Laura Nyro was a popular and prolific songwriter in the late ’60s/early ’70s. While she really didn’t have any hits of her own, she wrote songs that were hits for the 5th Dimension (“Wedding Bell Blues,” “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Save the Country“), Three Dog Night (“Eli’s Coming“), Blood, Sweat & Tears (“And When I Die,” “He’s a Runner”), and Barbra Streisand (“Stoney End,” “Flim Flam Man“). Even her minor tunes were terrific.
One such “minor” tune is today’s classic song of the day. Laura Nyro wrote and recorded “Time and Love” for her third album, 1969’s New York Tendaberry. That album also included such standout tunes as “Save the Country,” “Tom Cat Goodbye,” and “Captain Saint Lucifer.” While Columbia Records released “Time and Love” as a single in 1969, it failed to chart.
“Time and Love” is about how time and love can cure a broken heart. It’s an upbeat tune with equally upbeat lyrics:
So winter froze the river
And winter birds don’t sing
So winter makes you shiver
So time is gonna bring you spring
So he swears he’ll never marry
Says that cuddles are a curse
Just tell him plain
You’re on the next train
If love don’t get there first
Time and love, everybody
Time and love
Nothing cures like
Time and love
Don’t let the devil fool you
Here comes a dove
Nothing cures like
Time and love
Musically, “Time and Love” is based primarily on two chords, G and Dm7. But those chords are gussied up with a soulful bass line set to a fast shuffle beat. The verse, for example, goes like this:
G/C – G/A – Dm7 – F/G – G
And so on. The progression is fast-moving with two or more chords per measure.
The chorus is similar:
G/C – F/G – G/C – F/G – G/C – F/G – Dm7 – F/G – G – G/C – Em7 – A – Dm7
It’s kind of a gospel thing, which Ms. Nyro was adept at.
As with many Laura Nyro tunes, other artists quickly took notice and recorded their own covers. With “Time and Love,” the most successful cover was by Barbra Streisand, who recorded the tune for her 1971 Stoney End album. That album also included two additional Laura Nyro tunes, “Flim Flam Man” and the title track, “Stoney End.”
Ms. Streisand released “Time and Love” as a single in March of 1971. It spent seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #51. Not a big hit, but it got a lot of notice.
Lots of other artists recorded their own version of “Time and Love,” including Melba Moore, the Supremes, Labelle, Petula Clark, the Free Design, and Phoebe Snow. My favorite cover, however, is by the 5th Dimension, who by this time knew their way around a Laura Nyro tune. Their version is today’s daily bonus track of the day.
