Song DNA
Genre
Pop
Era
80s
Mood
Nostalgic
Tempo
Mid-tempo Ballad
Key
Major
Texture
Layered
Sound
Synth-driven
Feel
Straight
As the second single from her debut album 'She's So Unusual,' this track established Cyndi Lauper as a serious songwriter and emotional powerhouse. It blends jangly guitar hooks with atmospheric synthesizers and a ticking LinnDrum rhythm to create one of the most enduring power ballads in music history.
The harmonic brilliance of 'Time After Time' lies in its restraint. By utilizing a ii-I oscillation in the verses and a IV-V-iii-IV loop in the transitions, the song creates a feeling of 'searching' or 'drifting.' The listener is only granted a full resolution…
The song was written during the final stages of the 'She's So Unusual' sessions. Producer Rick Chertoff felt the album needed one more song, so Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman (of The Hooters) stayed late at the studio to collaborate. They sat at a piano and develo…
“Rob Hyman, the co-writer, provides the prominent harmony vocals during the chorus.”
The harmonic brilliance of 'Time After Time' lies in its restraint. By utilizing a ii-I oscillation in the verses and a IV-V-iii-IV loop in the transitions, the song creates a feeling of 'searching' or 'drifting.' The listener is only granted a full resolution to the tonic C major chord during the hook, which provides the emotional 'home' or 'devotion' described in the lyrics.
The song was written during the final stages of the 'She's So Unusual' sessions. Producer Rick Chertoff felt the album needed one more song, so Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman (of The Hooters) stayed late at the studio to collaborate. They sat at a piano and developed the melody and lyrics, building on a title Lauper had seen earlier.
As the second single from her debut album 'She's So Unusual,' this track established Cyndi Lauper as a serious songwriter and emotional powerhouse. It blends jangly guitar hooks with atmospheric synthesizers and a ticking LinnDrum rhythm to create one of the most enduring power ballads in music history.
Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song.
Genre
Pop
Era
80s
Mood
Nostalgic
Tempo
Mid-tempo Ballad
Key
Major
Texture
Layered
Sound
Synth-driven
Feel
Straight
10.1M
Plays
1.5M
Listeners
718K
Genius Views
13
Annotations
100%
Popularity
4:00
Duration
4/4
Time
From the album She’s So Unusual
Intro
Pre chorus
Chorus
Verse
Chords F G Em Am ✕ C ✕ Dm7 ✕ ✕ F G Em Am C Dm7 Harmony The harmonic brilliance of 'Time After Time' lies in its restraint. By utilizing a ii-I oscillation in the verses and a IV-V-iii-IV loop in the transitions, the song creates a feeling of 'searching' or 'drifting.' The listener is only granted a full resolution to the tonic C major chord during the hook, which provides the emotional 'home' or 'devotion' described in the lyrics. Deep Analysis Available Detailed analysis of this section is not yet available for this song. Notify me when it's ready Request Full Analysis
Composition The song was written during the final stages of the 'She's So Unusual' sessions. Producer Rick Chertoff felt the album needed one more song, so Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman (of The Hooters) stayed late at the studio to collaborate. They sat at a piano and developed the melody and lyrics, building on a title Lauper had seen earlier. Inspiration: The title was inspired by the 1979 science fiction film 'Time After Time', which Lauper saw listed in a TV Guide. The lyrics were influenced by Lauper's personal life and her relationship with her then-manager and boyfriend, David Wolff. Recording Studio: Record Plant Studios Producer: Rick Chertoff Rob Hyman, the co-writer, provides the prominent harmony vocals during the chorus. The song's arrangement was originally meant to be more upbeat, but Lauper insisted on a more atmospheric, ballad-like feel. The 'ticking' sound is a reference to the title and the theme of time passing.
Chord Sheet Transpose 0 Capo 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Auto-scroll Print Reset Chords Used Hide functions Dm7 ii7 P C I T F IV P G V D Em iii T Am vi T Progression by Section Intro F IV P G V D Em iii F IV P Pre chorus F IV P G V D Em iii F IV P F IV P G V D Em iii Chorus G V D Am vi F IV P G V D C I T Verse Dm7 ii7 P C I T Dm7 ii7 P C I T Chord Diagrams F G Em Am ✕ C ✕ Dm7 ✕ ✕ Harmony Analysis The harmonic brilliance of 'Time After Time' lies in its restraint. By utilizing a ii-I oscillation in the verses and a IV-V-iii-IV loop in the transitions, the song creates a feeling of 'searching' or 'drifting.' The listener is only granted a full resolution to the tonic C major chord during the hook, which provides the emotional 'home' or 'devotion' described in the lyrics. Find Tabs & Chords Songsterr Interactive tabs Ultimate Guitar Chords & tabs Cifra Club Chords
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