No Time (The Guess Who song) explained

No Time
Artist:The Guess Who
Album:Canned Wheat
Released:September 1969
Recorded:1969 at RCA Studio A, New York, New York
Length:3:44 (single version)
Label:Nimbus 9, RCA Records
Producer:Jack Richardson
No Time
Cover:No Time (The Guess Who song).png
Border:yes
Caption:Cover of the 1970 German single
Type:single
Artist:The Guess Who
Album:American Woman
B-Side:Proper Stranger
Released:November 1969[1]
Recorded:August 12, 1969, at the RCA Mid-America Recording Center, Studio B, Chicago, Illinois
Length:3:50
Label:RCA Victor
Producer:Jack Richardson
Prev Title:Laughing
Prev Title2:Undun
Prev Year:1969
Next Title:American Woman
Next Title2:No Sugar Tonight
Next Year:1970

"No Time" is a song by Canadian rock band The Guess Who, composed by guitarist Randy Bachman and lead singer Burton Cummings.

There are two versions of the song. The original recording was done for The Guess Who's album Canned Wheat. But it is the re-recording (as featured on the American Woman album) that was released as a single in 1969 and is the better-known. It is slightly faster in tempo and has the two verses transposed, but the extended Bachman guitar solo was cut. The single peaked at No. 5 in the U.S.[2] and was the third in a string of million-selling singles that all hit No. 1 in Canada for The Guess Who.[3] It also made the Top 20 in New Zealand.

Background

The song is basically a reverse Dear John letter stating, "No time left for you." Of the song, Randy Bachman said, “That was our country-rock song... Me and Burton trying to be like Neil and Stephen Stills."[4]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1969–1970)Peak
position
Australia 43
Canada RPM[5] 1
New Zealand (Listener) 16
5
US Cash Box Top 100[6] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (1970)Rank
Canada[7] 12
U.S. Billboard[8] 70
U.S. Cash Box[9] 21

Popular culture

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Guess Who - No Time.
  2. http://musicvf.com/song.php?title=No+Time+by+The+Guess+Who&id=43101 The Guess Who, "No Time" U.S. Chart Position
  3. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.3753&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=98q6tcgku7546lsrfi3gr83pp7 The Guess Who, "No Time" Canadian Chart Position
  4. Web site: Interview with Randy Bachman.
  5. Web site: Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada . Bac-lac.gc.ca . 17 July 2013 . 2016-10-03.
  6. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 2/28/70.
  7. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada. collectionscanada.gc.ca. 17 July 2013 .
  8. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970 . Musicoutfitters.com . 2016-10-03.
  9. Web site: Top 100 Year End Charts: 1970 . . July 7, 2016 .