The story of the rock classic, Time Is On My Side, has long been shrouded in mystery. Jimmy Norman claims co-authorship with Jerry Ragovoy of the lyrics to the version of the song that is well known by music fans today. A confusing history of recording credits has only added to the mysterious twists and turns of a complex story. Today, Time Is On My Side rests in peace in the public domain.
In October, 1963, trombonist Kai Winding recorded Jerry Ragovoy’s Time is On My Side for the first time. The Verve single was produced by Creed Taylor and engineered by Phil Ramone. An uncredited background vocal group, made up of Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, sang the following lyrics:
Time is on my side, yes yes
Time is on my side, yes yes
You'll come running back
You'll come running back
You’ll come running back to me.
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In early, 1964, the song was chosen for recording by Irma Thomas, then a young 23-year-old singer from New Orleans. Thomas’s arranger, H.B. Barnum, hired Jimmy Norman to write additional lyrics to the original Ragovoy version. It was a rush job, finished at the Los Angeles recording studio only minutes before Thomas began recording.
Imperial’s single release of Time Is On My Side was not a hit for Irma Thomas. But, a short time later, in June, 1964, the Rolling Stones recorded the song, using the same expanded lyrics as used by Irma Thomas. Released as both an album and single in October, the song became a signature for the Rolling Stones and is now an American rock & roll classic.
Jimmy Norman was credited for his additional lyrics only on the original Irma Thomas single release. A Jerry Ragovoy pseudonym, Norman Meade, was used on the Kai Winding release as N. Meade. The credit N. Meade and J. Norman appeared on the Irma Thomas single. On the Rolling Stones release the credit was printed in two versions, Meade-Norman, and Meade; Norman. Jimmy Norman never collected royalties for his work on the song.
Jimmy Norman and Keith Richards, backstage at a Rolling Stones concert
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(Original research on Time Is On My Side by Frank Beacham. All rights reserved © 2004 Frank Beacham)
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Who is H.B. Barnum?
H.B. Barnum continues to have a successful career in the music business. After being both a performer and producer in the 60s, he has been an arranger for Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Etta James, Nancy Wilson, Lou Rawls, Martha Reeves, The Supremes, The Temptations, The Jackson 5, The Marvelettes, and Gladys Knight & The Pips. Currently, he is music director for Aretha Franklin. He and Jimmy worked together again in 1975 on "I Wanna Make Love To You," a song performed by Jimmy and written by Barnum.
