What Time Is It? (album) explained

What Time Is It?
Type:	Album
Artist:	the Time
Cover:	WhatTimeIsIt.jpg
Released:	August 25, 1982
Recorded:	January – May/June 1982 (except for “Wild and Loose” in July 1981)
Genre:	Funk pop Minneapolis sound
Length:	38:46
Label:	Warner Bros.
Producer:	Morris Day, The Starr ★ Company
Prev Title:	The Time
Prev Year:	1981
Next Title:	Ice Cream Castle
Next Year:	1984

What Time Is It? is a 1982 album by the Time. Their second album, it was recorded at Sunset Sound and Prince's home studio in the Minneapolis suburbs. The title of the album comes from an exclamation by Morris Day that became associated with the band's on-stage theatrics, appearing frequently on the band's debut album as well.

Showcasing a denser and more inventive Minneapolis sound, What Time Is It? produced three singles: "777-9311", "The Walk" and "Gigolos Get Lonely Too".

Recording

Although the individual members of the Time are credited with instrumentation, most of the instruments on the album were played by Prince, with Morris Day playing drums on half of the album. Morris Day sang lead vocals, and Vanity performed spoken vocals on "The Walk". Additionally, the Time guitarist Jesse Johnson appears on "Gigolos Get Lonely Too".

Commercial performance

The album peaked at number 26 on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top Soul LPs. It spent a total of 33 weeks on the Billboard 200 and 38 weeks on the R&B Albums chart. The album's peaking was more successful than the group's previous release. The album was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales over 500,000 copies in the United States. The Time supported the album by touring as one of Prince's opening acts on the 1999 Tour.

Track listing

Note that the original label gave writing credits to Morris Day or The Time for all six songs. However, the songs were officially registered with ASCAP as being written by Prince, or by Prince and Dez Dickerson, which is from where the official writing credits have been sourced.^[1] All songs written by Prince except where noted.

Personnel

• Morris Day – lead and backing vocals, drums (1, 4, 5)
• Prince – backing vocals (all but 6), electric guitars (all but 5), synthesizers (all tracks), Yamaha CP-70 electric grand piano (4-6), bass guitar (all tracks), drums (3), Linn LM-1 (2, 6), percussion (all tracks), engineer (uncredited)
• Vanity – spoken vocals (4) (credited as Vanity 6)
• Jesse Johnson – electric guitar and backing vocals (5) (credited for guitar and vocals on whole album)
• Susan Moonsie – backing vocals (1) (assumed, uncredited)
• Kim Upsher – backing vocals (1) (assumed, uncredited)
• Don Batts – recording and mixing engineer
• Peggy McCreary – recording and mixing engineer
• Bernie Grundman – mastering
• Al Beaulieu – photography

Singles and chart placings

• "777-9311" (#2 R&B, #88 Pop)^[2]

1. "777-9311"
2. "Grace" (non-album track) – 7" single
3. "The Walk" – 12" single

• "The Walk" (#24 R&B, #104 Pop)^[2]

1. "The Walk"
2. "OnedayI'mgonnabesomebody" – 7" single
3. "777-9311" – Japan 7" single
4. "I Don't Wanna Leave You" – 12" single

• "Gigolos Get Lonely Too" (#77 R&B)<ref name="AM"/>

1. "Gigolos Get Lonely Too"
2. "I Don't Wanna Leave You"

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (1983)! scope="col"

Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[3]	24

External links

• What Time Is It? lyrics

Notes and References

1. Web site: ACE Repertory.
2. Web site: The Time > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums & Singles. AllMusic. August 11, 2023. August 28, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130828014151/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-time-mn0000919812/awards. dead.
3. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1983 . Billboard . February 25, 2022 . May 13, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210513221618/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1983/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums/ . dead.