From instrumental song to Vocal Nº1

«Time Is on My Side» is one of those songs that are part of the top of Poision Ivy Lovers, written by Jerry Ragovoy, under the pseudonym «Norman Meade». It was first recorded by jazz trombonist Kai Winding in 1963. Winding was a renowned Jazzy Pop musician Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee Warwick, and Cissy Houston recognized by the Jazz and pop trombonist who had passed by Benny Goodman’s bands. and Stan Kenton. In 1963 Winding had achieved notable success with the instrumental track «More», included in the Lp «!!! More !!! ” (Theme From Mondo Cane) ”for the Verve Records label, an album that I take the opportunity to recommend from here, Easy Listen, Surf, Pop Exotica come together in a wonderful album, where the“ Pipeline ”of The Chantays,“ Comin ‘, coexist Home Baby ”by Mel Torme, or the wonderful“ More ”, by Riz Ortolani and Nino Oliviero, the latter with a treatment in Surf key reminiscent of“ Telstar ”by The Tornadoes, for something on the back cover of this LP the subtitle appears «Soul Surfin'». Briefly commenting on this album is essential to understand why musical parameters Kai Winding was moving at that time, despite being 41 years old in 1963, Winding absorbed musical styles such as Surf, which were purely youthful.

«Time Is on My Side» was recorded in October 1963 for the Verve label, the song was conceived as an instrumental theme, which had a chorus, in the beginning some background vocals were thought, repeating the song title. In the end, the choir was more present than initially thought, and thankfully it was so, since the voices were no more and no less than Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick.

The song has been covered countless times, Irma Thomas, The Rolling Stones, Wilson Pickett, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Moody Blues, Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, The O’jays, The Pretty Things, Blondie, Patty Smith, Tracy Nelson, Kim Wilson and many others have recorded or versioned it live. The most notable of these versions are, without a doubt, that of Irma Thomas and that of The Rollings Stones.

The Irma Thomas version was recorded in 1964 for Imperial Records, and it was the first to have full lyrics, Jimmy Norman was in charge of creating the lyrics. He appeared as side B of the song «Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)». The version of Irma Thomas was the one that The Rolling Stones covered, and with their interpretation they managed to reach the top of the charts, they were number 1 in UK and USA number 6. It was the first song by The Rolling Stones to enter the American Top Ten.

The Rolling Stones recorded it twice, in 1964 they included it in their album «12×5», and in 1965 in their album «The Rolling Stones 2», the two have different intros.

I think that in addition to citing these two versions as the most outstanding, we must also mention the versions made by Wilson Pickett, Paul Revere & The Raiders and Kim Wilson (The Fabulous Thunderbirds).

The song has been used in several series and television spots, and as the movie soundtrack, the most popular without a doubt, is the horror film «Fallen» from 1998, starring Denzel Washington.

Juanmy «The Hunter»