Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper song)

"Time After Time"
Front sleeve for European releases
Single by Cyndi Lauper
from the album She's So Unusual
B-side "I'll Kiss You"
Released January 27, 1984
Format
Recorded June 1983
Studio The Record Plant (New York City, New York)
Genre Soft rock[1]
Length 4:01
Label Epic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Rick Chertoff
Cyndi Lauper singles chronology
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
(1983)		 "Time After Time"
(1984)		 "She Bop"
(1984)
Alternative release
A-side label of U.S. vinyl release
Music video
"Time After Time" on YouTube

"Time After Time" is the second single by American singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper from her debut studio album, She's So Unusual (1983), with Rob Hyman (co-writer and founding member of the rock band The Hooters) contributing backing vocals. The track was produced by Rick Chertoff and released as a single on January 27, 1984. The song became Lauper's first number 1 hit in the U.S. The song was written in the album's final stages, after "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "She Bop" and "All Through the Night" had been written. The writing began with the title, which Lauper had seen in TV Guide magazine, referring to the science fiction film Time After Time (1979).[2]

"Time After Time" is composed of simple keyboard-synth chords, bright, jangly guitars, clock-ticking percussion, and elastic bassline. Lyrically, it is a love song of devotion. Music critics gave the song positive reviews, with many commending the song for being a solid and memorable love song. The song has been selected as one of the Best Love Songs of All Time by many media outlets, including Rolling Stone, Nerve, MTV and many others.[3] "Time After Time" was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 1985 edition.[4] The song was a success on the charts, becoming her first number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 9, 1984, and remaining there for two weeks. The song reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and number six on the ARIA Singles Chart.

The song is also known for its numerous covers by a wide range of artists, including Miles Davis, who recorded an instrumental version for his 1985 album You're Under Arrest, and Eva Cassidy, whose cover of the song appears on her posthumous album of the same name. R&B singer Lil Mo also covered the song for her 2001 debut album Based on a True Story. An acoustic version was sung by Lauper with Sarah McLachlan on her 2005 album The Body Acoustic.[5] Lauper has performed the song live with Patti LaBelle twice in 1985 and 2004 and with Sarah McLachlan at the American Music Awards of 2005,[6] as well as with rapper Lil' Kim in 2009.

Background and recording

Rob Hyman (pictured) co-wrote and sings background vocals on the track.

While writing for her debut studio album, in the spring of 1983, Cyndi Lauper was introduced to American musician Rob Hyman, who was recommended by Rick Chertoff, the album's producer. Lauper had already recorded the majority of the album, including the songs "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", "She Bop" and "All Through the Night", but Chertoff insisted that she and Hyman needed to record just "one more song". Therefore, she and Hyman sat at a piano and started working on "Time After Time".[7] The inspiration for the song came after both songwriters were going through similar situations in their respective relationships; he was coming out of a relationship, while she was having difficulties with her boyfriend, David Wolff. One of the first lines Rob wrote was "suitcase of memories", which according to Lauper, "struck her", claiming it was a "wonderful line", while other lines came from Lauper's life. The song's title was inspired after Lauper started writing for the song and needed a fake title as a placeholder for the time being. Thus, Lauper was looking in the TV Guide and saw a lot of movie titles, with the 1979 science fiction movie Time After Time being chosen. Although trying to remove the title later, Lauper claimed she couldn't take it out without the song falling apart.[7]

Initially, Epic Records wanted "Time After Time" as the album's lead single. However, Lauper felt that releasing a ballad first defines an artist in a certain way, noting that she could have been known as a balladeer and that it could have killed her career. Her manager Dave Wolff was convinced that "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" could be an anthem, and ultimately her label agreed and released it as the lead single.[7] "Time After Time" eventually became the album's second single,[8] being released on January 27, 1984.[9]

Composition and lyrics

Written by Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman and produced by Rick Chertoff, "Time After Time" is built over simple keyboard-synth chords, bright, jangly guitars, clock ticking percussion, and elastic bassline.[10] Lyrically, the track is a love song of devotion.[11] Pam Avoledo of Blogcritics speculates that, "In 'Time After Time,' Lauper believes she is a difficult person, unworthy of love. She runs away and shuts people out. However, her devoted boyfriend who loves her unconditionally is willing to help her through anything. The relationship is given depth. The couple’s intimacy and history is apparent. They've been together for a long time. They love and have seen each other through every tough part of their life."[12]

"Time After Time" is written in the key of C major with a tempo of 130 beats per minute[13] in common time. Lauper's vocals span from G3 to C5 in the song.[14]

Critical reception

The song received critical acclaim:

  • Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine praised the track, calling it "the album's finest moment, if not Lauper's greatest moment period."[10]
  • Susan Glen of PopMatters also called it a standout track, naming it "gorgeous".[15]
  • Bryan Lee Madden of Sputnikmusic simply called it "a masterpiece" and "the best and most significant song she ever wrote or recorded."[16] Brenon Veevers of Renowned for Sound labeled it "sentimental" and "gorgeous".[17]
  • Pam Avoledo of Blogcritics described the song as "a sure-fire classic".[12]
  • Scott Floman, music critic for Goldmine magazine, described the song as "gorgeously heartfelt" and "one of the decade’s finest ballads".[18]
  • Chris Gerard of Metro Weekly summarized the song as a "beautiful and bittersweet ballad."[19]

