The band evolved out of "Chad Allan and the Expressions" (often shortened to The Expressions), which was a pop rock group with a British Invasion feel fronted by Chad Allan and featuring guitarist Randy Bachman. Both of them had great potential as singer-songwriters. After their cover of "Shakin' All Over" sold well as a single, their record label released the band's album with "Guess Who?" written on the cover, hoping to mislead unsuspecting buyers into thinking it was a British group. The name stuck, however, and from then on they were 'The Guess Who'. The Who musician Pete Townshend later jokingly said that he allowed the Canadian group to take both their style and name, calling himself a fan.
Singer and keyboardist Burton Cummings joined upon Allan's departure in 1966, and the band's classic line-up was born. The guys mixed some jazz-inspired sounds such as flute and electric piano playing into their sound, and they scored hits in Canada with tracks such as "These Eyes", "Undun", and "Laughing". Yet it was when they turned to psychedelic-influenced rock and rock with 'American Woman' (the third album with the Bachman/Cummings line-up) that they broke through in the U.S. The anti-war title cut (a song ironically embraced by some Americans as a patriotic anthem despite the cynical lyrics, though the band didn't complain as the record royalties came in) has received airplay on classic rock radio for years and years now. The Guess Who's success after that album came out proved to be hit and miss, however, and they would have members go in and out.
After the release of 'Share the Land', their second album of 1970, Bachman left to form Bachman-Turner Overdrive, leaving Cummings as the band's leader and main songwriter. Though Bachman and his band-mates had achieved huge commercial success, the singer-songwriter felt like he wanted to go off into a whole other muscial direction. Afterwards, the Guess Who experimented in various styles through the 70s, including blues, down-home bluegrass, jazz fusion, and Cummings's trademark piano-based rock ballads. The novelty pop single "Clap for the Wolfman", a 1974 track made for the popular DJ Wolfman Jack that the band members were fans of, ended up being the Guess Who's last chart appearance.
Various combinations of former members of the band have reunited at various times since their breakup in 1975. The Guess Who's classic songs remain radio staples, even into the new millennium. Various greatest hits and multi-artist collections featuring their music have also been released.
See Guess Who for the Romanian rapper Laurentiu Mocanu.
No Time
The Guess Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(No time left for you) I found myself some wings
(No time left for you) Distant roads are callin' me
(No time left for you)
Time, time, time, time, time
No time for a gentle rain
No time for revolving doors
No time for the killin' floor
No time for the killin' floor
There's no time left for you
No time left for you
(No time left for you) On my way to better things
(No time left for you) I found myself some wings
(No time left for you) Distant roads are callin' me
(No time left for you)
No time for a summer friend
No time for the love you send
Seasons change and so did I
You need not wonder why
You need not wonder why
There's no time left for you
No time left for you
(No time left for you) On my way to better things
(No time left for you) I found myself some wings
(No time left for you) Distant roads are callin' me
(No time left for you)
No time for a summer friend
No time for the love you send
Seasons change and so did I
You need not wonder why
You need not wonder why
There's no time left for you
No time left for you
(No time) No time, no time, no time, no time
No no no time, no no time, no time, no time
I got, got, got, got no time
I got, got, got, got no time for you, woman
I got no time for you, woman
I got no time for your stupid games anymore
No, no
I got no time for you, woman, no
I got no time for hangin' around
For gettin' stepped on
For gettin' pushed around, woman
I got no time for hangin' around them kind of things
The Guess Who's song "No Time" is a tale of a person moving on from a past relationship to focus on themselves and their aspirations. The singer claims that they have no time for the individual they once loved, as they have grown and changed, and have found their passion elsewhere. They repeat the phrase "no time left for you" multiple times throughout the song, emphasizing their determination to move forward.
The lyrics in the song are reflective of the shifting attitudes towards love and relationships in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The counterculture movement that emerged during this period encouraged individuals to prioritize their own needs and desires, leading to more independent and self-focused attitudes towards love and relationships. The lyrics in "No Time" reflect these attitudes, as the singer prioritizes their own aspirations over their former partner.
Line by Line Meaning
(No time left for you) On my way to better things
I am too busy trying to improve my life to deal with you
(No time left for you) I found myself some wings
I have gained independence and do not need you anymore
(No time left for you) Distant roads are callin' me
I have new opportunities that require my attention
(No time for a gentle rain)
I am too busy for small and insignificant things like enjoying a gentle rain
(No time for my watch and chain)
I don't have the luxury of worrying about time or material possessions
(No time for revolving doors)
I am too busy for pointless or frivolous activities
(No time for the killin' floor)
I am not interested in participating in any violent or harmful actions
(There's no time left for you)
I am done with you and have moved on with my life
(No time for a summer friend)
I have no interest in temporary or superficial friendships
(No time for the love you send)
I am not receptive to your gestures of affection
(Seasons change and so did I)
I have grown and changed, just as the seasons do
(You need not wonder why)
You should not be surprised by my lack of interest
(No time) No time, no time, no time, no time
I am constantly busy and have no time to waste
(I got, got, got, got no time)
I am emphasizing that I truly have no time for you
(I got no time for your stupid games anymore)
I am done with your manipulative actions and am moving on
(I got no time for hangin' around)
I have no desire to continue being in your presence
(For gettin' stepped on)
I will not tolerate being mistreated by you any longer
(For gettin' pushed around, woman)
I refuse to be manipulated or controlled by you
(I got no time for hangin' around them kind of things)
I am distancing myself from negative situations and people
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Snarkapotamus
One of the most epic guitar riffs in the history of rock n' roll...
@andya857
One of the most epic bands in history, their music has been broadcasted to the universe for E.T's to enjoy...🎸👽
@docsavage8640
Nah. They're Canadian.
@That70sGuitarist
They actually kind of "stole" that riff from Buffalo Springfield. I recently watch an interview with Randy Bachman talking about meeting Stephen Stills and saying, "You have no idea how much we owe to you."
Stills replied, "Yes, I do!"🤣
Still, this is one of the tracks on my absolute favourite Guess Who album of all time. Every single track on that album was brilliant!
@CarmieSchulz
I like these lyrics too. It's like someone having a total spiritual metamorphosis.
@chipsramek3868
@@andya857 Nope ...Elon (My last name is defined as Smells Like Shit") intureped that wavelength when He launched His Tesla Roadster to Mars. Everybody knows that ... Sheesh
@AstroCelt
I'm turning 60, and this band was ALL OVER the AM radio waves when I was a kid. Riding in my parents 72 brown Buick station wagon. One of the best fucking bands EVAH.
@malekokea3207
Should have been in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame a long time ago! 🤔😂👍
@akbarlebowitz8151
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is a bogus sham!!
@edwardthompson5820
One of the best bands of time. Why are they not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame