1. The Time is a musical group that was formed in 1981. Featuring a funky sound merging pop with dance music, soul music, and more, they are prominent proteges of Prince and arguably his most successful side project. A version of the outfit called 'Morris Day and the Time' still tour to this day.
The band was assembled under a clause in Prince's contract with Warner Bros. that allowed him to recruit and produce other artists for the label. Inspired by the 1980 film 'The Idolmaker', a work about the life of music promoter and producer Bob Marucci (the svengali behind such 50s/60s teen idols as Fabian and Frankie Avalon), Prince decided to put together a pop-infused funk group that would serve as a pet project and an outlet for further hits and material in the vein of his own early albums. Prince had the intent to explore other musical genres and go for a more avant-garde ethos in his own career.
By 1981, he had built 'The Time' out of an existing Minneapolis funk unit called 'Flyte Tyme' (from the Donald Byrd song), which featured Jellybean Johnson on drums, Jimmy Jam and Monte Moir on keyboards, and Terry Lewis on bass. To this base, musicans Jesse Johnson (on guitar) and Morris Day (on lead vocals) came in. Day was a childhood friend of Prince and was drawn from another local band called 'Enterprise'. Prince had used an Enterprise song, titled "Partyup", on his 'Dirty Mind' album, and his selection of Day was essentially a reward; he had originally tapped Alexander O'Neal, yet another player in the Minneapolis funk scene, for the vocalist slot yet that had fallen through. "Valet" Jerome Benton also became a member of The Time, despite not playing an instrument. His main contributions are backing vocals and various on-stage antics.
The band went on to release four albums during the course of their main career, each being welcomed by man critics as a solid slice of jammy, rock-infused 80s funk. In contrast to the spiritually and ideologically charged nature of much of Prince's work at that time, The Time's albums seemed generally light and humorous in tone, though the first two of which were composed and arranged entirely by Prince. The band scored numerous hits over the years. These include "The Bird", "Jungle Love", "777-9311", "Get It Up", "Gigolos Get Lonely Too", and "Cool".
Still, despite burning up the R&B charts in the early 80s, the group never approached true super-stardom. Nor did they develop a reputation for innovation or artistic brilliance in the manner of Prince, with tensions building between the desires of the band members to spread their wings and the heavy-handed control of their famous manager. In terms of raw talent, Prince's associates clearly had much to offer.
In 1983, musicians Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who had begun writing songs and branching out into production work of their own (such as working with SOLAR to produce Klymaxx and with Tabu Records to produce the S.O.S. Band), got stranded in Atlanta by a blizzard and failed to make it to a concert in San Antonio, Texas. The two were fined and then fired. Whether their firing had that much to do with the incident per se or seemed inevitable due to their increasing independence has never been clear, but the musicians went on to successful production careers involving them with multiple soul and funk artists. Monte Moir took the opportunity to leave as well, and he would also work with Jam and Lewis. The three were replaced with Mark Cardenez, Paul Peterson (redubbed St. Paul), and Jerry Hubbard.
This new line-up were featured in Prince's Purple Rain film. The Time rode the wave of popularity created by the movie and hit singles "Jungle Love" and "The Bird" and were household names in 1984.
It was Day who left next after arguments with Prince, choosing to pursue a solo career in 1985 after a successful acting turn in Purple Rain. Soon thereafter, with Jesse Johnson also opting to go solo, the band disintegrated but several members (Benton, Johnson and Peterson) were reformed into a new short-lived project called The Family. Meanwhile, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis went on to become one of the most successful songwriting and production teams of the 80s and 90s.
In 1990, Benton and the original six members of the band reunited for the Graffiti Bridge movie and soundtrack, as well as a new album called Pandemonium. This spawned their highest selling single, "Jerk Out" and the album featured more input from the band than any other Time album. The reunion was short-lived, however - infighting within the band caused them to disband once again. Morris and Jerome have since remained a team, with both trying out some small acting roles over the next few years.
Several members of The Time reunited in 1996, added a few new recruits and have remained together since. This version of the band can be seen in the Kevin Smith film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and tours frequently to this day. The band is usually billed as "Morris Day and The Time".
A fifth Time album is rumored to have been completed in the late 90s, recorded with the new lineup but production and coordination with Prince has prevented its release. The title Old Dogs, New Tricks was the working title. A 2004 album attributed to Morris Day called It's About Time contains a few new tracks written and performed by Day and a number of live performances by The Time.
In 2011, the original version of the band reformed as a new entity, The Original 7ven, in order to release a new album. Issues with Prince stalled out the group's momentum, even though 'Condensate' and its single, "#Trendin", both received critical praise. This version of the band had disbanded totally by 2013, Morris Day resumed touring as "Morris Day and The Time".
From late 2014 onward, the band shot back into international attention when genre-hopping British artist Mark Ronson used The Time's work as inspiration for his gigantic hit "Uptown Funk" (also known as "Uptown Funk (Feat. Bruno Mars)" due to Bruno Mars' involvement). After receiving the prestigious best British Single Award at the 2015 BRIT ceremony, Ronson directly thanked Morris Day and The Time alongside artists such as James Brown and others on air for trailblazing the "Uptown Funk" sound. In the past several months, a sort of 'halo effect' has allowed The Time to blast back into the mainstream and appear on programs such as 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'.
