Prime Time

Prime Time

Prime Time
  1. Prime Time
  2. The Statue
  3. Jump
  4. Red Wing (Trad.)
  5. The Wrong Thing to Do
  6. The Pattern Is Broken
  7. When Love Begins
  8. Color TV Blues
  9. Building My Body
  10. Down the Road/Sally Ann (Trad.)
  11. When a Good Thing Goes Bad
  12. South of the Border (Kennedy-Carr)
  13. If You Can Dream

Produced by John Peters and released by Arista in 1977 – Don’s one and only album with Arista records. Arguably his least successful album but one that contains excellent songs. ‘When Love Begins’ and ‘The Pattern is Broken’ were written and recorded for the film ‘Fraternity Row’. Re-issued in 1997 on Hip-o Records with ‘If You Can Dream’ bonus track and liner notes written by Joel Dorn.

ARISTA 4149, Released October 1977 INTERFUSION (FESTIVAL) L36446 (AUS), Released 1977 [LP]
HIP-O HIPD-40055, Reissued September 1997 [CD]*

*With Bonus Track: If You Can Dream

All tracks composed by Don McLean unless otherwise stated.

Prime Time LP back cover

15 Replies

  • “Some sensational songs – Color TV Blues, Prime Time, South of The Border – but a few unfortunate dogs as well. (Rated 3 out of 5)”

  • Prime Time is a classic example of DM&#39s skill at creating and arranging words to paint a million pictures and concepts. (Rated 2 out of 5)

  • “I&#39ve always felt that this album is underrated. “”South of the Border”” and “”When a Good Thing Goes Bad”” may be throwaways, but the earnestness of “”The Statue,”” the prescience of “”Prime Time,”” the humor of “”Building My Body”” and the charm of the two banjo pieces combine to make it a brilliant transitional effort. (Rated 3 out of 5)”

  • “well this is a strange one! but has to many good songs not to desrve four stars, the wrong thing to do and color tv blues are among dons best. the only stinkers are, when love begins and when a good thing goes bad. but this is worth a look for some amusing and thought provoking songs (Rated 4 out of 5)”

  • “Wonderful. I don&#39t think there&#39s a bad track on the album- in fact, the whole thing is PERFECT!! Some of my absolute Don favourites are on here- “”The Wrong Thing To Do””, “”When Love Begins””, “”Color TV Blues””, “”Prime Time””, “”The Staue””, “”Building My Body””… throw me a lifeline, someone! (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “My foavourite album of Don&#39s, for 3 wonderful protest songs – Prime Time, Jump, and Color TV Blues. I almost had a heart attack when I finally got it on CD a few months back, direct from the US. I love it. Often wonder if Don stoppedd writing good protest songs because f thsi album and its underrated songs. But also feel, from 1977 (read Punk) that, along with many artists (including John lennon and Elton john) lyrics were, for a few years, a thing of the past for record buyers. Love it. (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “The best songs on here are:
    &#39The pattern is broken&#39
    &#39building my body&#39
    &#39jump&#39
    &#39when love begins&#39
    to cut a long story short, every song on this album is great! (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “My brother brought this album home sometime in the late &#3970&#39s when it was a cut-out. I loved “”Prime Time”” and “”Color TV Blues,”” and learned to pick out “”When Love Begins”” on the guitar; one of the best love songs I know of. A first-rate album! (Rated 5 out of 5)”

  • “This is a great album. I bought it and I can&#39t seem to put it down. There is a lot of creativity within this album and the emotion of the songs really move me.
    Illinois (Rated 5 out of 5)”

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