Grand Funk (AKA Grand Funk Railroad) was a hard rock band. Today’s classic song of the day, “Bad Time,” was a melodic power pop song. One can question a hard rock band playing a power pop song, but it was a good move for the guys. “Bad Time,” released as a single in March of 1975, went all the way to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. BMI said it was the most-played song of 1975, and it was band’s final top ten hit.
Grand Funk lead singer and guitarist Mark Farner wrote “Bad Time.” He said it was “kind of a different song” and remembers it thus:
“It was different when I wrote it. My first wife was in the kitchen. I can remember sitting at the piano—I had a little spinet in the dining room—and she’s threatening to put a 12-inch cast-iron skillet through my forehead. And I’m in there writing ‘bad time for being in love.’”
The “Bad Time” track was produced by Jimmy Ienner, known for producing other power pop tracks such as “Go All the Way,” “I Wanna Be with You,” and “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)” for the Raspberries, “Make Me Lose Control” and “That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll” for former Raspberry front man Eric Carmen, “The Show Must Go On” for Leo Sayer, and “One Fine Morning” and “Pretty Lady” for the Canadian horn-rock band, Lighthouse. If Grand Funk wanted to do a power pop track, it made perfect sense to enlist Mr. Ienner to produce it.
“Bad Time” was definitely a change of pace for Grand Funk, better known for their hard rocking sound on tunes like “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)” and “We’re an American Band.” Drummer Don Brewer had this to say about the track:
“[It was] a major, major departure for Grand Funk Railroad. Still to this day, a lot of people don’t think that’s a Grand Funk song. It’s very pop, surgary, sweet, syrupy. But I think it’s a great hit pop song.”
I concur with Mr. Brewer. “Bad Time” is indeed a great hit pop song. It’s on my power pop playlist.
