Time (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Encyclopedia
Time is a concept album
by Electric Light Orchestra
released in 1981 through Jet Records
. The album tells the story, through its songs and lyrics, about a man from the 1980's finding himself in the year 2095 and trying to come to terms with being unable to return and adjusting to his new surroundings.
An immediate success upon its original release, Time would rank as the sixth highest charting album in the world for 1981.
In 2001, the album was remastered and reissued on CD
with three additional bonus tracks, two of which ("Julie Don't Live Here" and "When Time Stood Still") had already been released as B-sides of singles
("Twilight" and "Hold On Tight" respectively) from the original album, while the other ("The Bouncer") was originally released as the UK B-side of the 1983 single "Four Little Diamonds
" from the follow-up album Secret Messages
.
and Xanadu
, were heavily influenced by pop
and disco
, Time is much closer to ELO's roots of progressive rock
music. Songs like "Ticket To The Moon
", "The Way Life's Meant to Be
", "Rain Is Falling
", and "21st Century Man" are reminiscent of material from the A New World Record
through Out Of The Blue
era of ELO, while other tracks explore new influences such as New Wave
("Twilight", "Yours Truly, 2095", "Another Heart Breaks", "From The End Of The World", and "Here Is The News
"), and Rockabilly
("Hold On Tight") with the core ELO sound. The album reached #1 in the UK Albums Chart
(see list of UK #1 albums from the 1980s). The hit single "Hold On Tight" proved to be the band's last top-ten single in both the US and UK, and the album itself achieved Platinum and Gold status in the UK and US respectively.
Rainer Pietsch took over conducting the strings, although Louis Clark
did appear (for the first time) playing keyboards in the live line-up on the subsequent Time tour.
to create the astro-rock music genre.
The musical style and theme of Time were echoed in later albums such as The Sophtware Slump
by Grandaddy
, who cited the album as a great influence; and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
by The Flaming Lips
.
In an early 1980s Rolling Stone
magazine interview, Steve Winwood
said that Time had influenced him.
In 1999, Cher
sampled a synth sound from "Prologue" and "Epilogue" at the beginning of her #1 hit single "Believe
".
. Strings conducted by Rainer Pietsch.
Additional personnel
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
by Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
released in 1981 through Jet Records
Jet Records
Jet Records was a small British record label set up by Don Arden with artists like Electric Light Orchestra , Roy Wood, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Riot and Magnum. The first release on the "Jet Records" label was "No Honestly", a UK top 10 for its singer and writer Lynsey De Paul in November 1974...
. The album tells the story, through its songs and lyrics, about a man from the 1980's finding himself in the year 2095 and trying to come to terms with being unable to return and adjusting to his new surroundings.
An immediate success upon its original release, Time would rank as the sixth highest charting album in the world for 1981.
In 2001, the album was remastered and reissued on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
with three additional bonus tracks, two of which ("Julie Don't Live Here" and "When Time Stood Still") had already been released as B-sides of singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
("Twilight" and "Hold On Tight" respectively) from the original album, while the other ("The Bouncer") was originally released as the UK B-side of the 1983 single "Four Little Diamonds
Four Little Diamonds
"Four Little Diamonds" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra from their 1983 album Secret Messages. It was also featured on their compilation albums Afterglow and Flashback. The single did not do very well in the USA, spending only 2 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and...
" from the follow-up album Secret Messages
Secret Messages
Secret Messages is an album by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1983 through Jet Records. It would be the last ELO album to feature bassist Kelly Groucutt, conductor Louis Clark and real stringed instruments...
.
Musical style
While the two preceding ELO albums, DiscoveryDiscovery (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Discovery is a 1979 album by Electric Light Orchestra.-History:Discovery was the band's first No. 1 album in the UK, entering the chart at that position and staying there for five weeks...
and Xanadu
Xanadu (Soundtrack)
Xanadu is the soundtrack of the 1980 musical film of the same name, featuring the Australian singer Olivia Newton-John and the Britsh group Electric Light Orchestra....
, were heavily influenced by pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
, Time is much closer to ELO's roots of progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
music. Songs like "Ticket To The Moon
Ticket to the Moon
"Ticket To The Moon" is a popular song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.It was track four on the album Time and was released as a Double A along with "Here Is The News" in January 1982 , reaching #24 in the UK charts. The song is somewhat reminiscent of their earlier...
", "The Way Life's Meant to Be
The Way Life's Meant to Be
"The Way Life's Meant to Be" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.The song is track five on the 1981 album Time and was the last track to be released as a single from the album in the UK. It starts with gentle violins, and continues with flamenco-like guitar...
