million certified music downloads, on September 12, 2014.{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=single|title= Fishin&27 in the Dark|artist= The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band}}

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{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Nitty Gritty Dirt Band|title=Fishin&27 in the Dark|award=Platinum|certyear=2014|certmonth=9|relyear=2009|access-date=March 21, 2015 |salesamount=1,129,000 |salesref={{cite news |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2016/04/40097-top-30-digital-singles-april-4-2016 |title=The Top 30 Digital Country Singles: April 4, 2016|first= Matt |last=Bjorke |date=April 4, 2016 |work=Roughstock }}}}

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Category:1987 singles

Category:1986 songs

Category:Ed Bruce songs

Category:Nitty Gritty Dirt Band songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Josh Leo

Category:Warner Records Nashville singles

Category:Songs written by Wendy Waldman

Category:Songs written by Jim Photoglo