Time Is Tight
| "Time Is Tight" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Booker T. & the M.G.'s | |
| from the album Up Tight | |
| B-side | "Johnny, I Love You" |
| Released | February 1969 |
| Format | 7" single |
| Genre | Soul |
| Length | 3:14 |
| Label |
Stax 0028 |
| Writer(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Booker T. Jones |
"Time Is Tight" is an instrumental recorded by Booker T. & the M.G.'s for their soundtrack to the 1968 film UpTight.
The group recorded two versions of the song - the shorter (3:14), slower version was released as a single in 1969, and became one of the biggest hits of the group's career, peaking at #7 R&B and #6 Pop. The longer (4:55) version (which was included on the official soundtrack album) is played at a faster tempo than the single version, and features an extended introduction and an instrumental 'breakdown' section, neither of which were included in the single version.
The song was played by BBC Radio 1 DJ Johnnie Walker (DJ) in the early 1970s as the back up music to the weekly BBC chart rundowns. These were published by the British Market Research Bureau on the Tuesday and then broadcast later that day on 247 metres medium wave.
The Clash recorded a notable cover of the song, which they had previously used as a "warm-up" song in live performances. The song appears on their 1980 singles compilation album Black Market Clash, and also on the 1994 album Super Black Market Clash. (The Clash's arrangement differs from the original in one major respect - it modulates to D for the 'chorus' section, whereas the MG's version modulates to G.)
A cover version appears on The Shadows album XXV.
It also features in the Blues Brothers movie as a concert intro, in medley with "I Can't Turn You Loose".
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