Time to Pretend
| "Time to Pretend" | ||||||||||
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| Single by MGMT | ||||||||||
| from the album Oracular Spectacular | ||||||||||
| Released |
March 3, 2008 (UK) March 30, 2009 (UK Re-Release) | |||||||||
| Format | 7", CD | |||||||||
| Genre | Indie pop, indietronica, synthpop, neo-psychedelia | |||||||||
| Length | 4:19 | |||||||||
| Label | Columbia[1] | |||||||||
| Writer(s) | Andrew VanWyngarden, Ben Goldwasser | |||||||||
| Certification | Gold (RIAA)[2] | |||||||||
| MGMT singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Time to Pretend" is the debut single (in the UK) from MGMT's album Oracular Spectacular, although an earlier version was released on their Time to Pretend EP.
The single was released as a 7" and CD featuring the b-sides "Weekend Wars" (BBC Radio 1 Session)[3] and "Metanoia," respectively.[4] In early 2009, the song was re-released in the UK. The song is number 493 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[5]
Track information
The track was originally recorded for the Time to Pretend EP (2005). It was re-recorded for the Oracular Spectacular album.
From a quote from live at Abbey Road:
| “ | We wrote Time to Pretend our senior year of college, and the music was inspired by a praying mantis we had in our house. She laid eggs and it died, and we laid the egg case on this kinda model pirate ship on the mantle piece, and the eggs hatched and all these baby praying mantises were climbing up the rigging of the ship, and it was pretty crazy...uhm so the music was inspired by our praying mantis that liked to dance to the Clash {laugh} and the lyrics are just about us imagining being rock stars....and yeah, fantasy rock star life. | ” |
Music video
The music video contains references to Alejandro Jodorowsky's 1973 film The Holy Mountain[6] and the classic book Lord of the Flies. The video was directed by Ray Tintori. Tiscali Music gave the video a rating of 10 out of 10[7][8] A 3D version of the video with minor changes to the original was also produced.
Track listing
| 7" Single | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Time to Pretend" | 4:19 | ||||||||
| 2. | "Weekend Wars" (BBC Radio 1 session) | 4:34 | ||||||||
| 2 Track Promo | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Time to Pretend" | 4:19 | ||||||||
| 2. | "Time to Pretend" (Clean) | 4:20 | ||||||||
| Radio Edit Promo | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Time to Pretend" (Radio edit) | 4:11 | ||||||||
| 2009 Digital Download | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Time to Pretend" | 4:21 | ||||||||
| 2. | "Future Reflections" (Triple J live recording) | 4:10 | ||||||||
Reception
"Time to Pretend is a space-rock gem that mocks the clichéd coke-and-hookers rock-star lifestyle, over big synth whooshes." – Kevin O'Donnell, Rolling Stone[9]
The song hit #38 on the Mediabase Alternative chart.[10]
Time critic Josh Tyrangiel named Time to Pretend the #8 song of 2008.[11] The song was #3 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008,[12] #4 on NME's Best Singles of 2008,[13] Rolling Stone placed "Time to Pretend" as the 12th best song of the 2000s. The song is also 493 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[5] NME ranked "Time to Pretend" as the 2nd best song of the 2000s. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 12 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[14]
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 62[15] |
| Canadian Hot 100[16] | 64 |
| Irish Singles Chart[17] | 33 |
| Japanese Singles Chart[18] | 75 |
| UK Singles Chart[19] | 35 |
| U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles[20] | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks[20] | 23 |
| Billboard European Hot 100 Singles[20] | 99 |
End-of-year charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart[21] | 193 |
End of year
| Country (2008) | Position (Year End Singles Chart) |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 145[22] |
In popular culture
Television performances
MGMT performed the song "Time to Pretend" in a 3.5 minute slot on Late Show with David Letterman on January 8, 2008, ending the performance with a nod to The Doors' "Light My Fire". The song subsequently hit #19 on the Mediabase U.S. Alternative chart.[23] They later performed the song on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on May 15, 2008. The band returned to Letterman for a 4 minute slot on May 11, 2010.
