Time Will Crawl
"Time Will Crawl" | ||||
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Single by David Bowie | ||||
from the album Never Let Me Down | ||||
B-side | "Girls" | |||
Released | June 1987[1] | |||
Recorded | Autumn 1986 | |||
Studio | Mountain (Montreux, Switzerland) | |||
Length | 4:18 (album version) 4:54 (2008 remix) | |||
Label | EMI | |||
Songwriter(s) | David Bowie | |||
Producer(s) |
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David Bowie singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Time Will Crawl (Single Version)" on YouTube |
"Time Will Crawl" is a song recorded by the English singer
Background and release
"Time Will Crawl" was written and recorded by Bowie in mid– to late–1986 at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland. He produced the recording alongside David Richards.[2] Initially the track was titled "How We War", but Bowie changed the name prior to the album's release.[3] Lyrically, the song addresses the pollution and destruction of the planet by industry. Bowie has cited hearing of the Chernobyl disaster in April 1986 as the genesis of the lyrics, and was in Switzerland at the time of the accident. He said, "I was taking a break from recording [...] it was a beautiful day and we were outside on a small piece of lawn facing the Alps and the lake. Our engineer, who had been listening to the radio, shot out of the studio and shouted: 'There's a whole lot of shit going down in Russia.' The Swiss news had picked up a Norwegian radio station that was screaming – to anyone who would listen – that huge billowing clouds were moving over from the Motherland and they weren't rain clouds."[1] In another contemporary interview, Bowie said that the song "deals with the idea that someone in one's own community could be the one responsible for blowing up the world."[4] At the time, he also stated that it was his favorite song from the album.[4]
"Time Will Crawl" was released in June 1987 by EMI, featuring a cover version Tina Turner's "Girls" (1987) as its B-side.[1]
In 2008, a newly remixed version of the song (the "MM Remix" produced by studio engineer
"Time Will Crawl" was added to the Les Amants du Pont-Neuf soundtrack (1991),[8] Bowie – The Video Collection (1993),[9] Best of Bowie (2002),[10] The Platinum Collection (2006),[11] and The Best of David Bowie 1980–1987 (2007),[12] while the 2008 remixed version appeared on iSelect (2008)[13] and Nothing Has Changed (2014).[14] An updated version of the 2008 "MM Remix", as well as remixes of the original single and its b-side "Girls" appear in the box set Loving the Alien (1983-1988).[3]
Promotion
An accompanying music video was directed by Tim Pope, directing his first and only Bowie video, though Pope later directed Bowie's 50th birthday celebration video in 1997. The clip was directed during rehearsals for Bowie’s Glass Spider Tour, and previewed some of the elaborate dance routines that would be used during performances of "Loving the Alien" (1985), "Fashion" (1980) and "Sons of the Silent Age" (1977). The dancers from the tour (Melissa Hurley, Constance Marie, Craig Allen Rothwell, Viktor Manoel, and Stephen Nichols) all featured in the video alongside tour guitarists Peter Frampton and Carlos Alomar. Toni Basil, Bowie's long-time friend, was responsible for the choreography.[1] The video was later released on Bowie – The Video Collection (1993), Best of Bowie (2002) and The Best of David Bowie 1980–1987 (2007); the limited edition 12" single featured a still from the video on its cover.
"Time Will Crawl" was performed live in 1987 on all dates of his
Critical reception
Generally, music critics considered this song to be one of the best of Bowie's mid– to late–1980s efforts.[1][16][17] Bowie biographer Nicholas Pegg praised both the track's production and lyrical content, saying, "the lyric, too, is among the album's best, a pleasing return to a non-linear approach that paints a desolate landscape of poisoned rivers, nuclear devastation and genetic mutation reminiscent of Diamond Dogs."[1] AllMusic critic Dave Thompson praised the song for its "ecologically inclined lyric, a tremendously buoyant vocal, and a fabulous Sid McGinnis guitar solo [that] make Bowie sound like he's really enjoying himself", which he considered a "rarity" for Bowie in the late 1980s.[16]
Track listing
"Time Will Crawl" was written solely by Bowie. The B-side, "Girls", has lyrics and production done by the singer and Erdal Kızılçay. A limited 7" single was issued in some territories whose sleeve folded out to a double-sided poster. The "Extended dance mix" was remixed by co-producer Richards, and the "Dance Crew Mix" by Chris Lord-Alge. For the Japanese version of "Girls" (sung by Bowie in Japanese), Kiri Teshigahara was the language coach and Hiro Hozumi translated the lyrics.[2][20][21] All tracks were made available for digital download in 2007.[1]
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Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Never Let Me Down.[22]
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Chart performance
Chart | Peak position |
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Ireland (IRMA)[23] | 18 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] | 71 |
33 | |
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[26] | 7 |
West Germany (Official German Charts)[27] | 57 |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Pegg, Nicholas (October 2016). The Complete David Bowie New Edition: Expanded and Updated. Titan Books.
- ^ a b c Time Will Crawl (Liner notes). EMI (Barcode: 5099920189273). 1987.
- ^ a b Loving the Alien (1983-1988) (Media notes). Parlophone. 2018.
- ^ a b David Bowie – The Interview (vinyl). EMI America. 1987.
- ^ Neyland, Nick. "David Bowie chooses his own favorite songs". Prefixmag. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- ^ Askenase, Julia (11 July 2008). "David Bowie looks back on his favorite David Bowie". Paste. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ Slate, Jeff (12 October 2018). "Inside the David Bowie 'Loving the Alien (1983-1988)' Box Set with Reeves Gabrels and Mario McNulty". RockCellarMagazine.com. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ Les Amants du Pont-Neu' (Liner notes). 1991.
- ^ Bowie – The Video Collection (Liner notes). 1993.
- ^ Best of Bowie (Liner notes). 1991.
- ^ The Platinum Collection (Liner notes). 2006.
- ^ The Best of David Bowie 1980–1987 (Liner notes). 2007.
- ^ iSelect (Liner notes). 2008.
- ^ Nothing Has Changed (Liner notes). 2014.
- ^ Glass Spider (Liner notes). EMI (Barcode: 00946-3-91265-2-1). 2007.
- ^ a b Thompson, Dave. "David Bowie "Time Will Crawl" Review". Allmusic.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ISBN 9781448132478. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ Anderson, Kyle (11 January 2016). "David Bowie's 20 best music videos". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- ^ "Every David Bowie Single Ranked". Ultimate Classic Rock. 14 January 2016. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ a b Time Will Crawl (Liner notes). EMI (Barcode: 5099920188368). 1987.
- ^ a b Time Will Crawl (Liner notes). EMI (Barcode: 5099920194567). 1987.
- ^ Never Let Me Down (Liner notes/ CD booklet). EMI. 1987.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Time Will Crawl". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ "David Bowie – Time Will Crawl" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "David Bowie Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – David Bowie – Time Will Crawl" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
Bibliography
- ISBN 9781785653650