Accolades

"Time After Time" has entered many lists of "Best Love Songs of All Time", "Best Ballads from the 80's" and others. Steve Peake of About.com listed the song at number 6 on her "Top Songs of the '80s", writing that the song "stands tall among the music of the entire rock era as one of its all-time great timeless ballads," noting that "it probably still functions impeccably as a properly emotionally wrenching slow-dance favorite."[11] Bill Lamb, also from About.com, placed the song at number 21 on his "Top 100 Best Love Songs Of All Time" list.[20] On Nerve's list of "The 50 Greatest Love Songs of All Time", "Time After Time" was placed at number 5, being called "Lauper's most enduring masterpiece hits at the very essence of commitment," with the article pointing out that "she captures real romance in the most simple and straightforward of lines: 'If you're lost, you can look and you will find me, time after time'."[21]

The song also entered the Rolling Stone & MTV's "100 Greatest Pop Songs" at number 66.[3] The song also entered VH1's "100 Best Songs of the Past 25 Years and "100 Greatest Songs of the 80s" lists, at numbers 22 and 19 respectively.[22][23] The song was also present on NME's 100 Best Songs of the 1980s, being ranked at number 79. The website declared that "‘Time After Time’ was a change in tack for Lauper, whose musical persona had previously been unstoppably light and frothy. ‘Time After Time’ was demoed quickly in time for inclusion on her debut ‘She’s So Unusual’, and ended up being a key song for both Lauper’s career and the decade itself."[24]

Awards and nominations

Won
Nominations

Lists of best songs

Year By List Work Ranked
2000 Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Pop Songs[3] "Time After Time" #66
MTV
2003 VH1 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 Years[22] "Time After Time" #22
2006 VH1 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s[23] "Time After Time" #19

Chart performance

"Time After Time" became Lauper's first number-one single on the Billboard charts, reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June 1984.[25] It also reached the top of the Adult Contemporary[26] and Canadian Singles Chart.[27] In the United Kingdom, "Time After Time" first peaked at number 54 on March 24, 1984, while peaking later at number 3, on June 16, 1984.[28] In New Zealand, the song reached number 3,[29] in Austria it reached number 5,[30] in Switzerland it reached number 7,[31] in France it peaked at number 9[9] and in Sweden it reached a peak of number 10.[32]

Music video

Morristown, NJ, train station, seen at the end of the video.

The video for "Time After Time" was directed by Edd Griles, and its storyline is about a young woman leaving her lover behind when she becomes homesick and worried about her mother. 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. Portions of the video were filmed at the now-closed Tom's Diner in Roxbury Township, New Jersey, the intersection of Route 46 and Route 10 and at the Morristown train station. Portions of the video were also shot in front of Betty's Department Store in Wharton, NJ, which was a staple of the community in the 1970s. According to Lauper, "It was important to me that we were natural and human in the video. I wanted to convey somebody who walked her own path and did not always get along with everyone and did not always marry the guy." The video opens with Lauper watching the 1936 film The Garden of Allah and the final scene, where she gets on the train and waves goodbye to David, has Lauper crying for real.[33]

Track listing

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Cover versions

Javier Colon version

Weekly charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[75] 65
US Digital Songs (Billboard)[76] 41
US Heatseekers Songs (Billboard)[78] 4
US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs (Billboard)[77] 16

