Shannon followed up with "Hats Off to Larry", another big hit, and the less popular "So Long, Baby", another song of breakup bitterness. "Little Town Flirt", released in 1962 reached #12 in 1963 as did the album of the same name. After these hits, Shannon was unable to keep his momentum in the US, but became a sensation in England. In 1963, he became the first American artist to record a cover version of a Beatles song with "From Me to You".
Shannon returned to the charts in 1964 with "Handy Man", "Do You Wanna Dance", "Keep Searchin'", and "Stranger in Town" (1965), with the latter two songs themed about flight from pursuit in a dangerous world. A 1966 chart offering was Shannon's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb". In the late 1960s after a dry spell of hits, he turned to production. In 1969 he discovered a group called Smith and arranged their hit "Baby It's You". He then produced his friend Brian Hyland's million seller "Gypsy Woman" in 1970.
In the 1970s, Shannon's career slowed down greatly; the hates and fears he had turned into art in his earlier songs were turning into full-blown mental illness, and he was self-medicating with alcohol. He finally put the bottle down in 1978, and he was able to return to mainstream audiences with "Sea of Love" in the early 1980s from the album "Drop Down And Get Me" produced by Tom Petty.
In December, 1983, Shannon served as Grand Marshal of the Coopersville, Michigan Christmas parade and also performed a benefit concert at Coopersville High School.
Shannon enjoyed a resurgence in audience interest after re-recording a portion of his song "Runaway" (with new lyrics) as the theme for the television program Crime Story. Producer Michael Mann felt that this was one of the definitive songs of the era in which the program was set. Some fans of the show prefer the sharper lyrics ("Some live, and others die") as an alternate to the original words.
On 8 February 1990, while working on a comeback album with Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, Shannon fatally shot himself in the head with a .22 calibre rifle. His wife thought his death might have been related to his recent use of the prescription drug Prozac. The album was released after his death and titled "Rock On!".
Shannon is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Time Won
Del Shannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even though you want me to
I can't wait forever to know if you'll be true
Time won't let me
Time won't let me
Time won't let me wait too long
I can't wait forever
Can't you see I've waited too long to love you
To hold you in my arms
Time won't let me
Time won't let me
Time won't let me wait too long
Time won't let me
Time won't let me
Time won't let me
The lyrics of Del Shannon's "Time Won't Let Me" express frustration and reluctance to wait for someone who is not ready to commit. The singer is torn between their desire to be with the other person and their understanding that time is running out. They have already waited too long, and they cannot keep waiting forever to know if their love interest is genuine.
The repetition of the phrase "Time won't let me" emphasizes the urgency of the situation and underscores the singer's helplessness. The use of second-person pronouns ("you" and "can't you see") throughout the lyrics suggests that the singer is addressing their love interest directly, making it clear that they cannot wait any longer without a commitment.
Overall, the song portrays the tension between love and time, and the difficulty of reconciling the two. It speaks to anyone who has ever felt the pressure of time running out in a relationship and the struggle to decide whether to keep waiting or move on.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't wait forever
I cannot postpone or delay indefinitely
Even though you want me to
Despite your desire for me to keep waiting
I can't wait forever to know if you'll be true
I cannot keep waiting forever to find out if you will stay committed to me
Time won't let me
Time does not give me the opportunity
Time won't let me
Time does not permit me
Time won't let me wait too long
I cannot wait for an extended amount of time due to the temporal constraints imposed on me
Can't you see I've waited too long to love you
I have been patient for quite some time to express my love towards you
To hold you in my arms
To physically embrace and hold you
Time won't let me
I cannot do so due to the finite nature of time
Time won't let me
Time does not permit me
Time won't let me wait too long
I cannot wait for an extended amount of time due to the temporal constraints imposed on me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Chet Kelley, Thomas R King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rafael Villanueva
I love del shannon.. I have total commitment album. He can sing n cover 60s popular music!!! Almost similar to the original. I am raffy villanueva 72,summers from manila philippines!!!!
Thomas Blalock Jr.
Del shannon mocks sonny geraci and the outsiders hit time won't let me