This Could Be the Night (1966 song)

Spector produced MFQ's version in his Wall of Sound style, featuring a dense orchestration and a marching rhythm.

[6] Nilsson biographer Alyn Shipton describes the lyrics as expressing "the heady mixture of hope, desire, and fear experienced when a couple who have been dating for a while are on the point of finally conquering their inhibitions and making love for the first time.

The quartet had recently become a quintet (and shortened their name to MFQ) with the addition of drummer Eddie Hoh and was pursuing a Byrds'-inspired sound.

[9] According to Brown, "Spector's production sounded as if it had been recorded in a school gynamsium—a vibrantly echoing mélange of chiming guitars, bells and exuberant, sunny harmonies".

[2] Barney Hoskyns described it as "pure Wall-of-Sound Beach Boys, light years from the sound Terry Melcher was getting with the Byrds".

[11] MFQ's Henry Diltz recalled Wilson at the studio during the sessions: "we could see him in the recording booth, in his robe and slippers, sitting there playing our song over and over, for what seemed like hours".

[2][5] "This Could Be the Night" was slated for release as MFQ's first single with the new lineup, but Spector became focused on Tina Turner and "River Deep – Mountain High" and "forgot all about the Modern Folk Quartet [sic]".

[12] The group's Jerry Yester later commented, "I never forgave him for the thing with the TNT Show [for which Spector was the musical director and associate producer].

[13] The song was officially released for the first time on the 1976 British compilation album Phil Spector Wall of Sound Vol.