Prime Time (Don McLean album)

Prime Time is an album by the American singer-songwriter Don McLean, released in 1977.[1][2] It was produced by John Peters.[3] Drake sampled "The Wrong Thing to Do" in his song "Doing It Wrong" from 2011's Take Care.

Prime Time
Studio album by
Released1977
GenrePop
Length40:01
LabelArista
ProducerJohn Peters
Don McLean chronology
Solo
(1976)
Prime Time
(1977)
Chain Lightning
(1978)

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [5]

Record World called the title track "a rock 'n roll song with a honky-tonk flavor and a good deal of strong and ironic social commentary."[6]

Track listing

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All tracks composed by Don McLean, except where indicated.

  1. "Prime Time" 5:02
  2. "The Statue" 3:19
  3. "Jump" 3:38
  4. "Red Wing" 1:12
  5. "The Wrong Thing to Do" 3:33
  6. "The Pattern Is Broken" 2:49
  7. "When Love Begins" 3:31
  8. "Color TV Blues" 3:58
  9. "Building My Body" 3:15
  10. "Down the Road/Sally Ann" 1:34
  11. "When a Good Thing Goes Bad" 4:00
  12. "South of the Border" (Michael Carr, Jimmy Kennedy) 2:21
  13. "If You Can Dream" 2:49

Personnel

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  • Don McLean - guitar, banjo, vocals, electric bass on "When Love Begins"
  • Rob Stoner - electric bass, backing vocals
  • Howie Wyeth - drums, marimba, piano, harpsichord, backing vocals

with:

  • David Sanborn - saxophone on "Jump"
  • Dom Cortese - accordion on "South of the Border"
  • Kenny Asher - organ, electric piano, clavinet, synthesizer, string arrangements
  • Rubens Bassini - percussion
  • Christine Faith, Angela Howell, Rona Wyeth - backing vocals on "Jump"
  • John Farrell - electric guitar on "Prime Time"
  • Ed Freeman - piano on "Building My Body"
  • Gene Orloff and His Strings - strings, concertmaster
  • Pat Rebillot - piano

References

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  1. ^ "Don McLean Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  2. ^ McParland, Robert (2022). Singer-Songwriters of the 1970s: 150+ Profiles. McFarland, Inc. p. 108.
  3. ^ "Top Album Picks: Pop". Billboard. Vol. 89, no. 44. Nov 5, 1977. p. 102.
  4. ^ "Prime Time Review by Richie Unterberger". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  5. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
  6. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 5, 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-16.