Other versions

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Toto Eclipse of the Heart: The Best of Eighties Soft Rock". Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  2. 1 2 Myers, Marc (1 December 2015). "How Cyndi Lauper Wrote Her First No. 1 Hit, 'Time After Time'". The Wall Street Journal. New York City, NY, U.S. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Rolling Stone & MTV: 100 Greatest Pop Songs: 51–100". Rock On The Net. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  4. ↑ "Song of the Year - 27th Grammy Awards". The Recording Academy. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  5. ↑ Moser, John J. (December 3, 2005). "Time after time, Cyndi Lauper ready to defend her body of work". The Morning Call. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper Returns". IGN Music. September 15, 2005. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Lauper, Cindy (2012). Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir. Simon and Schuster,. ISBN 9781439147856. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 "Lescharts.com – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  10. 1 2 Cinquemani, Sal (29 September 2003). "Cyndi Lauper: She's So Unusual". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  11. 1 2 Peake, Steve. "Top Cyndi Lauper Songs of the '80s". About.com. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  12. 1 2 Avoledo, Pam (January 15, 2006). "Single Review: Cyndi Lauper "Time After Time"". Blogcritics. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  13. ↑ "BPM for 'time-after-time' by cyndi-lauper | songbpm.com". songbpm.com. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  14. ↑ Lauper, Cyndi. "Cyndi Lauper "Time After Time" Sheet Music in C Major (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  15. ↑ Glen, Susan. "Cyndi Lauper: She's So Unusual | PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  16. ↑ Madden, Bryan Lee (February 17, 2010). "Cyndi Lauper: She's So Unusual (album review)". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  17. ↑ Veevers, Brendon (April 14, 2014). "Album Review: Cyndi Lauper – She's So Unusual (A 30th Anniversary Celebration)". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper Album Reviews". Sfloman.com. Archived from the original on 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  19. ↑ Gerard, Chris (April 3, 2014). "Cyndi Lauper's "She's So Unusual" 30 Years Later". Metro Weekly. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  20. ↑ Lamb, Bill. "Top 100 Best Love Songs Of All Time". About.com. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  21. ↑ "The 50 Greatest Love Songs of All Time". Nerve. February 10, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  22. 1 2 "VH1: 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 Years: 1–50". Rock On The Net. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  23. 1 2 "VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's: 1–50". Rock On The Net. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  24. ↑ "100 Best Songs of the 1980s | NME". NME. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  25. ↑ Lauper, Cyndi. "7". Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781439147856. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  26. 1 2 "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  27. 1 2 "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6753." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  28. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  29. 1 2 "Charts.nz – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  30. 1 2 "Austriancharts.at – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  31. 1 2 "Swisscharts.com – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  32. 1 2 "Swedishcharts.com – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  33. ↑ "7". Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir. Simon and Schuste. ISBN 9781471114274.
  34. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time (US Single) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
  35. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Archived from the original (doc) on 2016-02-27.
  36. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  37. ↑ "Radio 2 Top 30". Top 30 (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  38. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6749." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  39. ↑ "CHART NUMBER 1432 – Saturday, June 09, 1984". Archived from the original on 7 November 2006. Retrieved 2016-09-24. . CHUM.
  40. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  41. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Time After Time". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  42. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia". HitParadeItalia (in Italian). Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  43. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  44. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 26, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  45. ↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1965 – 1989 Acts L". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  46. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  47. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  48. ↑ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JUNE 9, 1984". Cash Box magazine. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
  49. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  50. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper – Chart history". Billboard Canadian Digital Songs. for Cyndi Lauper. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  51. ↑ "Adult Contemporary - January 14, 2006". Billboard Adult Contemporary. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  52. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  53. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  54. ↑ "Cyndi Lauper Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  55. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 28 August 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  56. ↑ "Ultratop Jaaroverzichten 1984". Ultratop 50 (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  57. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9638." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  58. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1984". GfK Entertainment Charts (in German). Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  59. ↑ "Dutch Charts Jaaroverzichten Single 1984". Single Top 100 (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  60. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  61. ↑ "Official New Zealand Music Chart - End of Year Charts 1984". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  62. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1984". Swiss Singles Chart (in German). Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  63. ↑ 1984 in British music#Best-selling singles
  64. 1 2 "Volume 96 No. 51, DECEMBER 22. 1984" (PDF). Billboard. New York, NY, USA. 22 December 1984. p. TA-19, TA-25. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  65. ↑ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1984". Cash Box magazine. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved 2014-04-25.
  66. 1 2 "Canadian single certifications – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time". Music Canada. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  67. ↑ "British single certifications – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 September 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Time After Time in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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  69. ↑ "American single certifications – Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 20 September 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  70. 1 2 "Inoj Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  71. ↑ Hay, Carly (March 20, 1999). "Popular Uprisings: Billboard's Weekly Coverage of Hot Prospects for the Heatseekers Chart". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  72. 1 2 "Swisscharts.com – Novaspace – Time After Time". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  73. 1 2 "Quietdrive Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  74. 1 2 "American single certifications – Quietdrive – Time After Time". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 10, 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  75. 1 2 "Javier Colon Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  76. 1 2 "Javier Colon Chart History (Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  77. 1 2 "Javier Colon – Chart history". Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs. for Javier Colon. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  78. 1 2 "Javier Colon – Chart history". Billboard Heatseekers Songs. for Javier Colon. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
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  82. ↑ "Inoj Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  83. ↑ "Inoj Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
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  86. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Novaspace – Time After Time". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  87. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Novaspace – Time After Time" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  88. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Novaspace – Time After Time". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  89. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Novaspace – Time After Time" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  90. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 33, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  91. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 7, 2003". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  92. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  93. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2002". Ö3 Austria Top 40 (in German). Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  94. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 2002". GfK Entertainment Charts (in German). Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  95. ↑ "Charts.nz – Quietdrive – Time After Time". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  96. ↑ "Quietdrive Chart History (Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  97. ↑ "Nolwenn Leroy - Histoires Naturelles Tour (Album)" (in French). Lescharts.com. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  98. ↑ "ChartArchive – Ronan Keating – Time After Time". Chartstats.com. 2009-03-28. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  99. ↑ "hitparade.ch U96 – Heaven". Retrieved 2014-12-29.
  100. ↑ "2015 Annual Induction and Awards Ceremony". Songwriters Hall of Fame. June 19, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  101. ↑ Goodman, Jessica (June 19, 2015). "Carly Rae Jepsen's cover of Cyndi Lauper's 'Time After Time' is totally '80s". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 20, 2018.

Further reading

  • Lauper, Cindy (2012). Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781439147856.
  • Myers, Marc (2016). Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop. Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-1-61185-959-1.
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