New Year’s Eve: Maureen McGovern ‘The Morning After’

As we close out the year that was 2025, I wanted to leave you with one musical moment of hope.

When I was a young pup growing up in the 1970s, so-called “disaster films” became the rage. One of the early movies to establish the trend was the 1972 film The Poseidon Adventure, which follows a cast of characters on New Years’ Eve trying to survive a capsized luxury ship struck by a tidal wave.

You see the metaphor I’m working with here, yes?…

“The Morning After,” penned by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn for the film in an overnight assignment, scored the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 45th Academy Awards.

Newly-signed to 20th Century Records, Maureen McGovern recorded the song, released in December 1972 in advance of the impending hit movie and it went on to become a #1 hit.

I’ve always loved the song, but even more so after I met Maureen when my publicist hubby was working with her in the early 2000s. Warm, funny, and impossibly talented.

Some years ago, I came across a clip of Maureen performing at Birdland Jazz Club in New York City in 2018. Bringing her considerable talents to bear, she closed her concert with “The Morning After” burnished with an even deeper sense of hope.

Not only is the voice still golden, but her understanding of the lyrics is undeniably personal. The music nerd I am, I can’t help but applaud her vocals – after going full belt on the chorus, at the 3:00 mark she pulls her voice (and the audience) all the way back in with the final line of the song in gentle, gorgeous pianissimo. That’s art, folks

Not just “a pop song,” in this moment Maureen McGovern arftfully mines all the gold within.

I’ve shared her live version years ago, and I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve closed my days watching this on YouTube.

As we head into 2026, I gently remind everyone “there’s got to be a morning after, if we can hold on through the night.”

Thanks to all of you for joining me onTRR. It’s much more fun with you here. Wishing everyone a happy and safe New Years’ Eve, however you celebrate.