Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper song)

Background and recording

Although "Time After Time" would eventually become one of Lauper's signature songs, it was one of the last songs on her debut studio album to be recorded. While Lauper was still writing material for She's So Unusual in early 1983, her producer, Rick Chertoff introduced her to American musician Rob Hyman, a founding member of the Hooters. Lauper had by then already recorded the majority of the album, including the songs "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "She Bop," 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".

The inspiration for the song came from the fact that both songwriters were going through similar challenges in their respective romantic relationships; Hyman was coming out of a relationship, and Lauper was having difficulties with her boyfriend and manager, David Wolff. One of the early lines Rob Hyman wrote was "suitcase of memories", which according to Lauper, "struck her", claiming it was a "wonderful line", and other lines came from Lauper's life experiences. The song's title was borrowed from a TV Guide listing for the science fiction film Time After Time (1979), which Lauper had intended to use only as a temporary placeholder during the writing process. Although she later tried to change the song's name, she said that she felt at some point that "Time After Time" had become so fundamental to the song that it would fall apart with a different title.

Initially, Epic Records wanted "Time After Time" as the album's lead single. However, Lauper felt that releasing a ballad as her debut solo single would have pigeonholed her stylistically as a balladeer, limiting her future work and thus potentially killing her career. Wolff felt that "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" could become a successful pop anthem and was a better choice; ultimately the label agreed and released it as the lead single. "Time After Time" became the album's second single, released on March 27, 1984.

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. Lyrically, the track is a love song of devotion. Pam Avoledo of Blogcritics speculates that, "In 'Time After Time,' the speaker 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."

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

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."
• Susan Glen of PopMatters also called it a standout track, naming it "gorgeous".
• Bryan Lee Madden of Sputnikmusic simply called it "a masterpiece" and "the best and most significant song she ever wrote or recorded."
• Brenon Veevers of Renowned for Sound labeled it "sentimental" and "gorgeous".
• Scott Floman, music critic for Goldmine magazine, described the song as "gorgeously heartfelt" and "one of the decade's finest ballads".
• Chris Gerard of Metro Weekly summarized the song as a "beautiful and bittersweet ballad."
• Cashbox said that the song "is a gentle, reflective tune that displays the deep resonance of Lauper's vocal talents."

Accolades

"Time After Time" has entered many lists of "Best Love Songs of All Time", "Best Ballads from the 80s" and others. Bill Lamb, also from About.com, placed the song at number 21 on his "Top 100 Best Love Songs of All Time" list. 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'."

The song also appeared on Rolling Stone and MTV's "100 Greatest Pop Songs" at number 66. 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.

Awards and nominations

;Won

• 1984 – American Video Awards for Best Female Performance
• 1984 – American Video Awards for Best Pop Video
• 1984 – BMI Awards for Pop Award
• 1984 – Billboard Awards for Best Female Performance
• 1985 – Pro Canada Awards for Most Performed Foreign Song
• 2008 – BMI Millionaire Award for 5 Million Spins on US Radio
• 2009 – BMI Awards for Pop Award ;Nominations
• 1984 – MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist
• 1984 – MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video
• 1984 – MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction
• 1985 – Grammy Award for Song of the Year

Lists of best songs

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. It also reached the top of the U.S. Adult Contemporary list, and The Record's and RPM Top Singles charts in Canada. In Europe, the single peaked at number 2, on July 9, 1984. In the United Kingdom, "Time After Time" debuted at number 54 on March 24, 1984, while peaking later at number 3, on July 14, 1984. In New Zealand, the song reached number 3, in Austria it reached number 5, in Switzerland it reached number 7, in France it peaked at number 9 and in Sweden it reached a peak of number 10. In Mexico's Notitas Musicales or Hit Parade the song was number 2 for four weeks, beginning on June 15, 1984.

When the song reached number 3 of the Billboard Hot 100, Cyndi Lauper become only the second female artist of the rock era to reach the Top 3 of the chart with her first two chart entries following Petula Clark.

Before its official release as a single, "Time After Time" charted on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart, debuting in the week of December 17, 1983. After its single release, it peaked at number 10 on the chart in May 1984.

A version from Lauper's ninth studio album, The Body Acoustic (2005), featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, reached No. 14 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Music video

The video for "Time After Time" was directed by Edd Griles, who had directed the music video for "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". The video follows a young woman leaving her lover behind. Lauper's mother, brother, and boyfriend, Dave 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 Tom's Diner, since demolished, in Roxbury, 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 at the intersection of South Main Street and East Central Avenue in Wharton, New Jersey, which was a staple of the community in the 1970s. Lauper's "home" where she says goodbye to her mother still stands on Hurd Street in Wharton, New Jersey. 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 adventure drama romance film The Garden of Allah (1936), and in the final scene, where she gets on the train and waves goodbye to David, Lauper is crying.

The music video began receiving airplay on MTV in late March 1984.

