"Time Is Tight" is an

instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to inst ...

recorded by Booker T. & the M.G.'s for their

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack ...

to the 1968 film '' UpTight''.

Background

The group recorded two versions of the song – the shorter (3:14), slower version was released as a single in 1969, and became one of the biggest hits of the group's career, peaking at #7 R&B and #6 Pop.Galloway, A. Scott (1994). ''Rock Instrumental Classics Volume 4: Soul'' (p. 14) D booklet Los Angeles: Rhino Records. The longer (4:55) version (which was included on the official soundtrack album) is played at a faster tempo than the single version, and features an extended introduction and an instrumental 'breakdown' section, neither of which was included in the single version.

Personnel

Booker T. Jones Booker Taliaferro Jones Jr. (born November 12, 1944) is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. & the M.G.'s. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known art ...

– organ * Steve Cropper – guitar * Al Jackson Jr. – drums * Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Cover versions

The Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the w ...

recorded a notable cover, which they had previously used as a "warm-up" in live performances. The song appears on their 1980 singles compilation album ''

Black Market Clash ''Super Black Market Clash'' is a 1993 compilation album released by the English punk rock band The Clash. It contains B-sides and rare tracks not available on the group's regular studio albums. The album is an expanded repackaging of the 1980 r ...

'', and also on their 1994 album ''

Super Black Market Clash ''Super Black Market Clash'' is a 1993 compilation album released by the English punk rock band The Clash. It contains B-sides and rare tracks not available on the group's regular studio albums. The album is an expanded repackaging of the 1980 r ...

''. (The Clash's arrangement differs from the original in one major respect – it modulates to D for the 'chorus' section, whereas the MG's version modulates to G.) *Clash drummer

Topper Headon Nicholas Bowen "Topper" Headon (born 30 May 1955) is an English drummer, best known as the drummer of punk rock band the Clash. Known for his instrumental contributions to the drumming world, Headon was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fa ...

included a version of the song on his 1986 solo debut ''

Waking Up Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a de ...

''. *A rendition appears on

The Shadows The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in the pre- Beatles era. They served as the backing band for Cliff Richard ...

album '' XXV''. *The

Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on ''Saturday Night Live''. Belushi and Aykroyd fronted the band, in character, respecti ...

used the song as an intro to their shows in a medley with

Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...

's " I Can't Turn You Loose". It is featured in ''

The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on ''Saturday Night Live''. Belushi and Aykroyd fronted the band, in character, respecti ...

'' film as well as in the 1983 mini-album '' Dancin' wid da Blues Brothers''. *A zydeco-styled cover appears on Buckwheat Zydeco's 1987 album On A Night Like This; the album was nominated for what would later be known as the

Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album was awarded from 1988 to 2011 and from 2017 onwards. Until 1992 the award was known as Best Contemporary Blues Performance and in 1989 was awarded to a song rather than to an album. The award was ...

Popular culture

*The song was played by

BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...

Johnnie Walker Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch whisky now owned by Diageo that originated in the Scottish burgh of Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire. The brand was first established by grocer John Walker. It is the most widely distributed brand of blended Sc ...

in the early 1970s as the back up music to the weekly BBC chart rundowns. These were published by the British Market Research Bureau on the Tuesday and then broadcast later that day on 247 metres medium wave.

References

External links

Allmusic song review
Booker T. & the M.G.'s songs The Clash songs 1969 singles 1960s instrumentals Songs written by Steve Cropper Songs written by Al Jackson Jr. 1968 songs Stax Records singles Songs written by Booker T. Jones Songs written for films The Blues Brothers songs {{1960s-R&B-song-stub