Time Won't Let Me (album)


Time Won't Let Me is the first studio album by the Outsiders. It was named after the band's early 1966 break-out single, "Time Won't Let Me".

Release data

The album was released in the LP format on Capitol in May 1966 in both monaural and stereophonic editions.
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.

Original LP

This album includes all four 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: a brass section, a la the Motown sound, with the big beat formula of the Beatles. It remained one of the most played songs on Classic rock radio stations for several decades after its release.
Their next single, "Girl in Love", was already charting when the final tracks were laid down for this album. It was written about bassist Mert Madsen's fiancee.
The cover songs that constitute the rest of the album include "Listen People" ; Buddy Holly's 1958 hit "Maybe Baby"; the pop music confection "Rockin' Robin" ; the Spencer Davis Group's first Number One single "Keep on Running" ; and "She Cried".
"Time Won't Let Me" was later covered by the all-woman rock band, The Heart Beats and was also covered in 1981 by Iggy Pop on his album, Party.

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.

Reception

Track listing

All tracks composed by Tom King and Chet Kelly; except where indicated

Side 1

  1. "Keep on Running", 2:20
  2. "Listen People", 2:29
  3. "Time Won't Let Me" 2:47
  4. "My Girl", 2:27
  5. "What Makes You So Bad, You Weren't Brought up that Way" 2:20
  6. "She Cried", 2:21

    Side 2

  7. "Chase Away the Tears" 2:42
  8. "Was it Really Real" 2:11
  9. "Maybe Baby", 1:58
  10. "Rockin' Robin", 2:30
  11. "Girl in Love" 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:
  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

    Personnel

The Outsiders