", "Rain Is Falling
Rain Is Falling
"Rain Is Falling" is a song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.It was track seven on the album Time and was released as the third single from the album in the US in 1982....
", and "21st Century Man" are reminiscent of material from the A New World Record
A New World Record
A New World Record is the sixth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1976.-Overview:The second album to be recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, the LP proved to be the band's long awaited breakthrough in the UK: after seeing their previous three studio recordings fail to chart...
through Out Of The Blue
Out of the Blue (Electric Light Orchestra album)
The 30th Anniversary Edition was released on February, 20th 2007 with three bonus tracks.-Personnel:ELO*Jeff Lynne – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion*Bev Bevan – drums, percussion, backing vocals, fire extinguisher on "Mr...
era of ELO, while other tracks explore new influences such as New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
("Twilight", "Yours Truly, 2095", "Another Heart Breaks", "From The End Of The World", and "Here Is The News
Here Is the News
"Here Is the News" is a 1982 song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.It is track ten on the album Time and was released as a double A-side along with "Ticket to the Moon" in January 1982, reaching #24 in the UK charts. The song makes heavy use of synthesizers but also includes...
"), and Rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
("Hold On Tight") with the core ELO sound. The album reached #1 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
(see list of UK #1 albums from the 1980s). The hit single "Hold On Tight" proved to be the band's last top-ten single in both the US and UK, and the album itself achieved Platinum and Gold status in the UK and US respectively.
Rainer Pietsch took over conducting the strings, although Louis Clark
Louis Clark
Louis Clark is a British musical arranger and keyboard player.He trained at Leeds College of Music. He was the conductor of the orchestra and choir hired to back Electric Light Orchestra's sound, introduced on their album Eldorado in 1974...
did appear (for the first time) playing keyboards in the live line-up on the subsequent Time tour.
Subsequent musical influences
The album's sound influenced the band Brave Saint SaturnBrave Saint Saturn
Brave Saint Saturn is a Christian rock band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1999. The band is a side-project of former members of Five Iron Frenzy started by Reese Roper...
to create the astro-rock music genre.
The musical style and theme of Time were echoed in later albums such as The Sophtware Slump
The Sophtware Slump
The Sophtware Slump is the second studio album by American indie rock band Grandaddy, released in 2000. The album received strong reviews from most critics. It is seen by some as a concept album about problems concerning modern technology in society. The title is a reference to the sophomore slump,...
by Grandaddy
Grandaddy
Grandaddy was an American indie rock band, formed in 1992 in Modesto, California by singer, guitarist, and keyboardist Jason Lytle, bassist Kevin Garcia, and drummer Aaron Burtch. Guitarist Jim Fairchild and keyboardist Tim Dryden later joined the band in 1995...
, who cited the album as a great influence; and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
-Special edition DVD-Audio:-The Flaming Lips:* Wayne Coyne - guitar, vocals, artwork, mixing, production* Michael Ivins - bass guitar, keyboards, vocals, mixing, production, additional engineering...
by The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
.
In an early 1980s Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine interview, Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
said that Time had influenced him.
In 1999, Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
sampled a synth sound from "Prologue" and "Epilogue" at the beginning of her #1 hit single "Believe
Believe (Cher song)
"Believe" is a song by American recording artist Cher. It was released on November 24, 1998 as the lead single from her twenty-third studio album of the same name. It was written by Brian Higgins, Stuart McLennen, Paul Barry, Steven Torch, Matthew Gray, and Timothy Powell and produced by Mark...
".
Track listing
All music composed and lyrics written by Jeff LynneJeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
. Strings conducted by Rainer Pietsch.
Side one
- "Prologue" – 1:15
- "Twilight" – 3:35
- "Yours Truly, 2095Yours Truly 2095Yours Truly, 2095 is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra. It is the third song in their 1981 album Time. It is a pop rock and electronica hit with a mild, fast tempo.- Concept:...
" – 3:15 - "Ticket to the MoonTicket to the Moon"Ticket To The Moon" is a popular song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.It was track four on the album Time and was released as a Double A along with "Here Is The News" in January 1982 , reaching #24 in the UK charts. The song is somewhat reminiscent of their earlier...
" – 4:06 - "The Way Life's Meant to BeThe Way Life's Meant to Be"The Way Life's Meant to Be" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.The song is track five on the 1981 album Time and was the last track to be released as a single from the album in the UK. It starts with gentle violins, and continues with flamenco-like guitar...
