Part-Time Love
| "Part-Time Love" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "I Cry at Night" |
Part-Time Love is a song written by Elton John with lyrics by Gary Osborne. It is the sixth track off his 1978 album, A Single Man. It is also the opening track of side two. It proved to be one of the most popular singles the couple wrote, along with 1982's Blue Eyes. It was banned in the Soviet release of the album along with another song, Big Dipper. The single reached #15 in the UK and peaked just outside the Top 20 in the U.S. at #21.
Musical structure
The song opens with a jaunty piano, and then goes into the main riff, an uptempo disco-flavered party song. The lead guitar played here is by John's long-time bandmate Davey Johnstone. The song features strings in such a way that it could easily be referred to as a disco anthem. Ray Cooper also appears on percussion that flows together with the drums and bass. The bridge in the song is very messy, fitting in with the lyric.
Lyrical meaning
It was banned by various radio stations and omitted from the Soviet Release of the album. It is obvious that the lyrics deal with adultery; the second verse goes:
"You've been seen running around, there's not much I don't hear of, and still you try telling me all the things I must stay clear of. Don't tell me what to do when you've been doing it too, because you, me and everybody's got a part-time love"
Due to the disco craze at the time, the song wasn't popular, and John only played it in his live sets of 1978 and 1979. It did however appear on his compilation "The Very Best of Elton John" in 1990. Interestingly, while the A-side was written by Gary Osborne, the b-side, "I Cry at Night" was written by Bernie Taupin. It is one of the few singles John released with different lyricists on each side.
Personnel
- Elton John - piano, vocals
- Tim Renwick - guitars
- Clive Franks - bass
- Steve Holly - drums
- Ray Cooper - percussion
- Vicki Brown - backing vocals
- Joanne Stone - backing vocals
- Stevie Lange - backing vocals
- Gary Osborne - backing vocals
- Chris Thompson - backing vocals
- Davey Johnstone - backing vocals, lead guitar
- Paul Buckmaster - orchestral arrangement
