"Prime Time" by Alan Parsons Project

Song#:  1910
Date:  05/19/1984
Debut:  83
Peak:  34
Weeks:  11
Genre:  Soft Rock



Pop Bits:  The Project's Ammonia Avenue would be their seventh consecutive gold certified album. It accomplished that feat mainly on the strength of its first single "Don't Answer Me," which got to #15 at Pop, #4 AC, and #15 Rock. Although this next single wouldn't be quite as strong at Pop, it did very well at Rock hitting #3. It also got to #10 at AC. Unfortunately, it would end up being their final song to land in the Pop Top 40.

ReduxReview:  Although this song is cut from the same vein as "Eye in the Sky," it still works quite well on its own. Rock radio loved it, but I'm not sure why it didn't catch on more at Pop. Maybe it was a little to akin to "Eye" and so folks ignored it after the brilliant retro-rock sound of "Don't Answer Me." It's too bad because this ranks among their strongest singles. Everything works on this tune from the chugging beat to the memorable chorus. The production was top-notch as well. Frankly, this should have been the second Pop Top 10 from the album.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  This song's video about mannequins that turn into human and try to escape their plastic world looked to the John Collier short story "Evening Primrose" for inspiration. Written in 1940, it's Twilight Zone-ish plot centers on a poet who decides to take refuge in a big department store to escape the world. Overnight, he discovers a secret society of other folks who have done the same. He joins up with them, but the catch is that once you are part of the society you can never reveal yourself to anyone outside of the group and you can never leave the store. If you do, you will be handed over to the Dark Men who will then turn you into a mannequin. The story became the basis of a 1947 radio show and was later turned into an hour-long television musical in 1966 featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The role of the poet in the musical was played by Anthony Perkins (of Psycho fame).

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