"Isn't It Time" is a song that was performed by the English group

The Babys The Babys are a British Rock music, rock group best known for their songs "Isn't It Time (The Babys song), Isn't It Time" and "Every Time I Think of You". Both songs were composed by Jack Conrad and Raymond Louis Kennedy, Ray Kennedy, and ea ...

in 1977 and was released on their album ''

Broken Heart A broken heart (also known as heartbreak or heartache) is a metaphor for the intense emotional stress or pain one feels at experiencing great loss or deep longing. The concept is cross-cultural, often cited with reference to unreciprocated o ...

''.

Background

"Isn't It Time" was not written by members of the group but by bass guitarist Jack Conrad along with

Ray Kennedy Raymond Kennedy (28 July 1951 – 30 November 2021) was an English Association football, footballer who won every domestic honour in the game with Arsenal F.C., Arsenal and Liverpool F.C., Liverpool in the 1970s and early 1980s. Kennedy playe ...

. The recording by The Babys begins with piano performed by

Michael Corby Michael John Siddons-Corby (born 3 July 1951) is a British former musician who was the founder of the 1970s hard rock group The Babys The Babys are a British Rock music, rock group best known for their songs "Isn't It Time (The Babys ...

and moves into a vocal performance by

John Waite John Charles Waite (born 4 July 1952) is an English rock singer and musician. As a solo artist, he has released ten studio albums and is best known for the 1984 hit single "Missing You (John Waite song), Missing You", which reached No. 1 on th ...

. The strong vocals of the three

Babettes The Babys are a British rock group best known for their songs " Isn't It Time" and "Every Time I Think of You". Both songs were composed by Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy, and each reached No. 13 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 8 on t ...

from Andraé Crouch & The Disciples, Lisa Freeman-Roberts, Myrna Matthews and Pat Henderson, balance the tone of the song which moves through the decisions a lover has to make "I just can't find the answers to the questions that keep going through my mind" and "losing this love could be your mistake." The lyrics were motivated by Ray Kennedy's love for a French woman whom he knew during the writing of the song. The drum work of

Tony Brock Tony Brock (born 31 March 1954) is a British rock drummer, who is best known as the drummer and occasional vocalist for the English group the Babys. He was originally a drummer for Spontaneous Combustion. Through his tenure with the Babys, h ...

heralds the chorus featuring the Babettes and the guitar of

Walt Stocker The Babys are a British rock group best known for their songs " Isn't It Time" and "Every Time I Think of You". Both songs were composed by Jack Conrad and Ray Kennedy, and each reached No. 13 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 8 on t ...

brings the song to a close with the Babettes chorus heard alternatively in the left and right channels "isn't it time", "don't have to wait" a result of the production work of

Ron Nevison Ron Nevison is an American record producer and audio engineer. He started his career in the early 1970s as an engineer on '' Quadrophenia'' by the Who and Bad Company's debut album. He eventually became a producer, working with artists includi ...

. The song peaked at position No. 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 but hit No. 8 on

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

's Top 100. It was a #1 hit in Australia in March 1978. On 7 December 1977 a video of the Babys' "Isn't It Time" was aired on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

program ''

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''.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Cover versions

* The song's co-writer

recorded "Isn't It Time" for his 1980 self-titled album.''Charlotte News'' 4 September 1980 "Off the Record: Kennedy talented singer-songwriter" by Chris Jones p.7C * English guitarist

Robin Trower Robin Leonard Trower (born 9 March 1945) is an English rock guitarist who achieved success with Procol Harum throughout 1967–1971 and then again as the bandleader of his own power trio known as the Robin Trower Band. Biography Robin Trower ...

also recorded a cover of "Isn't It Time" for his 1990 album ''

In the Line of Fire ''In the Line of Fire'' is a 1993 American political action thriller film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich and Rene Russo. Written by Jeff Maguire, the film is about a disillusioned and obsessed former ...

''. * Franco-Belgian singer

Johnny Hallyday Jean-Philippe Léo Smet (; 15 June 1943 – 5 December 2017), better known by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was a French rock and roll and Pop music, pop singer and actor, credited with having brought rock and roll to France. During a career ...

recorded a cover in 1978, Le cœur comme une montagne for the album ''Hollywood''. (fr) * Belgian singer Udo Mechels had a number one hit in 2006 with his cover.

References

External links

Website of Raymond Louis Kennedy

Denise Sullivan's Review at All Music Guide
* {{authority control 1977 singles The Babys songs Songs written by Raymond Louis Kennedy Song recordings produced by Ron Nevison 1977 songs Chrysalis Records singles Number-one singles in Australia Songs written by Jack Conrad