Some Other Time

The song "Some Other Time" by The Alan Parsons Project from their 1977 album I Robot has a fascinating origin story tied to a casual remark by Paul McCartney. According to the band's official website, Alan Parsons once asked McCartney to read a line of poetry for their debut album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, as a favor for a previous assist Parsons had provided. McCartney replied, "Some other time Alan, some other time," inadvertently sparking the idea for the song's title. This anecdote highlights the serendipitous nature of the creative process for Parsons and his collaborator Eric Woolfson. The track itself, with its ethereal and introspective vibe, features layered vocals by Peter Straker and Jaki Whitren, whose voices were so similar in the studio that they were merged for the final version, a detail noted on Genius. Many listeners, even today, mistake the song as being sung by a single vocalist due to this seamless blending.

Another layer of intrigue comes from the song's recording process at Abbey Road Studios, as shared in a 2019 Songfacts interview with Parsons. He described how "Some Other Time" evolved from improvisational sessions where musical ideas were fleshed out collaboratively with Woolfson. The track's orchestral flourishes, arranged by Andrew Powell with a full choir and strings, give it a cinematic quality that fans on the Alan Parsons Project Facebook page often describe as "a haunting journey that feels like floating through space." A 2023 thread on the page called it a "hidden gem" compared to more famous tracks like "Eye in the Sky." Additionally, a rough mix of the song with alternative lyrics and ad-libs by Jaki Whitren is included in the 2025 Record Store Day release of I Robot (Work In Progress), offering Zoo Freaks a glimpse into its early development.

Alan Parsons, the mastermind behind The Alan Parsons Project, began his career in music not as a performer but as an audio engineer. Born in London in 1948, Parsons landed a job at EMI’s tape duplication department as a teenager. His passion for sound led him to Abbey Road Studios in 1967, where, at just 18, he worked as an assistant engineer. Parsons earned early credits on iconic albums like The Beatles’ Abbey Road (1969) and Let It Be (1970), and his engineering work on Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) cemented his reputation for meticulous production. By 1974, Parsons met Eric Woolfson, a songwriter and session pianist, at Abbey Road. Woolfson, inspired by directors like Hitchcock and Kubrick, proposed creating a producer-driven music project, blending Parsons’ studio expertise with his own compositional talents. This partnership birthed The Alan Parsons Project in 1975, with their debut Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1976) setting the stage for a career defined by conceptual albums and progressive rock.

The Alan Parsons Project cultivated a loyal following, and fans can connect through various platforms. The band’s official website, The Alan Parsons Project, offers album details, news, and merchandise, while Alan Parsons’ personal site provides tour dates and solo project updates. On social media, the Alan Parsons Project Facebook page (369K likes) is a hub for fan discussions, vinyl trades, and concert memories. Alan Parsons’ Instagram shares tour photos and studio insights, and his X account occasionally posts production tips and throwbacks. For deeper engagement, the Alan Parsons Project Fan Group on Facebook is a lively space for Zoo Freaks to share their love for tracks like "Some Other Time." Fan-run sites like ProgArchives offer detailed discographies and reviews, perfect for exploring the band’s legacy.