"This Could Be the Night" is a song written by American musicians Harry Nilsson and Phil Spector in tribute to musician-songwriter Brian Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys. In late 1965 or early 1966, the Modern Folk Quartet (or MFQ) recorded the song, which was produced by Spector. Although MFQ were pursuing folk rock, biographer Mark Ribowsky compared their recording to a "Wagnerian folk march", due to Spector's Wall of Sound production.

MFQ hoped to release "This Could Be the Night" as a single, but Spector decided against it. Instead he used the song as the opening theme music for the 1966 rock concert film The Big TNT Show. Other than the film, MFQ's recording went unissued until 1976, when it appeared on a Spector compilation album. Nilsson recorded the song several times, but only a solo demo have been issued. In 1995, Wilson recorded it for a Nilsson tribute album. Several other musicians have recorded their versions of the song.

According to Spector biographer Mick Brown, Nilsson wrote "This Could Be the Night" as a tribute to Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. Nilsson brought it to Spector, whose productions Wilson greatly admired. Nilsson and Spector are often listed as the songwriters, including by BMI, the performing rights organization. However, Nilsson biographer Alyn Shipton notes that the song was copyrighted by Nilsson alone on March 30, 1966. It is one of three songs credited jointly to Nilsson and Spector, the other two being "Here I Sit" and "Paradise".

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." Wilson deemed it one of Nilsson's very best compositions and one of Spector's best productions, explaining "Well, the idea they've been dating and waiting and finally they made love … I love that message."

Hoping to break into the folk rock market, Spector befriended MFQ in 1965. 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. Spector brought the group to Gold Star Studios in Hollywood to record the song. The session date(s) are unknown, but took place between late 1965 and January 19, 1966.

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