15 Best Songs About Time

Music remains at the central stage of human existence. In the exploration of it, different artists use different things about life as themes, and songs about time also often come up. Several artists have understood the treasures that lie in time and have provided different songs we can always uphold in moments where we feel the time is lost or time is not enough. Listening to these songs would provide the patience and hope we need until we gain stability amidst other things. While there may be tons of songs about time, here are 15 to know.

15 Most Captivating Songs About Time

15. Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper

• Release date: January 27, 1984
• Written by: Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman
• Performed by: Cyndi Lauper
• Genre: Pop
• Producer: Rick Chertoff
• Awards: American Video Awards for Best Female Performance, Billboard Award for Best Female Performance, Pro Canada Awards for Most Performed Foreign Song

Time After Time is a song by Cyndi Lauper and one of the most successful jazz covers of a new wave of pop songs from the album She’s So Unusual. This hit among songs about time by Lauper sold millions of copies in the 80s and has been used in several movies and television series.

The story behind the song makes it an interesting catch for anyone that has given up on love. The songwriters got inspired by the catalog of issues in their respective relationships. There might be a suitcase of memory that could keep one stuck but there’s always an anchor to rely on if you sail further.

Lyrics of the song

...If you’re lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting
Time after time

If you’re lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting
Time after time…

14. Time Is On My Side – The Rolling Stone

• Release date: October 3, 1963
• Written by: Jerry Ragovoy, Norman Meade
• Performed by: The Rolling Stone
• Genre: Rhythm and blues
• Producer: Creed Taylor

This is one the greatest songs about home and it also remains one of Ragovoy’s most famous songs and a hit for the rolling stone band. Several artists have released many cover versions of the song including Kim Wilson and Micheal Bolton.

This song portrays a lover constantly reminding his girlfriend to enjoy and be happy and do all her heart desires as he assures her that there’s time on his side. This song was also featured in the movie ‘Fallen’ to further depict hope and escape from stress.

Lyrics of Time Is On My Side 

…Time is on my side, yes it is
Time is on my side, yes it is
You’re searching for good times but just wait and see
You’ll come runnin’ back (I said you would darling)
You’ll come running back (spend the rest of life with ya baby)
You’ll come runnin’ back to me…

Read Also: 15 Best Songs About Money And Having A Good Life

13. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) – Green Day

• Release date: October 17, 1997
• Written by: Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool.
• Performed by: Rob Cavallo, Green day
• Genre: Alternative/Indie rock
• Producer: Rob Cavallo, Green Day
• Awards: MTV Video Music for Best Alt

Good Riddance is Green Day’s debut album and continues to sell and stream, it has now spent 100 weeks on the Billboard 200, and it’s somehow still going strong at No. 25, actually improving this frame. The hip-hop staple currently owns a pair of rungs inside the top 40.

“... It’s something unpredictable” the first line of this among the songs about time clearly shows that time is unpredictable just like people. Therefore, learn to enjoy everything and everyone that comes around you and be ready to let go when it’s time. This acceptance may create scars on one’s heart but time is always right.

Lyrics of the song

12. Too Much Time On My Hand – Styx

Too much On My Hand by Styx is one of the best songs about time. It also featured as one of his 10 most popular hit singles reaching No. 1 on the Billboard pop album chart and one of the top-grossing tours of the year supported by the world tour that commenced in 1981.

Tommy Shaw drew inspiration for this song while sitting at a bar in Niles, Michigan, he assumes the image of a teenage boy whose life revolves around a local bar, Shaw sees this teenager as someone who has enough time in his hands and isn’t bothered by the circumstances around him and though there’s much to be done there’s still much time.

