Time Won't Let Me (album)

Untitled

Time Won't Let Me is the first studio album by the Outsiders. The label on the LP lists only the band name, indicating that the album might have originally been planned as a self-titled LP; however, it was released under the name of the band's early 1966 break-out single, "Time Won't Let Me".

Release data

File:Outsiders-two-fer-1.jpg

CD cover.

The album was released in the LP format on Capitol in May 1966 in both monaural and stereophonic editions (catalogue numbers T 2501 and ST 2501, respectively).

Although never released individually as a CD, the band's first two albums were reissued on Liberty Bell as a "two-fer" CD, along with bonus tracks (catalogue number PCD-4365).

Notes on the Tracks

Original LP

This album includes both sides of the band's first two singles, all of which were written by Tom King and Chet Kelley. Their best-known song, "Time Won't Let Me" was a Top 5 single in early 1966 and used elements of both Merseybeat and Motown that were dominating the charts in that time period: "'Time Won't Let Me' incorporated a brass section, ala the Motown sound, with the big beat formula of the Beatles. It remains one of the most played songs on Classic rock [radio] stations to this day". "Was it Really Real", the flip side "showed off the unadorned group sound, a lean two-guitar, bass, and drums arrangement with some tasteful, shimmering guitar arpeggios and a gentle, folk-rock style of harmonizing".

Their next single, "Girl in Love" – which was already charting when the final tracks were laid down for this album – is a lovely ballad about a heartbroken girl on her wedding day (it was written about bassist Mert Madsen's fiancee), with strings providing the grace notes that the horns supplied on their first hit. This was a definite change-of-pace from the guitar-driven earlier hit but still just missed hitting the Top 20. Its "B" side is a loose rocker whose good-natured goofiness is telegraphed by the overly long title: "What Makes You So Bad, You Weren't Brought up that Way". "Chase away the Tears" opens Side 2 and is a fifth King/Kelley song that is very much in the style of "Time Won't Let Me" without a hint of self-plagiarizing; the singer is telling the old story of the lies by others that are threatening to drive away his girlfriend.

The next track after "Time Won't Let Me" is a fine treatment of the Temptations' first Number One hit, "My Girl" (originally released near the end of 1964). Co-written by Smokey Robinson, it became the Temptations' signature song.

Showing the band's eclectic tastes, the cover songs that constitute the rest of the album include "Listen People" (a hit earlier in 1966 by the British Invasion band Herman's Hermits); Buddy Holly's 1958 hit "Maybe Baby"; the pop music confection "Rockin' Robin" (also from 1958); the Spencer Davis Group's first Number One single "Keep on Running" (from 1965); and "She Cried" (originally a 1962 hit by Jay and the Americans, this version was released at about the same time as the single by the Shangri-Las that was called "He Cried").

CD Bonus Tracks

The first six bonus tracks are the sides from the last four singles by the band other than the two "B" sides that are included on Album #2; these songs are not included on any of the band's 1960s albums. The last two bonus tracks are alternate versions of two songs that are actually by Climax – Sonny Geraci's band after the Outsiders broke up – although "Think I'm Falling" was first released under the name the Outsiders before Tom King won the rights to the band name in a lawsuit. "Rock and Roll Heaven" went on to be a major hit song by the Righteous Brothers, but not until 1974.

Personnel

• Tom King, rhythm guitar, tenor saxophone, vocals, arranger
• Sonny Geraci, lead vocals
• Mert Madsen, bass guitar
• Al Austin, lead guitar
• Ronnie Harkai, drums
• Jimmy Fox, drums
• Chet Kelley, songwriter
• Mike Geraci, saxophone
• Evan Vanguard, horns
• Tommy Baker, horns and strings arrangements

Track listing

Side 1

1. "Keep on Running" (Edwards), 2:20
2. "Listen People" (Gouldman), 2:29
3. "Time Won't Let Me" (Tom King/Chet Kelley), 2:47
4. "My Girl" (William Robinson/Ronald White), 2:27
5. "What Makes You So Bad, You Weren't Brought up that Way" (Tom King/Chet Kelley), 2:20
6. "She Cried" (Greg Richards/Ted Daryll), 2:21

Side 2

1. "Chase away the Tears" (Tom King/Chet Kelley), 2:42
2. "Was it Really Real" (Tom King/Chet Kelley), 2:11
3. "Maybe Baby" (Buddy Holly/Norman Petty), 1:58
4. "Rockin' Robin" (Jeanne Vikki), 2:30
5. "Girl in Love" (Tom King/Chet Kelley), 3:01

CD Bonus Tracks

When released by Liberty Bell, the CD included the above tracks in the same order, followed by the tracks on Album #2 in the same order as on that LP, then these bonus tracks (30 tracks in all):

1. "Gotta Leave Us Alone"
2. "I Just Can't See You Anymore"
3. "I'll See You in the Summertime"
4. "And Now You Want My Sympathy"
5. "Little Bit of Lovin'"
6. 'We Ain't Gonna Make It"
7. "Think I'm Falling", group version
8. "Rock and Roll Heaven", alternate version

References

time wont let me by chet kelley