Song of the Week: A Matter of Time
Railroad Gin
A Matter of Time
Fans of 70s MOR might like this little played, but still fab tune by Queensland band Railroad Gin.
I never knew much about this group other than that ‘A Matter of Time’ was a minor hit in Australia in 1974. However, thanks to a site called Revolution Rock: Oral History of Brisbane Music, 1942 - Present I now also know that the success of the song led to the band being asked to ‘write and perform a Rock Mass – a concept favoured by the then Anglican Dean of Brisbane, Ian George.’ So the band enlisted the aid of the Queensland Youth Orchestra and wrote some new material ‘especially for the Rock Mass format.’ The main influences for the Mass were Jethro Tull, Santana and Chicago.
A Rock Mass in the style of Jethro Tull, Santana and Chicago? I kind of wish that I didn’t know that now.
‘A Matter of Time’, Railroad Gin, Polydor, 1974
Tags: Song of the week
August 4th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
On the whole the devil has the best tunes (apart from Bach!).
Also why 1942 was 1941 a bad year for music in Brisbane and what about the early ragtime scene of 1933…..
I’ll have a listen later
August 4th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
It’s not bad. Wouldn’t look out of place on a MOR comp like Warners ‘Whole Lotta Sunshine’ or somesuch. My only complaint is that the flute is kind of OTT. It dominates the song to the detriment of the lead vocal and what sounds like a rather nifty chorus.
August 5th, 2008 at 9:40 am
BLTP, the man with the questions, yes, why 1942? Mid-war seems to be an odd time for the Brisbane music scene to suddenly arrive. Maybe its just the optimum year for oral history - from when the highest number of participants are actually alive… or maybe its a conspiracy against that tuba craze in the 20s… I’m just disappointed that there isn’t a download of that Rock Mass available there.
And, Ill Man, welcome to music critics corner… I love the flute: it makes the song, it is the riff. You’d never get that these days…
August 5th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
It’s great tune, but sounds nothing like I think of 74 though - the flute in particular sets it 5 - 6 years earlier in that late sixties Godspell/Hair period - which is why I guess they got asked for a Mass production.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
PM - Oh, please don’t mention those dreadful musicals on this site. I like musicals (well, some of them) but Hair and Godspell just give me the heebie-jeebies. You’re right though, they were a bit after their time…