Maps of Music

Time (1998)

Where the lyrics of Time take you, and where it was really made.

Richie's fifth studio album was a commercial disappointment: it sold far fewer copies than any of his previous material.

Key places

Recorded at The Castle Recording Studios (1998)

Recording site Sound Kitchen — The album credits list The Castle Recording Studios among the places where it was recorded. The map pin marks the centre of Franklin, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded and mixed at Conway Studios (1998)

Recording site Conway Recording Studios — The credits list Conway Studios in Hollywood as a recording location, and Conway Studios is also credited for mixing. The pin marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Chartmaker Studios (1998)

Recording site Bob Dylan's garage studio (Malibu) — The album credits list Chartmaker Studios in Malibu among the studios where it was recorded. The map pin marks the centre of Malibu, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Time: fifth studio album by Lionel Richie
• Released June 23, 1998 by Mercury Records
• A commercial disappointment, selling far fewer copies than any of his previous material
• Released in Japan first, ahead of other markets
• Includes a self-cover of “Lady”, a 1980 Kenny Rogers hit written and produced by Richie
• Twelve tracks, including “Zoomin'”, “I Hear Your Voice”, “Touch”, “Forever”, “Everytime”, “Time”, “To the Rhythm”, “Stay”, “The Closest Thing to Heaven”, and “Someday”

Background

• Richie's early solo albums had been very successful: his 1982 self-titled debut, Can't Slow Down in 1983, and Dancing on the Ceiling in 1986
• He paused recording from 1986 to 1996
• Time was released after that break
• The single “The Closest Thing to Heaven” was taken from the album

Recording

• Credited recording studios: The Castle Recording Studios, Conway Studios, Chartmaker Studios, and Ocean Way Recording
• Mixing took place at Barking Doctor Recording and Conway Studios
• Engineer Ralph Sutton worked on most tracks
• Mastering was done at Sony Music Studios, New York City

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama; grew up on the Tuskegee Institute campus and attended Tuskegee Institute on a tennis scholarship.
• In the late 1960s he joined the Commodores as singer and saxophonist; they moved from Atlantic to Motown, first as a support act to The Jackson 5.
• Commodores' early funky sound ("Machine Gun", "Brick House") gave way to romantic ballads he wrote and sang, such as "Easy", "Three Times a Lady", "Still" and "Sail On".

Career

• 1974: first commercial songwriting success with "Happy People", recorded by The Temptations as a No. 1 R&B hit.
• 1980: wrote "Lady" for Kenny Rogers, a US No. 1; produced Rogers' album Share Your Love in 1981.
• 1981: "Endless Love", a duet with Diana Ross, became one of Motown's biggest hits.
• 1982: debut solo album Lionel Richie, with the No. 1 single "Truly", sold over 4 million copies.
• 1983: Can't Slow Down won Album of the Year and sold over twice as many copies; "All Night Long" was a No. 1 hit.
• 1985: co-wrote "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson; "Say You, Say Me" from White Nights won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.
• 1986: Dancing on the Ceiling, his last widely popular album; a break from recording followed until the 1992 hits collection Back to Front.
• Sold over 90 million records worldwide and won four Grammy Awards.
• Judge on American Idol from its 16th season (2018 onward).
• 2022: inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• AllMusic (Stephen Thomas Erlewine): rated it 3 out of 5, finding it doesn't quite match Lionel Richie or Can't Slow Down
• AllMusic: said the album successfully updates Richie's blend of sweet ballads and light funk for the late '90s
• AllMusic: said hip-hop rhythms sound less forced here and the dance numbers are often infectious
• AllMusic: called it the most satisfying effort he had released in quite some time
• Los Angeles Times (Connie Johnson): praised the ballads “Everytime” and “The Closest Thing to Heaven” as beautifully worded, personal-sounding testimonies
• Los Angeles Times: found Richie stumbles in his social commentary, with “To the Rhythm” well-intended but lightweight and riddled with cliches

Records

• Billboard 200: number 152, the first Richie album to miss the US top 100
• Billboard R&B Albums: number 77
• Billboard Adult Contemporary: “Time” number 7, “I Hear Your Voice” number 15
• No single from the album reached the Billboard Hot 100
• UK Albums Chart: number 31, the first Richie album to miss the UK top 20
• Switzerland: number 9
• UK singles chart: “The Closest Thing to Heaven” number 26

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The single “Lady” on the album is a self-cover; Kenny Rogers had a hit with the song, which Richie wrote and produced for him in 1980.
• The album was released in Japan before other markets.
• Adult Contemporary chart: “Time” reached number 7, while “I Hear Your Voice” reached number 15.

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

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