Beautiful, Scandalous Night

Album: Flap Your Wings (2000)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was written by Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong who are best known for being founding members of the alternative Christian rock band, The Choir.
  • Hindalong and Daugherty originally recorded this for the 1992 worship album At the Foot of the Cross, Volume One: Clouds, Rain, Fire. Five years later The Choir recorded an acoustic version themselves for their live album Let It Fly. In 2000 they recorded a studio-recorded version on their Grammy-nominated album Flap Your Wings.
  • Hindalong explained to CCM Top 100 Greatest Songs In Christian Music how this song came about: "Derri gave me this handheld tape player with all these songs that he'd dem'd up, and you could hear a football game (on TV) in the background. He's watching the game and strumming his guitar… For 'Beautiful Scandalous Night' and the album it was on, we were just focusing on the death of Christ and His sacrifice. That was just a real powerful offering for us and a very special song. It was our dream, our fantasy, that (gospel singer) Russ Taff would sing it… We didn't get that to happen, but Bob Bennett did a great job."
  • Among the artists to cover this has been Sheila Walsh on her 2000 album Blue Waters and Sixpence None the Richer together with Bebo Norman on the 2003 set City on a Hill: The Gathering.

Comments: 2

  • Eliza from OhioThis is one of my all time favorite songs, it perfectly describes what Jesus Christ has done for the human race. Thank you writers for being sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
  • Michael from Cincinnati, OhOther notable recordings: Smalltown Poets (Third Verse, 2000), Robbie Seay Band (Give Yourself Away, 2007) and The Lost Dogs (Mutt, 2012). The Lost Dogs are a Christian music supergroup which Derri and Steve are members of (also featuring Terry Taylor [Daniel Amos] and Michael Roe [The 77s]).
see more comments

Editor's Picks

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.

History Of Rock

History Of RockSong Writing

An interview with Dr. John Covach, music professor at the University of Rochester whose free online courses have become wildly popular.

Donny Osmond

Donny OsmondSongwriter Interviews

Donny Osmond talks about his biggest hits, his Vegas show, and the fan who taught him to take "Puppy Love" seriously.

Chris Isaak

Chris IsaakSongwriter Interviews

Chris tells the story of "Wicked Game," talks milkshakes and moonpies at Sun Records, and explains why women always get their way.

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.