Playing for Time (song)
| "Playing for Time" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Peter Gabriel | ||||
| from the album I/O | ||||
| Released |
| |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 6:17 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | Peter Gabriel | |||
| Producer(s) | Peter Gabriel | |||
| Peter Gabriel singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Playing for Time" is a song by English musician Peter Gabriel, released in March 2023 as the third single in promotion of his tenth studio album I/O. This is his first album of original material since 2002's Up. Two versions of the song have been released: the "Bright Side Mix" (mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent) and the "Dark Side Mix" (mixed by Tchad Blake). The cover art for this track features Annette Messager's Mes voeux (avec nos cheveux).[3] Recorded at Gabriel's Real World Studios in Wiltshire and the Beehive and British Grove Studios in London, "Playing For Time" features regulars Tony Levin on bass and Manu Katché on drums. The single was released on March 7 and the full moon, called the Worm Moon.[4]
Background
[edit]In its unfinished form (part of the intro and the entire bridge were missing at the time) without proper lyrics and only with piano and bass instrumentation, "Playing for Time" was performed on Back to Front Tour from 2012 to 2014, opening almost all shows. Gabriel first performed the song on 7 September 2012 in Quebec during rehearsals for the Back to Front Tour.[5] At that time it was known as "O But" (later as "Daddy Long Legs").[6][7]
Gabriel wanted the unfinished song to demonstrate his process of working through material in a rehearsal room, which he would then juxtapose with the more polished material included later in the setlist.[8] During introductions of the song, Gabriel would elaborate on this rationale by telling the audience that "the journey and the search can be as interesting as the destination or the arrival."[5] A recording of the song from one of Gabriel's October 2013 performances at The O2 Arena was included on Gabriel's Back to Front: Live in London album.[8]
When asked about the song's meaning, Gabriel stated that:
"It is more of a personal song about how you assemble memories and whether we are prisoners of time or whether that is something that can actually free us. I do think it's good to push yourself towards more bold or interesting experiences because then you will have richer memories to feed you when you get to my age. You also get taught by every meaningful experience that you go through."[9]
Tom Cawley, who played piano on Gabriel's New Blood Tour, appears on the track along with many musicians from the New Blood Orchestra. The orchestral arrangements were done by Edward Shearmur, who previously handled the orchestration for Gabriel's cover of "That'll Do" from the Babe: Pig in the City soundtrack.[1] Gabriel has also stated that an influence on the track was the non-profit organization Long Now Foundation.[9]
Critical reception
[edit]In his review of I/O, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian said that "Playing for Time" was a "highlight" on the album. He said that the ballad "slowly moves to a dramatic climax" and compared the song's lyrical content of climbing hills to Gabriel's debut single with the added subtext of being "lost in memories and the thought of time’s passing."[10] Writing for Pitchfork, Sam Sodomsky thought that the song's arrangement was "beautiful and precise and a little heavy-handed after the drums come in, but it's easy to forgive once you lock into the earnest beauty of the words."[11]
Personnel
[edit]- Peter Gabriel – lead and backing vocals, synthesizers
- Tony Levin – bass
- Manu Katché – drums
- Oli Jacobs – synthesizer
- Tom Cawley – piano
- Richard Chappell – rhythm programming
- Katie May – engineering
- Orchestra
- Orchestral arrangement: Edward Shearmur
- Violins: Everton Nelson, Ian Humphries, Louisa Fuller, Charles Mutter, Cathy Thompson, Natalia Bonner, Richard George, Marianne Haynes, Martin Burgess, Clare Hayes, Debbie Widdup, and Odile Ollagnon
- Violas: Bruce White, Fiona Bonds, Peter Lale, and Rachel Roberts
- Cellos: Ian Burdge, Chris Worsey, Caroline Dale, William Schofield, Tony Woollard, and Chris Allan
- French horn: David Pyatt, Richard Bissill
- Tenor trombone/Euphonium: Andy Wood
- Tenor trombone: Tracy Holloway
- Bass trombone: Richard Henry
- Tuba: David Powell
- Orchestra conductor: John Metcalfe
- Orchestra leader: Everton Nelson
- Sheet music supervisor: Dave Foster
- Orchestra contractor: Lucy Whalley and Susie Gillis
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Downloads (Offizielle Download Top 100)[12] | 87 |
| UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[13] | 83 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Ewing, Jerry (7 March 2023). "Listen to the new Peter Gabriel single Playing For Time". louder. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ Gleadow, Ewan (9 January 2023). "Peter Gabriel - Panopticom Review". Cult Following. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "Playing For Time". Retrieved 5 April 2023.
- ^ Benitez-Eves, Tina (7 March 2023). "Peter Gabriel Studies Impermanence on New Song "Playing For Time," Reveals North American Tour". American Songwriter. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ a b Marziano, Alfredo; Perasi, Luca (2024). Peter Gabriel: The Rhythm Has My Soul. Milan, Italy: L.I.L.Y Publishing. pp. 288–289. ISBN 978-88-909122-5-2.
- ^ Reed, Ryan (30 November 2023). "Peter Gabriel's i/o, Explained". TIDAL Magazine. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ Rosen, Craig (7 October 2012). "Peter Gabriel Marks 25th Anniversary of 'So' With 3-Act Show, John Cusack Cameo: Concert Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
- ^ a b Scarfe, Graeme (2021). Peter Gabriel: Every Album, Every Song. United Kingdom: SonicBond. pp. 118–119. ISBN 978-1-78952-138-2.
- ^ a b Rapp, Allison (7 March 2023). "Listen to New Peter Gabriel Song, 'Playing for Time'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ Petridis, Alexis (30 November 2023). "Peter Gabriel: i/o review – a beautiful comeback three decades in the making". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
- ^ Sodomsky, Sam (1 December 2023). "Peter Gabriel: i/o". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
- ^ "Download Charts Single". GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2023.