Time Is Tight

"Time Is Tight" is an instrumental recorded by Booker T. & the M.G.'s for their soundtrack to the 1968 film UpTight.

Background

The group recorded two versions of the track – the shorter, slower version was released as a single in 1969, and became one of the biggest hits of the group's career, peaking in the US charts at #7 R&B and #6 Pop and reaching number 1 in South Africa. The longer version is played at a faster tempo than the single version, and features an extended introduction and an instrumental 'breakdown' section, neither of which was included in the single version.

Personnel

Booker T. Jones – organ
Steve Cropper – guitar
Al Jackson Jr. – drums
Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass
Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Cover versions

The Clash recorded a notable cover, which they had previously used as a "warm-up" in live performances. The song appears on their 1980 singles compilation album Black Market Clash, and also on their 1994 album Super [Black Market Clash].
Clash drummer Topper Headon included a version of the song on his 1986 solo debut Waking Up.
A rendition appears on The Shadows album XXV.
The Blues Brothers used the song as an intro to their shows in a medley with Otis Redding's "I Can't Turn You Loose". It is featured in The [Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers] film as well as in the 1983 mini-album Dancin' wid da Blues Brothers.
A zydeco-styled cover appears on Buckwheat Zydeco's 1987 album On a Night Like This; the album was nominated for what would later be known as the Grammy Award for Best [Contemporary Blues Album].
Popular culture
The song was played by BBC Radio 1 DJ Johnnie Walker in the early 1970s as the back up music to the weekly BBC chart rundowns. These were published by the British [Market Research Bureau] on the Tuesday and then broadcast later that day on 247 metres medium wave.