Lyrics of the song

…Too much time on my hands?
It’s ticking away with my sanity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
It’s hard to believe such a calamity
I’ve got too much time on my hands
And it’s ticking away, ticking away from me
Too much time on my hands
(It’s t-t-t-t-ticking away)
Too much time on my hands
(And I don’t know what to do with myself)
Too much time on my hands…

11. Time Has Come Today – The Chamber Brothers

• Release date: November 1967
• Written by:  Willie and Joe Chambers
• Performed by: David Rubinson
• Genre: Rock and Soul
• Producer: David Rubinson

This hit single by The Chamber Brothers was a top 10 near-miss in American spending five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 11. It is now one of the memorial rock songs of the Chamber Brothers. The song was also featured in the final mission video game (home front) and a film trailer in 1995.  Several covers for the song have been made by different artists.

“Time has come today” stands out not just for its rich sound effects but the message to call out the younger generation to take action in fighting for their civil rights and justice during the Vietnam war that started in 1955.

Lyrics of Time Has Come Today

10. Only Time Will Tell – Asia

• Release date: July 1982
• Written by: Geoff Downes, John Wetton
• Performed by: Asia
• Genre: Rock
• Producer: Mike Stone

This song written by Wetton and Geoff Downes was the most popular tune in the early ’80s it is the second single released by the band Asia from their successful first album. The song was on the top 10 US hot mainstream rock tracks chart and has been used in different television series and video games.

In this song “Only Time Will Tell”, the lyricist expresses his love story that was just a charade, it tells a story of a man who learns the woman his heart beats for never loved him.  Time has a wonderful way of showing us what truly matters. it’s in time that all questions find answers.  The deepest of secrets is brought into light in time.

Lyrics of the song

9. (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes

• Release date: July 10, 1987
• Written by: John DeNicola, Donald Markowitz, Franke Previte
• Performed by: Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
• Genre: Rock
• Producer: Micheal Lloyd
• Awards: Grammy award 1987 for Best Vocal Performance by a Duo

I’ve Had The Time of My Life song recorded by Franke Previte and co has gained a number of awards including the Grammy award for best pop performance by a group with vocals, academy award for best original song, the golden globe award for best original song and many others. Little wonder it fits perfectly among songs about time.

This song is frequently used at weddings, birthdays, and other life events to celebrate fulfillment. Life becomes indeed beautiful when you look around at relationships over the years and find something worth living for.

Lyrics of the song

8. If I Could Turn Back Time – Cher

• Release date: July 1, 1989
• Written by: Diane Warren
• Performed by: Cher
• Genre: Pop Rock And Soft Rock
• Producer: Diane Warren, Guy Roche

This one great songs about time is a pop-rock and soft rock song that has received thousands of positive reviews and applause from music critics who consider it to be the landmark of the album heart of stone. The song has become so famous peaked at No.3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cher’s best hit in Australia. This song has been featured in referenced films such as walking on sunshine (2014) and Deadpool 2 (2018).

“If I Could Turn Back Time” shows the penitence feelings of the lyricist. Words are indeed very powerful and when misused leaves hurt and pains to those they are said to. The narrator is obviously in regret for using words that cannot be changed as time doesn’t move backward. In this song Cher, the singer expresses her desire to reverse time and make amends but sadly this wish would never be granted.

Lyrics of the song

Too strong to tell you I was sorry
Too proud to tell you I was wrong
I know that I was blind,
And darling

If I could turn back time
If I could find a way
I’d take back those words that’ll hurt you
And you’d stay
If I could reach the stars
I’d give them all to you
Then you’d love me, love me, like you …

7. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is – Chicago

• Release date: October 1, 1970
• Written by: Robert Lamm
• Performed by: Chicago
• Genre: Jazz
• Producer: James William Guercio

The song written by Robert Lamn was the first song recorded in their debut album. The song has been ranked as the 59th hit of 1970 and charted higher in Canada.

The last verse of this song explains the state of many listeners, while others may be focused on thoughts about the future others simply enjoy the present time available to them. Whenever life puts you in a hurry, take a deep breath, turn up your volume and listen to this hit from the 70s.

