"Midnight Special" is a traditional folk song thought to have originated among prisoners in the American South. The title comes from the refrain which refers to the passenger train Midnight Special and its "ever-loving light" (sometimes "ever-living light").
Let the Midnight Special shine her light on me,
Let the Midnight Special shine her ever-loving light on me. (Traditional)
The song is historically performed in the country-blues style from the viewpoint of the prisoner and has been covered by many artists.