Don't Tell Me the Time

{{Infobox song

| name = Don't Tell Me the Time

| cover = Martha Davis Don't Tell Me the Time 1987 single cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Martha Davis

| album = Policy

| B-side = Lust

| released = 1987

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 3:33

| label = Capitol

| writer = Martha Davis

| producer = Richie Zito

| prev_title = We've Never Danced

| prev_year = 1987

| next_title = Tell It to the Moon

| next_year = 1988

}}

"Don't Tell Me the Time" is a song by American singer-songwriter Martha Davis, which was released in 1987 as the lead single from her debut solo studio album Policy. The song was written by Davis and produced by Richie Zito. "Don't Tell Me the Time" peaked at number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 on the Australian Kent Music Report chart.

Background

Speaking of the song's message, Davis commented in 1987, "I think everyone has been there at some point or other, even if it's only in our imaginations where you're in a situation where you're feeling like you've been done wrong. I have a thing about jealousy; I'm not really a jealous person by nature, but what I can't stand is like if somebody thinks I'm stupid enough not to figure something out. It's the anger, the frustration, the sadness and just all the emotions that go along with feeling like you've been done wrong. It's not directly related to any particular incident I can cite. It has happened to me, I think it's happened to a lot of people."{{cite AV media notes |title=Policy: Radio Star Audio Cue Card (Track-by-track run thru with Martha Davis of her debut album, 'Policy') |others=Martha Davis |year=1987 |type=US promotional vinyl LP |publisher=Capitol Records |id=SPRO-79197, CLT-48054}}

Music video

The song's music video was directed by David Fincher and produced Kim Dempster for Propaganda Films.{{cite magazine |title=Video Music: New Videoclips |magazine=Billboard |date=November 7, 1987 |publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. |volume=99 |issue=45 |page=63 |issn=0006-2510}} It achieved breakout rotation on MTV and medium rotation on VH1.{{cite magazine |title=Video Music: The Clip List |magazine=Billboard |date=December 5, 1987 |publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. |volume=99 |issue=49 |page=43 |issn=0006-2510}}

Critical reception

On its release, Billboard described "Don't Tell Me the Time" as an "aching piece of neo-'60s pop" which is "adorned with Davis' distinctive and emotion-laden vocal". They concluded that the track has "quite an impact".{{cite magazine |title=Single Reviews |magazine=Billboard |date=October 31, 1987 |publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. |volume=99 |issue=44 |page=95 |issn=0006-2510}} Cash Box praised it as an "impressive pop outing" and added that it "should cause quite a stir".{{cite magazine |title=Single Releases |magazine=Cash Box |date=October 31, 1987 |volume=51 |issue=19 |page=8 |issn=0008-7289}} The Gavin Report felt Davis "is sure to book plenty of airplay in A/C radio with this one". They added, "It's a song about time and temperature where the moment has passed and there's a chill in the air."{{cite magazine |last2=Rufer |first2=Diane |last1=Fell |first1=Ron |title=Reviews |magazine=Gavin Report |date=October 25, 1987 |issue=1679 |page=20}}

Track listing

7–inch single (US, Canada, France, Netherlands and Australasia){{cite AV media notes |title=Don't Tell Me the Time |others=Martha Davis |year=1987 |type=US and Canada 7-inch single sleeve |publisher=Capitol Records |id=B-44057}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Don't Tell Me the Time |others=Martha Davis |year=1987 |type=France 7-inch single sleeve |publisher=Capitol Records |id=2022277}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Don't Tell Me the Time |others=Martha Davis |year=1987 |type=Netherlands 7-inch single sleeve |publisher=Capitol Records |id=006 20 2227 7}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Don't Tell Me the Time |others=Martha Davis |year=1987 |type=Australasia 7-inch single sleeve |publisher=Capitol Records |id=CP 2013}}

"Don't Tell Me the Time" – 3:33
"Lust" – 3:56

7–inch single (South Africa){{cite AV media notes |title=Don't Tell Me the Time |others=Martha Davis |year=1987 |type=South Africa 7-inch single sleeve |publisher=Capitol Records |id=JCL 2027967}}

"Don't Tell Me the Time" – 3:33
"Rebecca" – 3:23

7–inch promotional single (US){{cite AV media notes |title=Don't Tell Me the Time |others=Martha Davis |year=1987 |type=US 7-inch promotional single sleeve |publisher=Capitol Records |id=P-B-44057}}

"Don't Tell Me the Time" – 3:33
"Don't Tell Me the Time" – 3:33

12–inch promotional single (France){{cite AV media notes |title=Don't Tell Me the Time |others=Martha Davis |year=1987 |type=France 12-inch promotional single sleeve |publisher=Capitol Records |id=SP 1354}}

"Don't Tell Me the Time" – 3:33
"Lust" – 3:56

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the Policy CD liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |title=Policy |title-link=Policy (Martha Davis album) |others=Martha Davis |year=1987 |type=US CD liner notes |publisher=Capitol Records |id=CDP 7 48054 2}}

"Don't Tell Me the Time"

Martha Davis – vocals
Gary Falcone, Kipp Lennon, Joe Pizzulo – backing vocals
Richie Zito – guitars, bongos
Gary Chang – synthesizers
Randy Jackson – bass
Michael Baird – drums

Production

Richie Zito – producer
Phil Kaffel – engineer
David Leonard – mixing
Stephen Marcussen – mastering

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
Chart (1987–88) !Peak position
scope="row"\|Australia (Music Report){{cite book \|last=Kent \|first=David \|authorlink=David Kent (historian) \|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 \|edition=illustrated \|publisher=Australian Chart Book \|location=St Ives, N.S.W. \|year=1993 \|isbn=0-646-11917-6 \|page=209}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|8
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine \|title=Hot 100 Singles \|magazine=Billboard \|date=December 12, 1987 \|publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. \|volume=99 \|issue=50 \|page=62 \|issn=0006-2510}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|80

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

Chart (1987–88)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (Music Report){{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |authorlink=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |edition=illustrated |publisher=Australian Chart Book |location=St Ives, N.S.W. |year=1993 |isbn=0-646-11917-6 |page=209}}

| style="text-align:center;"|8

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine |title=Hot 100 Singles |magazine=Billboard |date=December 12, 1987 |publisher=Billboard Publications, Inc. |volume=99 |issue=50 |page=62 |issn=0006-2510}}

| style="text-align:center;"|80

References

Category:1987 songs

Category:1987 singles

Category:Capitol Records singles

Category:Songs written by Martha Davis (musician)

Category:Song recordings produced by Richie Zito

Category:Music videos directed by David Fincher