"The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" is a Southern Gothic song written by songwriter Bobby Russell and performed in 1972 by his then-wife Vicki Lawrence; Reba McEntire later covered it in 1991.

Recorded in late October of 1972 and released less than two weeks later in November of 1972, the song centers around the older brother of the female singer. In a sense, the song is a fast-tempo ballad, with an intricate plot for a short song.