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.
The Bird
The Time Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Little blue bird fly
Back to California
Where the sun shines on ya
Butterflies on your trail behind
Rivers glitter from the mountainside
And that's where you belong
Sing, sing your song
It's time to fly away
The ticking of the clock has a way of fading
It's only miles
But I'm just saying
I'm gonna miss you
I'm gonna miss you, girl
And it's okay if we break down from time to time
When a piece of your heart has been left behind
And if I said I didn't love you, then I'd be lying
But that's where you belong
Sing, sing your song
Little blue bird
It's time to fly away
Blue bird fly away
Little blue bird fly
Back to California
Where the sun shines on ya
That's where you belong
That's where you belong, my love
Now fly away, now fly, fly
"The Bird" by The Time is a song about a little blue bird that needs to fly back to its home in California where it belongs. The lyrics open with the singer urging the bird to fly away and back to California, where the sun shines and the rivers glitter from the mountainside. The song is a metaphor for a lover who needs to go back to their home or roots, where they feel the most comfortable and happiest.
The ticking clock represents time slipping away before the lover has to leave. The singer acknowledges that they will miss their lover and that it's okay to feel sad and break down from time to time. However, the singer also confesses that they cannot deny their love for the lover and that they will always belong back home. The song concludes with the singer urging the lover to fly away and return to where they belong while encouraging them to sing their song along the way.
Overall, "The Bird" is a heartfelt and bittersweet song reflecting on the complexities of love and longing for home. It beautifully highlights the importance of letting go and embracing change, even when it may be painful.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue bird fly away
The singer urges the blue bird to leave and seek a better place.
Little blue bird fly
The singer addresses a small and vulnerable creature, advising it to fly away to a safer place.
Back to California
The singer suggests California as a desirable and ideal location for the blue bird to retreat to.
Where the sun shines on ya
The artist notes that the sun shines in California, implying a bright and positive environment.
Butterflies on your trail behind
The line describes the presence of other harmless animals that follow and accompany the blue bird towards its destination.
Rivers glitter from the mountainside
The singer describes the joyful and beautiful scenery the blue bird may encounter on its way to California.
And that's where you belong
The singer asserts that California is where the blue bird belongs and would be the perfect place for it to thrive.
Sing, sing your song
The artist encourages the blue bird to keep singing its natural song and expressing its identity, even when it is far away.
Little blue bird
The artist addresses the blue bird in an affectionate and caring manner.
It's time to fly away
The artist reminds the blue bird that it is time to leave its current habitat and move on to a better one.
The ticking of the clock has a way of fading
The singer notes how time creates distance and that the memories of the blue bird may slowly fade away.
It's only miles
The artist tries to reassure themselves and the blue bird that the distance between them is not significant.
But I'm just saying
The singer adds a qualifying statement, trying to convince the blue bird that they mean well.
I'm gonna miss you
The singer expresses their emotional attachment to the blue bird and how they will miss it when it is gone.
And it's okay if we break down from time to time
The singer believes that it is normal to experience emotional lows and vulnerabilities, especially in the context of a farewell.
When a piece of your heart has been left behind
The artist acknowledges that part of themselves will be left behind when the blue bird departs, and vice versa.
And if I said I didn't love you, then I'd be lying
The artist confesses their deep affection for the blue bird, and how they cannot deny it even if they tried.
That's where you belong
The singer repeats their claim that California is the ultimate destination and resting place for the blue bird.
Sing, sing your song
The singer once again encourages the blue bird to keep singing and expressing itself wherever it may be.
Little blue bird
The artist repeats their tender nickname for the blue bird, emphasizing the bond between them.
It's time to fly away
The artist restates the urgency for the blue bird to leave soon and begin its journey to California.
That's where you belong, my love
The artist adds an emotional qualifier, expressing love and affection towards the blue bird.
Now fly away, now fly, fly
The singer bids a final farewell, urging the blue bird to fly away with enthusiasm and energy.
Lyrics © Wiser Time Music, WISER TIME MUSIC, LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Carmen Sclafani
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind