It reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 9, 1984, and remained there for two weeks. Worldwide, the song is her most commercially successful single after "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", and reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and number 6 on the RIAA Singles Chart.
"Time After Time" was nominated for "Song of the Year" at the 1985 Grammy Awards. The ballad is considered a classic of the 1980s and is still played frequently on adult contemporary radio. It has been covered by numerous artists.
Writing
Lauper co-wrote "Time After Time" with Philadelphia rocker Rob Hyman of The Hooters, who also supplied backup vocals to the song. In a 2006 interview with Sound Off with Matt Pinfield (episode 212) on HDNet, Lauper related how the song was written. She indicated much of the lyrics were written about occurrences in the studio and her life at the time. The line "the second hand unwinds" referred to producer Rick Chertoff's watch which was winding backwards.
Hyman explained in the interview with Songfacts that he and Lauper stayed in the studio after the sessions composing the song.
Music video
The video for "Time After Time" was about a runaway leaving her lover behind. The video opens with Lauper watching the 1936 film The Garden of Allah. Lauper signs the title of the song to the deaf as she is leaving the train station. The video was played in heavy rotation on MTV. Lauper's mother, brother, and then-boyfriend David Wolff appear in the video, and Lou Albano, who played her father in the "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" video, can be seen as a cook. The video was directed by Edd Griles. Portions of the video were filmed at the now closed Tom's Diner in Roxbury, the intersection of Central Ave & Main St in Wharton, New Jersey, and at the Morristown train station.
The "house" scenes shot with Cyndi's mother were filmed at two houses on Hurd Street in Wharton. The kitchen scene was filmed in Mary Sweedy's kitchen, complete with a wood/gas stove and the front porch was the house nextdoor, owned by her son Lenny.
Time After Time
Cyndi Lauper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And think of you
Caught up in circles
Confusion is nothing new
Flashback, warm nights
Almost left behind
Suitcases of memories
Time after
Sometimes you picture me
I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me, I can't hear
What you've said
Then you say, go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting
Time after time
After my picture fades and darkness has
Turned to gray
Watching through windows
You're wondering if I'm okay
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
You said go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after
Time
"Time After Time" is a timeless ballad performed by Cyndi Lauper in 1984. The song tells a story of a relationship where one person is always a step ahead or behind the other, but the love between them transcends the boundaries of time. The first verse sets the mood and immediately creates a feeling of nostalgia, as the singer lies in bed, listening to the clock ticking and thinking of her loved one. She is caught up in circles and confusion, which she admits is nothing new. The lyrics that follow are reminiscent of warm nights and suitcases filled with memories.
The chorus is the centerpiece of the song, where the words "time after time" are repeated several times. The singer's partner calls out to her, but she can't hear them because she is walking too far ahead. They tell her to slow down, and she falls behind while the second hand of the clock unwinds. The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the theme of time and how it affects relationships.
The second part of the chorus serves as a reassuring message, that if one person is lost, they can look for the other and find them, showing the depth of the love they share. The last verse is melancholic as the singer admits that sometimes when their picture fades, and they are no longer around, the loved one is left wondering if they are okay. The bridge uses the metaphor of a drum beating out of time to represent the heartache and the pain they feel when they are apart. The chorus is repeated several more times as the song reaches its climax.
Overall, the song's timeless melody and lyrics have captured the hearts of audiences for decades. It remains one of the most beloved ballads in music history and is considered one of the best songs of the 1980s.
Line by Line Meaning
Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick
I'm alone with my thoughts, the ticking clock reminds me of the passing time.
And think of you
During these long hours, my mind wanders to you.
Caught up in circles
I feel stuck in a cycle of confusion and uncertainty.
Confusion is nothing new
This isn't the first time I've struggled with mixed feelings and unclear thoughts.
Flashback, warm nights
Memories of good times spent together come flooding back into my mind.
Almost left behind
I thought I had moved on from those memories, but they still linger close by.
Suitcases of memories
My mind is full of memories of the time we spent together, some I would rather forget.
Time after
These memories always seem to come back again and again.
Sometimes you picture me
I wonder if you think about me like I think about you.
I'm walking too far ahead
I'm moving forward without looking back, leaving you behind.
You're calling to me, I can't hear
You're trying to get my attention, but I'm preoccupied with my own thoughts.
What you've said
I'm not really listening to you, my mind is too busy with its own chatter.
Then you say, go slow
You're asking me to take things more slowly, to pause and appreciate the present moment.
I fall behind
I struggle to keep up with your pace and your requests.
The second hand unwinds
Time keeps ticking away, moving us further and further apart.
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Despite our differences and distance, I'm still here for you, always available to help.
Time after time
I will always be here, no matter how many times you need me.
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
I'm ready to be your support system, to hold you up when everything is falling apart.
After my picture fades and darkness has
As time goes by, the memories and images of us getting dimmer and harder to see.
Turned to gray
Our once bright memories are fading away with time and distance.
Watching through windows
You're keeping an eye on me, wondering what I'm up to and how I'm doing.
You're wondering if I'm okay
You care about how I'm feeling, even though we may not be close anymore.
Secrets stolen from deep inside
We've shared secrets and personal information, things we may not have told others.
The drum beats out of time
Our lives and hearts beat to different rhythms, leading us down different paths.
Time after time
I'll always be here through thick and thin, no matter how much time has passed.
Time after time
Even though we may drift apart, I'll still be here, waiting for you to come back to me.
Time after time
Our lives may go in different directions, but my love for you will remain constant.
Time after time
No matter how long it's been since we've spoken or seen each other, our bond remains unbroken.
Time after time
I'll keep showing up for you, no matter how many times you need me.
Time after time
Our past will always connect us, reminding us of the love we once shared.
Time after time
No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you, every step of the way.
Time after
Our bond is timeless, it transcends distance and time itself.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robert Hyman, Cyndi Lauper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
Philly's own - Hooter's song
Anonymous
Time After Time - Lisa Wahlandt - Lyrics
Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick
And think of you
Caught up in circles
Confusion is nothing new
Flashback, warm nights
Almost left behind
Suitcases of memories
Time after
Sometimes you picture me
I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me, I can't hear
What you've said
Then you say, go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting
Time after time
After my picture fades and darkness has
Turned to gray
I’m watching through windows
And you're wondering if I'm okay
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
Musical Interlude
If you're lost you can look and you will really, really really, really really find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I know that I will be waiting
Time after time
Time after time
Hold on, hold on…..
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time……..
@SaRita980
This morning my 7yr old daughter was singing this in the shower word for word and I don't why this made me so proud. But it did❤❤ Anyone listening in 2024???
@nadiamurchie1949
listening still at 41 thanks to my mammie
@excavatoree
Yes. I used to work at an electronic repair shop in the late 80s. The stereo guy had a Cyndi Lauper CD as his "test CD," so I heard this song often.
@maryhdez8785
That's great! ❤
@wanderingfool7136
At least twice a week for me! My kids hate it though smh
@coldfact.
Oh God, Id be so proud too!! 🕊️🗝️💪🏽❣️💯
@cyndilauper
Happy 37 to "Time After Time!"
@ayandandzabandzaba9558
Time after time just popped into my mind and I didn't know it is 37 Anniversary...WOW