Track listings

European 12" single

1. "Time After Time" – 4:01 (Cyndi Lauper, Rob Hyman)
2. "I'll Kiss You" – 4:12 (Cyndi Lauper, Jules Shear)
3. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (extended version) – 6:08 (Robert Hazard)
4. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (instrumental) – 7:10 (Robert Hazard)

US vinyl, 7-inch single

1. "Time After Time" – 3:52
2. "I'll Kiss You" – 4:05

Personnel

• Written by Cyndi Lauper, Rob Hyman
• Produced by Rick Chertoff
• Executive producer: Lennie Petze
• Associate producer: William Wittman
• Engineered by William Wittman
• Arranged by Cyndi Lauper, Rick Chertoff, Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian

Musicians

• Cyndi Lauper – lead vocals; backing vocals
• Rob Hyman – Roland Juno-60; backing vocals
• Peter Wood – Memorymoog
• Richard Termini - Prophet 5
• Eric Bazilian – electric guitar
• Anton Fig – Linndrum

Charts

Weekly charts

Featuring Sarah McLachlan (2005)

US re-release (2014)

Year-end charts

US re-release

Certifications

Cover versions

Miles Davis versions

Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, perhaps the earliest artist to interpret the song, recorded an instrumental version of the song for his studio album You're Under Arrest (1985). The song became a regular part of Davis's live concerts until the end of his career, such as on Live Around the World (a live compilation recorded 1988 to 1991, released 1996). Lauper later stated that while the song has been recorded by dozens of musicians, "The most honored I ever felt was when Miles Davis covered it", adding: "the way he played it was pure magic."

INOJ version

American R&B singer INOJ recorded her Miami bass version of the song in 1998. It peaked at number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Novaspace version

Novaspace, a German Eurodance project, covered the song on their debut studio album Supernova (2003). It reached number six in Germany, number seven in Austria, and number 15 in Australia.

Track listings

Australia, European and U.S. CD single

1. "Time After Time" (radio edit) – 3:43
2. "Time After Time" (Time mix) – 5:36
3. "Time After Time" (After Time mix) – 6:29
4. "Time After Time" (Novaspace mix) – 6:06
5. "Time After Time" (instrumental) – 6:06

Sweden CD single

1. "Time After Time" (UK radio edit) – 3:18
2. "Time After Time" (Time mix) – 5:36
3. "Time After Time" (After Time mix) – 6:32
4. "Time After Time" (Novaspace mix) – 6:06
5. "Time After Time" (Sol Productions remix) – 6:14
6. "Time After Time" (Pascal remix) – 6:30

UK CD single

1. "Time After Time" (radio edit) – 3:18
2. "Time After Time" (Pascal remix) – 6:32
3. "Time After Time" (Time mix) – 5:36

UK 12-inch vinyl

1. "Time After Time" (Time mix)
2. "Time After Time" (I Nation remix)
3. "Time After Time" (Nick Skitz remix)

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Quietdrive version

American alternative rock band Quietdrive covered the song for their debut studio album When All That's Left Is You (2006). The cover version was featured in the romantic comedy film John Tucker Must Die (2006), starring Jesse Metcalfe and Brittany Snow. The cover is their only charting song, hitting number 25 on the Mainstream Top 40 Countdown. The cover was certified gold by the RIAA.

Weekly charts

Certifications

Dash Berlin, DubVision & Emma Hewitt version

Dutch electronic music group Dash Berlin, Dutch DJ duo DubVision and Australian singer Emma Hewitt released a cover of the song on December 15, 2022.

Other versions

Husband-and-wife jazz duo Tuck & Patti recorded a cover on their debut album "Tears of Joy".

In 1993, Mark Williams and Tara Morice recorded a cover for the Strictly Ballroom soundtrack.

Lauper did a parody of the song on a 1995 episode of Late Show with David Letterman as "Lactose Intolerant".

American indie rock band Sarge recorded a cover of the song in 1997, which was included on a 7" single that year. In 2000, it appeared on their compilation album Distant. AllMusic's Mike DaRonco said that their version "outshines the original."

On her 1999 tribute album to Miles Davis, Traveling Miles, jazz singer Cassandra Wilson included her Miles-infused, jazz vocal version of Lauper's "Time After Time".

A cover of the song by Eva Cassidy was published in 2000.

Lil' Mo recorded a cover of the song for her debut studio album Based on a True Story (2001).

Uncle Kracker covered the song for the science fiction action comedy film Clockstoppers (2002).

A UK garage version, released in 2002 by Distant Soundz, was a top 20 hit in the UK, peaking at No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 4 on the UK Dance Singles Chart.

On Billboard charts for the week ending May 14, 2011, Javier Colon's version peaked at number 65 on Hot 100, number 41 on Digital Song Sales number four on Top Heatseekers and number sixteen on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs Sales.

Swedish duo Undressd released a cover of the song on March 12, 2021.

A cover version by British-Swedish-Spanish singer Mabel featured in the McDonald's Christmas commercial in the UK in 2021, and peaked at No. 71 on the UK Singles Chart.

In popular culture

The song was featured in the comedy film Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997). Director David Mirkin explained that he felt it "was the only song that had the proper emotion" to fit the scene.

The song is featured in the independent coming-of-age comedy film Napoleon Dynamite (2004).

The song was featured in the Snow Ball dance scene in Netflix series Stranger Things season 2 as Nancy Wheeler dances with her brother's (Mike) best friend Dustin Henderson after he was rejected by another girl. The song also made a comeback to Generation Z.

The song was featured in the film Where'd You Go, Bernadette.

The cover by Eva Cassidy was used in the popular series Smallville.

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