Lyrics Of The Song

6. Time Stands Still -Rush

• Release date: October 19, 1987
• Written by: Neil Peart, Giddy Lee, Alex Lifeson
• Performed by: Rush
• Genre: Pop Rock
• Producer: Peter Collins & Rush

“Time stands still” is a song by landmark rock band Rush that peaked at No. 3 on the U.S mainstream rock chart on November 6, 1987.

Time stands still when one is having the best time of their lives and other times when the storm hits hard and one gets stuck as everything seems to be on hold.  Whatever your still moment, this song is a great vibe to get you through.

Lyrics of the song

5. Nothing Compares To You – Sinead O’Connor

• Release date: January 8, 1990
• Written by: Prince
• Performed by: Prince
• Genre: Pop
• Producer: Sinead O’Connor. Nellee Hooper

This powerful ballad from an alternative rock star hasn’t recovered from its success. The artist was a force to be reckoned with, her vocal melody and magisterial flow accompanied this success. The song has received favorable reviews and remains one of Sinead’s outstanding highlights.

This powerful vocal performance remains one of the biggest ballads of the ’90s. There’s always something/someone that remains irreplaceable no matter how much time is gone and when we try to move on without them, they remain incomparable.

Lyrics of Nothing Compares To You

4. Always On Time – Ja Rule 

• Release date: November 27, 2001
• Written by: Jeffrey Atkins, Marcus Vest, Irving Lorenzo, Jr
• Performed by: Ja Rule
• Genre: R&B And Soul
• Producer: Irv Gotti
• Awards: Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance

This song by American rapper Ja Rule spent fourteen days at the top of the  Billboard Hot 100 from February 23, 2002. It was named the 33rd most successful song of the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot R&B hip hop songs chart.

This heartfelt track “Always On Time” was released in the year 2001  as part of the album pain is love and it’s lyrically cryptic so, listeners can draw individualized interpretations. it doesn’t matter who is always available but the one who is never late wins the punctuality game.

Lyrics of the song

3. One Moment in Time – Whitney Houston

• Release date: August 27, 1988
• Written by: Albert Hammond, John Bettis
• Performed by: Whitney Houston
• Genre: R&B, Pop, Soul, Gospel
• Producer: Narada Micheal Walden  

“One moment in time” is a song by American singer Whitney Houston and is one of her first greatest hits and also on the Ultimate Collection as well as one of the most interesting songs about time. The song was a worldwide big hit and it entered the UK singles chart No. 24.  It was also certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI)  for shipment of over 200,000 copies on October 1, 1988. and has sold millions of copies worldwide.

Living each day at a time and making it count is true fulfillment. The lyrics encourage that the listeners seize every opportunity and make it count. it isn’t how far that matters but how well. In the first line of the song, Whitney expresses how she whats to make every day count and further declared that though life has given her hurts and pains there are still many things worth living for.

Lyrics of the song

Each day I live
I want to be
A day to give
The best of me
I’m only one
But not alone
My finest day
Is yet unknown

Give me one moment in time
When I’m more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I’m racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel
I will feel eternity

You’re a winner for a lifetime
If you seize that one moment in time
Make it shine…

2. Don’t Blink – Kenny Chesney

• Release date: September 19, 2007
• Written by: Carsey Beathard, Chris Wallin
• Performed by: Kenny Chesney
• Genre: Country
• Producer: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

Don’t blink is a popular song recorded by American country music artist Kenny Chesney. The song became Chesney’s thirteenth number one hit on the US Billboard Hot country songs chart in late 2007 and also matches the fastest rising singles of his career.

One minute we say hello and the next minute, it’s time to say goodbye. This is the reality of how time flies. In this song don’t blink, the narrator suggests that every second is golden and should be appreciated. You were only a child yesterday and today an adult another blink would make you a granny. Funny but true.

Lyrics of the song 

1. Time – Pink Floyd