" – 4:36 - "Another Heart Breaks" – 3:46
Side two
- "Rain Is Falling" – 3:54
- "From the End of the World" – 3:16
- "The Lights Go Down" – 3:31
- "Here Is the NewsHere Is the News"Here Is the News" is a 1982 song written and performed by Electric Light Orchestra.It is track ten on the album Time and was released as a double A-side along with "Ticket to the Moon" in January 1982, reaching #24 in the UK charts. The song makes heavy use of synthesizers but also includes...
" – 3:49 - "21st Century Man" – 4:00
- "Hold on Tight" – 3:05
- "Epilogue" – 1:30
Bonus tracks on the 2001 edition
- "The Bouncer" - 3:14 (B-side to "Four Little DiamondsFour Little Diamonds"Four Little Diamonds" is a song by the rock music group Electric Light Orchestra from their 1983 album Secret Messages. It was also featured on their compilation albums Afterglow and Flashback. The single did not do very well in the USA, spending only 2 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and...
") - "When Time Stood Still" - 3:33 (B-side to "Hold On Tight")
- "Julie Don't Live Here" - 3:42 (B-side to "Twilight")
Personnel
- Jeff LynneJeff LynneJeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
- lead and backing vocals, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, acoustic guitarSteel-string acoustic guitarA steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Bev BevanBev BevanBev Bevan is an English rock musician, who was the drummer and one of the original members of The Move and Electric Light Orchestra...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion - Richard TandyRichard TandyRichard Tandy , is best known as the keyboard player in the rock band, Electric Light Orchestra...
- piano, electric pianoElectric pianoAn electric piano is an electric musical instrument.Electric pianos produce sounds mechanically and the sounds are turned into electrical signals by pickups. Unlike a synthesizer, the electric piano is not an electronic instrument, but electro-mechanical. The earliest electric pianos were invented...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Kelly GroucuttKelly GroucuttKelly Groucutt , born Michael William Groucutt, was an English musician who was best known for being the bass player for the band Electric Light Orchestra , between 1974 and 1983. He was born in Coseley, West Midlands.-Early career:Groucutt began his musical career at 15 as Rikki Storm of Rikki...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals
Additional personnel
- Bill BottrellBill BottrellBill Bottrell is an American record producer, songwriter and musician, probably best known for his Grammy Award-winning collaborations with Michael Jackson, E.L.O. and Sheryl Crow.- Biography :...
- engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - MackReinhold MackReinhold Mack is a German record producer and sound engineer, mostly known for his collaborations with rock bands Electric Light Orchestra and Queen. Most of this work took place at Giorgio Moroder's Musicland Studios in Munich...
- engineer - Strings conducted by Rainer Pietsch
Tour line-up
- Jeff LynneJeff LynneJeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
- lead vocals, guitar - Bev BevanBev BevanBev Bevan is an English rock musician, who was the drummer and one of the original members of The Move and Electric Light Orchestra...
- drums - Richard TandyRichard TandyRichard Tandy , is best known as the keyboard player in the rock band, Electric Light Orchestra...
- keyboards - Kelly GroucuttKelly GroucuttKelly Groucutt , born Michael William Groucutt, was an English musician who was best known for being the bass player for the band Electric Light Orchestra , between 1974 and 1983. He was born in Coseley, West Midlands.-Early career:Groucutt began his musical career at 15 as Rikki Storm of Rikki...
- vocals, bass guitar - Mik KaminskiMik KaminskiMik Kaminski is best known for playing violin in the Electric Light Orchestra between 1973 and 1979.-Biography:...
- violin, synthesizer - Louis ClarkLouis ClarkLouis Clark is a British musical arranger and keyboard player.He trained at Leeds College of Music. He was the conductor of the orchestra and choir hired to back Electric Light Orchestra's sound, introduced on their album Eldorado in 1974...
- string synthesizer - Dave MorganDave Morgan (musician)David 'Dave' Morgan is an English songwriter and musician.-Career:He was a member of well-regarded Birmingham 60's group The Uglys with Steve Gibbons between 1967 and 1969, where Morgan was the bassist and vocalist...
- backing vocals, vocoder, acoustic guitar
Chart performance
| Country | Peak | Top 40 weeks | Total weeks | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
1 | 41 | 6 7 | |
| Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
1 | 18 | 38 | 8 |
| Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
1 | 33 | 9 | |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
1 | 15 | 32 | 10 |
| Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
2 | 18 | 19 | 11 |
| Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
2 | 17 | 17 | 12 |
| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
2 | 16 | 16 | 13 |
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
3 | 25 | 14 | |
| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
7 | 15 | 29 | 15 |
| New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
10 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
16 | 12 | 20 | 17 |
| Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
19 | 18 | ||
| France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
28 | 16 | 19 | |
| Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
36 | 17 | 20 |