Time

Zoo Freaks, get ready to vibe with some cosmic trivia about "Time" by The Alan Parsons Project from their 1980 concept album The Turn of a Friendly Card. This lush ballad, one of the album's standout tracks, was the first time Eric Woolfson, the band's co-founder, took the lead vocal role. In a 2008 interview tied to the album's remastered release, Woolfson shared that "Time" was a deeply personal piece, reflecting on life's fleeting nature and the inevitability of parting ways, which struck a chord with listeners, peaking at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's orchestral arrangement, crafted by Andrew Powell, and its emotive lyrics give it a timeless, almost cinematic quality, with Alan Parsons himself adding a haunting counter-melody in the backing vocals. Fans on Reddit have noted its poignant connection to the album’s gambling theme, interpreting it as a metaphor for the gamble of life itself, where time is the ultimate currency.

Another cool tidbit comes from the recording process, detailed in the 2023 deluxe edition liner notes of The Turn of a Friendly Card. The track was laid down in just six weeks in Paris, a remarkably short time for the band, who usually spent months perfecting their sound. Parsons, known for his meticulous production, used a unique layering technique for the song’s instrumentation, blending Ian Bairnson’s pedal steel guitar with Woolfson’s piano to create that dreamy, wistful vibe. A post from the official Alan Parsons Project Facebook page in November 2024 celebrated the album’s anniversary, highlighting how "Time" remains a fan favorite, often praised for its emotional depth. The song’s creation also sparked a playful studio moment: Woolfson initially played the accordion solo on a keyboard with a cheap accordion preset, later replaced by a real accordion, as noted in the Sessions release, giving it a quirky nod to The Beatles’ "For No One."

Now, let’s rewind to how The Alan Parsons Project came to be. Alan Parsons, a legendary producer and engineer, and Eric Woolfson, a songwriter and pianist, met in 1974 at Abbey Road Studios’ canteen, a serendipitous encounter that sparked a creative partnership. Parsons had already made waves as an assistant engineer on The Beatles’ Abbey Road and Let It Be, and as the engineer for Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, earning him a reputation for pristine sound craftsmanship. Woolfson, meanwhile, was composing material inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, initially working as a session musician. According to a biography on Wikipedia, Woolfson saw potential in merging his songwriting with Parsons’ production genius, envisioning a producer-driven music model akin to a director in film. This led to their debut album, Tales of Mystery and Imagination in 1976, which fused progressive rock with literary themes, setting the stage for their signature conceptual albums.

The duo formed The Alan Parsons Project as a revolving collective, enlisting top session musicians like Ian Bairnson, David Paton, and Stuart Elliott, with vocalists such as Chris Rainbow and Lenny Zakatek adding distinct flavors. Woolfson’s vision, as shared in a 2009 interview before his passing, was to create music that was both intellectually engaging and accessible, drawing from sci-fi, supernatural, and sociological ideas. Their collaboration yielded eleven albums, with hits like "Eye in the Sky" and "Games People Play" cementing their legacy. Parsons’ engineering prowess, honed through work with EMI acts like The Hollies and Pilot, ensured each record was a sonic masterpiece, as fans on the Progressive Ears forum often rave about, praising the pristine production of albums like The Turn of a Friendly Card.

For Zoo Freaks wanting to dive deeper, check out the band’s official channels: their website, Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts keep the legacy alive with updates and vinyl reissues. Fans gather on platforms like the Alan Parsons Project Fan Club on Facebook, where devotees share rare photos and memories, and Prog Archives, a fan-driven site with detailed discographies and reviews. Whether you’re spinning "Time" or exploring their catalog, The Alan Parsons Project offers a trip through sound and story that’s perfect for the hippie soul of THE ZOO.