TV and film
"Time to Pretend" has featured in a number of TV shows, including HBO's show Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7, episode 2, which originally aired on April 18, 2009, the Season 1 finale of Gossip Girl on May 19, 2008, and featured prominently at the end of the second series finale of popular UK teen drama Skins but was later omitted from the DVD release of the series due to issues acquiring the rights. It was also featured in the series premiere of 90210 on September 2, 2008 and in the pilot episode of HBO's Girls.
As for films, "Time to Pretend" has been used in the 2008 films (or in the trailers for) Sex Drive, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, 21 and Eagle Eye, an early trailer for the Tim Burton film Alice in Wonderland and the 2011 film Warrior.
"Time to Pretend" was also used on the Exitosos Pells (Argentine TV) in Chapter 100, showing bloopers from the series.
Commercials
The song was the theme music for Manchester-based UK radio station Key 103/Piccadilly Magic 1152's new football show Total Football covering Manchester United and Manchester City games. It was also included in one of HMV's holiday commercials, giving it more exposure. The song was also used for the Polish TV commercial for the Ferrero SpA Duplo chocolate bar aired from December 2009.
Other
- BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge sessions:
- Kaiser Chiefs, September 2008
- Paolo Nutini, November 2009
- Jón Þór Birgisson from Sigur Rós, March 2010
- Played in the video game Shaun White Snowboarding, released in November 2008, along with another track from Oracular Spectacular, "Of Moons Birds Monsters". It has also been featured in several skateboarding videos.
- Broderick Smith and Patience Hodgson (of The Grates) performed a Duet of this song live on RocKwiz Episode 74 in January 2009.
- Sections of this song appear in the PlayStation 3 game LittleBigPlanet.
- Featured in a video created by YouTuber Charles Trippy, entitled, "Ultimate Tripp Roll". The video includes several versions of Charles Trippy dressed up as a police officer, wearing Charles's signature fake mustache.
- Has appeared in ITV's live coverage of Champions League football.
- The Welsh Drum and Bass artist High Contrast has produced an effective drum and bass remix of Time to Pretend. This remix was featured on Radio 1 during the Sub Focus Essential Mix of 25 April 2009.
- Covered by Weezer at the Reading Festival 2010.
- Covered by Sunday Girl, premiering on her YouTube channel in August 2010.
- Covered by Jón Þór Birgisson at Jo Whiley's Live Lounge.
- Covered by Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy for Dermot O'Leary's BBC Radio 2 Saturday Sessions 2010.
References
- ↑ Keaveny, Shaun. "Record of the Week". BBC Radio. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ↑ RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database – MGMT. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
- ↑ "MGMT Time To Pretend UK 7" RECORD (428836)". eil.com. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
- ↑ "MGMT Ready UK Debut Single Time To Pretend". Angry Ape. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "'Rolling Stone' Updates '500 Greatest Songs' List". CBS 2 Chicago. May 28, 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-23.
- ↑ Morrison, Kyle (14 May 2008). "MGMT". DEJOUR Magazine. Cultural Commentary. Brash Publisher Network. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
- ↑ "Time to Pretend: video review". Tiscali Music. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ↑ "Time To Pretend video". Vevo. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- ↑ O'Donnell, Kevin. "Artist to Watch: MGMT". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
- ↑ Mediabase US Alternative Radio Airplay Monitor Accessed on 5 February 2008
- ↑ Time, December 22, 2008, pages 47–8.
- ↑ No byline (December 25, 2008). "The 100 Best Songs of 2007" Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008-12-25.
- ↑ "NME's Track Of The Year 2008". NME. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
- ↑ http://www.nme.com/list/150-best-tracks-of-the-past-15-years/248648/page/14
- ↑ "Pandora Archive". Pandora.nla.gov.au. 2006-08-23. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
- ↑ Billboard Artist Chart History – MGMT (Canada)
- ↑ "Irish Charts Week 30". Retrieved 2008-08-18.
- ↑ Billboard Artist Chart History – MGMT (Japan)
- ↑ "UK Singles Chart". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ↑ "Charts Plus Year end 2009" (PDF). Charts Plus. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
- ↑ http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2008.pdf
- ↑ Mediabase US Alternative Radio Airplay Monitor Accessed on February 7, 2008
- ↑ "2K Beats: NHL 2K10". 2K Sports. Archived from the original on 2012-11-19. Retrieved 2013-03-04.
External links
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