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 Don McLean
Released	1977
Genre	Pop
Length	40:01
Label	Arista
Producer	John Peters
Don McLean chronology
Solo (1976) Prime Time (1977) Chain Lightning (1978)

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
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

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

• 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

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.