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It's a Matter of Time

Rating:
4.3 / 5

Words & Music: Clive Westlake

It's a matter of time before I go back there
A matter of time before I go home

I have been way from her now for a long time
And I've lived a life I thought that it should be
It's a long, long way from now to maybe sometime
And the waiting round is really killing me

It's a matter of time before I go back there
A matter of time oh Lord, before I go home
It's a long way I know and the goin' ain't easy
She'll see me again it's a matter of time

I think I'll take a train right early in the morning
Just to see how far I get along the way
But the trains don't run too often only sometimes
So I guess I'd better wait another day

It's a matter of time before I go back there
A matter of time before I go home
It's a long way I know and the goin' ain't easy
She'll see me again, it's just a matter of time
She'll see me I know it's a matter of time

Recordingdate: 1972/03/29, first released on: single (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of It's a Matter of Time:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)

Others*

(bass)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(trumpet)
(tuba)
(cello)
(cello)
(viola)
(viola)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)
(violin)

*Orchestra, overdubs

Availability

Find available albums with It's a Matter of Time.

MJB63 wrote on April 29, 2009
A very good country song.He only did it once live but, i think it should have been added to his shows at the time.
NONE000000 wrote on November 25, 2009
This definitely one of those songs I consider a real forgotten gem! It's got an understated quality (like "Early Morning Rain") that a lot of Elvis' 70's stuff didn't have due to overproduction and too many voices drowning Elvis out. I still think there's too much JD and the Stamps (or whomever it was) on the choruses, but I really like this song a lot. If I were choosing 10 essential Elvis songs from 1970 on, I think this would make my cut..... or at least it would be considered (I kinda forgot for a minute that the entire "That's The Way It Is" album is just about flawless. But if it was a top 10 essential Elvis songs from 1972 onwards.....)
derekd wrote on November 25, 2009
A very good recording, lost to most Elvis fans, but not me, Elvis at his 70's best.
Pedro Nuno wrote on November 25, 2009
Beautiful song. Proves that our King was a fantastic Country/Folk singer. Too bad his project of making a concept Folk Album never came out because it would be as good as Elvis Country.
dgirl wrote on November 25, 2009
A decent country song, but Elvis' talent was worthy of much better & challenging material. Still songs like this, Early Morning Rain, Fools Rush In, etc. would have made for a much better LP than 'assembled' LPs like ELvis Now, Fool, etc. Terrible management of his material.
Steve V wrote on November 25, 2009
Good recording, but lets face it, its a safe one also. Elvis needed gutsier material.
My boy, my boy wrote on November 25, 2009
Very beautiful melody but most of all...what an inspiring voice that man has !!!
old shep wrote on November 25, 2009
An insipid performance by Elvis in what could have been a very classy recording.
bluesboy wrote on November 25, 2009
As in most of the sessions from 1971 onwards Elvis sounds tired and uninspired. After 1970 his voice changed dramatically, many times he sounded physically ill and sedated. But...like somebody else said : this coud have been a very classy recording.
Deano1 wrote on November 25, 2009
A very strong country ballad recorded in 1972 and used as the flip-side of "Burning Love". Elvis lays back nicely on this one and does a beautiful job on this underrated song. Songs like this one ("Thinking About You" and"Until It's Time For You To Go are two other examples) are not the dramatic ballads that Elvis did so well in the 70's ("My Boy" & "You Gave Me A Mountain", etc), but they are every bit as enjoyable and well done. A solid four star song with a nice arrangment and wonderful backing by JD Sumner and the Stamps.
Great Dane wrote on November 25, 2009
A very good B-side of burning love. And uninspired? Some people just can't let go the 50's.
LonElvis wrote on February 21, 2010
I remember the first time I heard this song. I was much younger and had purchased Elvis Sings Burning Love and Hits from his Movies II and at the time I didni't know his movies songs that much and didn't really know what to make of Guadalajara and Santa Lucia and I Love Only One Girl. But this one song really just reached out and grabbed me and sealed my love of Elvis and his music. I love It's a Matter of Time and place it in my top of of all Elvis recordings. I love, "it's a long way I know, and the going ain't easy, she'll see me again, it's a matter of time." Again - this is the type of song that makes a fan a super fan.
Gorse wrote on September 01, 2013
Mellow, laid back with Elvis in cruise control. Sure it's not gutsy, but neither is it tired sounding, just a very classy rendition of a country ballad - 4 stars.
bajo wrote on July 16, 2014
I simply love this laid back smooth delivery by Elvis. A perfect B-side to a single. Since the single was Burning Love it didn't take away any impact of the A-side. But, it's such a pleasant song and it just simply Elvis cruising along! Love it!
ElvisSacramento wrote on July 17, 2014
This is such a fabulous song and Elvis' studio version of it was spectacular. The only time that Elvis sang this gem live in concert was at the August 25, 1973 midnight show in Las Vegas, Nevada. I rate this song 5 stars.
Jim Davidson wrote on October 08, 2015
I first heard "Burning Love" when Elvis on Tour aired on TV in 1975. Wow! I first heard "It's a Matter on Time" when I bought the Pickwick reissue of the Burning Love LP in September 1977. It's a dreadful album aside from Burning Love and its original B-side "It's a Matter of Time". The pairing seemed odd to me -- just as "Return to Sender" and "Where do you Come From" is an odd match.
Bill (BW) wrote on July 10, 2016
A very good song, well performed. I could listen to Elvis sing this kind of material all day.
Cruiser621 wrote on July 10, 2016
Not a bad song; the flip side of the hit 45RPM single which had "Burning Love"; no wonder they chose this laid back country song as not to distract from the more important hit side. It's just too bad he didn't follow up with more songs like "Burning Love".
JerryNodak wrote on February 02, 2019
A good flip side choice. A good song well sung, but with little "hit" potential. Therefore, 99% airplay goes to A side Burning Love. Personally, I really like this song. 4 stars.
Milky White Way wrote on February 08, 2022
Like others, I first heard this when I bought the Burning Love and hits from the movies. It took a while to work out it wasn’t from a movie. It’s a well documented mess up by RCA but should have been on an album with the rest of this outstanding session. I love every song from this session and this is no exception. Beautiful, easy listening masterpiece. 5 stars
DerekH wrote on July 24, 2022
Elvis on top of his game, an album of these gems would have got me 'all shook up'
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