2. The Time was a freakbeat band of the mid-1960s from Southampton, United Kingdom. They released just two rare 45s on Pye Records in 1966, the first and best known one being 'Take a Bit of Notice' b/w 'Every Now and Then'. Personnel: Kevin Scott (vocals), John Glenfield (guitar), Mike Dubiel (bass), Danny Barbour (drums). Frontman Kevin Scott's real name was Kevin Finn. He would move on to become the lead singer in Wishful Thinking and The New Seekers.
Pandemonium
The Time Lyrics
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I think I'm about at the peak of my erotic.
Drawers shakin', bodies flowin'. I know that's right.
All of the women, it's a pandemonium.
Lots of burnin' drawers in here, gotta get me some.
Let me make up my mind, I gotta pick me one.
Here's another comin' now, it's a mass hysteria.
Wild chaotic, peak of my erotic. There's a riot goin' on.
People manic, dancin' in a panic. We call it pandemonium.
We call it pandemonium.
We call it pandemonium.
This place is out of control from all the excitement.
.... Hey Morris?
Yes?
.... Cool us down.
Naw, I don't like Eskimos.
I like'em hot with firecracker shakes, a body build that flows.
So gigolos like me can work the dance floor.
Oh, shake it now.
.... Go, Morris!
That's right. You wouldn't happen to have some liniment, would you?
Turn around. - Shake.
Lemme look at you. - Shake.
Shake it. - Shake.
Wild chaotic, peak of my erotic. There's a riot goin' on.
People manic, dancin' in a panic. We call it pandemonium.
We call it pandemonium.
Shake, shake, shake.
We call it pandemonium.
Shake, shake, shake.
Oh, hey, pandemonium. You sing. - Oh, hey, pandemonium!
Oh, drawers shake, pandemonium. Huh? - Drawers shake, pandemonium!
Drawers, they burnin'. - They burnin', they burnin'!
Drawers, they on fire. - Them hot!
Drawers, they burnin'. - They burnin', they burnin'!
Drawers, they on fire. - Oh, is them yo' drawers Morris?
Oh, hey, pandemonium. y'all sing. - Oh, hey, pandemonium!
Yeah, drawers shake, pandemonium. Yeah. - Drawers shake, pandemonium!
Fellas? - Yeah!
I'm back. - Back!
The aristocratic black. - Black!
My whip ain't got no crack. - Crack!
But we got a hell of a bang. - Got a hell of a bang!
America, I'm back. - Back!
The aristocratic black. - Black!
My whip ain't got no crack. - Crack!
But it got a hell of a bang. - Got a hell of a bang!
Drawers? - Yeah!
I'm back. - Back!
The aristocratic black. - Black!
My whip ain't got no crack. - Crack!
But we got a hell of a bang. - Got a hell of a bang, whoo!
The Time's song "Pandemonium" is a raunchy, upbeat track that celebrates the wild and frenzied energy of a night out. The lyrics describe a crowded, sweaty dancefloor, where bodies are shaking and drawers (underwear) are burning. The singer revels in the chaos, calling it a "pandemonium," and expresses his excitement at being at the peak of his erotic energy. The song is a celebration of uninhibited sexuality and the thrill of getting lost in the moment.
The chorus repeats the word "pandemonium" over and over, with the addition of a catchy, syncopated rhythm that accentuates the song's energetic feel. The bridge features a spoken-word interlude in which the singer and his bandmates exchange playful banter over a background of shaking hips and shaking drawers. The song ends with a triumphant declaration of the singer's return, punctuated by the repeated phrase "we got a hell of a bang."
Overall, "Pandemonium" is a fun and playful song that celebrates the exuberance of youthful energy and sexual vitality. Its irreverent lyrics and danceable beats make it a classic party anthem that still resonates with audiences today.
Line by Line Meaning
Now ain't that more like it? Oh, that is so nice.
This feels good and appropriate.
I think I'm about at the peak of my erotic.
I'm experiencing the height of sexual excitement.
Drawers shakin', bodies flowin'. I know that's right.
People are moving and shaking in their clothes. It's a sign of a good time.
All of the women, it's a pandemonium.
All of the women are causing chaos and excitement.
Lots of burnin' drawers in here, gotta get me some.
People are feeling so turned on that their clothes are starting to feel hot and uncomfortable.
Let me make up my mind, I gotta pick me one.
I have to decide which woman I want to pursue.
Here's another comin' now, it's a mass hysteria.
Another woman is approaching, causing further excitement and frenzy.
Wild chaotic, peak of my erotic. There's a riot goin' on.
The energy in the room is chaotic and intense, with people experiencing the height of their sexual excitement. It feels like a riot.
People manic, dancin' in a panic. We call it pandemonium.
Everyone is dancing wildly and uncontrollably. We refer to it as pandemonium.
This place is out of control from all the excitement.
The energy in the room is overwhelming and unmanageable, due to the high level of excitement.
Oh, hey, pandemonium. You sing. - Oh, hey, pandemonium!
The energy and excitement in the room is giving life to the song titled 'Pandemonium'.
Drawers shake, pandemonium. Huh? - Drawers shake, pandemonium!
People are getting so excited, their clothes are starting to shake or feel hot, and it's causing pandemonium.
America, I'm back. - Back!
The singer is back in America.
The aristocratic black. - Black!
The singer is of noble status and is black.
My whip ain't got no crack. - Crack!
The singer's car doesn't have a whip or crack, but it's still great.
But we got a hell of a bang. - Got a hell of a bang!
Despite the lack of certain features, the singer is still successful and impressive.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JAMES SAMUEL III HARRIS, JAMES HARRIS III, JESSE WOODS JOHNSON, TERRY LEWIS, PRINCE NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind