‘Time Passages’ by Al Stewart – Classic Hit or Miss

"Time Passages" is the title of a 1978 Top Ten hit by singer-songwriter Al Stewart which was the title track for Stewart's 1978 album release, produced by Alan Parsons. Reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1978, "Time Passages" also spent ten weeks at #1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart, the longest stay at number one on this chart in the 1970s. A radio edit of the song was often played instead of the album version, which is over six minutes long; however, both versions were heard over the airwaves during the late 1970s. The familiar final line to the chorus is, "Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight". Less lyrically complex than a typical Al Stewart composition - the singer's previous Top Ten hit "Year of the Cat" exemplifying his usual style - "Time Passages" was one of two songs on the Time Passages album written by Stewart with the intent of the tracks having hit single potential, the other being "Song on the Radio" which was the follow-up single and reached #29.

How about today?