Only Time (Song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Only Time” | |
|---|---|
| |
| Single by Enya | |
| from the album A Day Without Rain | |
| B-side | “The First of Autumn””The Promise””Oíche Chiúin“”Willows on the Water” |
| Released | 6 November 2000 |
| Studio | Aigle (Dún Laoghaire, Ireland) |
| Genre | New-age |
| Length | 3:38 (album version) 3:15 (S.A.F. pop radio remix) |
| Label | WEAReprise |
| Composer(s) | Enya |
| Lyricist(s) | Roma Ryan |
| Producer(s) | Nicky Ryan |
| Enya singles chronology | |
| “Only If…“ (1997)”Only Time“ (2000)”Wild Child“ (2001) | |
| Music video | |
| “Only Time” on YouTube | |
“Only Time” is a song by Irish musician Enya. It was released on 6 November 2000 as the lead single from her fifth studio album, A Day Without Rain (2000). The song reached number one in Canada, Germany, Poland and Switzerland, number two in Austria, and became Enya’s only top-10 single as a solo artist in the United States, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became an anthem for the victims of the September 11th attacks, with Enya donating to a fund for the victims’ families.
Release
In 2001, “Only Time” was released again as a radio remix. The track was remixed and mastered by the Swiss American Federation (S.A.F. aka Christian B. and Marc Dold) with a final mix by Enya‘s producer, Nicky Ryan. Enya donated the earnings from the sale of that single to the Widows’ and Children’s Fund of the Uniformed Firefighters Association to help the families of firefighters in the aftermath of the 11 September attacks. Following the attacks, sales of the album and its lead single, “Only Time”, skyrocketed after it was used by several radio and television networks in their coverage and aftermath of the attacks. As a result, “Only Time”, (the S.A.F. radio remix) climbed to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number one on the adult contemporary chart. In 2002, the song received an ECHO Award for Best Single.
Music video
The song’s music video, which shows Enya performing the song in a spring, summer, fall and winter theme, was directed by Graham Fink. It was released in 2000. In March 2020, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the recording, the video was remastered in 4K.
Live performances
Enya performed “Only Time” several times, performances included Larry King Live, Children in Need, This Morning, The View, Happy Xmas Show, Entertainment Tonight, Live! with Regis and Kelly, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and 2001 World Music Awards.
Track listings
UK CD and cassette single (2000)
- “Only Time”
- “The First of Autumn”
- “The Promise”
German CD single (2000)
- “Only Time”
- “The First of Autumn”
Remix CD single (2001)
- “Only Time” (remix)
- “Oíche Chiúin (Silent Night)”
- “Willows on the Water”
- “Only Time” (original version)
US 7-inch single (2001)
A. “Only Time” (remix) – 3:13B. “May It Be” (edit) – 3:30
Credits and personnel
Credits are lifted from the A Day Without Rain album booklet.
Studio
- Recorded at Aigle Studio (Dún Laoghaire, Ireland)
- Mastered at 360 Mastering (London, England)
Personnel
- Enya – composition, all instruments and voices, arrangement, mixing
- Roma Ryan – lyrics
- Wired Strings – additional strings
- Nicky Ryan – production, arrangement, mixing, engineering
- Dick Beetham – mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Weekly chart performance for “Only Time”
| Chart (2000–2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 69 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 2 |
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) | 11 |
| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) | 1 |
| Canada AC (Nielsen BDS) | 3 |
| Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS) | 8 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 5 |
| France (SNEP) | 48 |
| Germany (GfK) | 1 |
| Italy (FIMI) | 17 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 44 |
| Poland (Music & Media) | 1 |
| Poland (Nielsen Music Control) | 1 |
| Scotland (OCC) | 38 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 28 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 1 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 32 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 10 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 1 |
| US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard) | 1 |
| US Pop Airplay (Billboard) | 11 |
Year-end charts
Year-end chart performance for “Only Time”
| Chart (2001) | Position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 9 |
| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) | 25 |
| Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS) | 9 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 50 |
| Germany (Media Control) | 2 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 8 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 59 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 6 |
| US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) | 27 |
| US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) | 62 |
| Chart (2002) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Nielsen SoundScan) | 21 |
| Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS) | 39 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 97 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 9 |
| US Adult Top 40 (Billboard) | 24 |
Decade-end charts
Decade-end chart performance for “Only Time”
| Chart (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Germany (Media Control GfK) | 99 |
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top New Age Digital Tracks (Billboard) | 1 |
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| France (SNEP) | 92 |
| Hungary (Single Top 40) | 10 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 58 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 43 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Austria (IFPI Austria) | Gold | 25,000* |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| Germany (BVMI) | 3× Gold | 750,000^ |
| Italy (FIMI) sales since 2009 | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) | Gold | 25,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| * Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
Release dates and formats for “Only Time”
| Region | Version | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Original | 6 November 2000 | Smooth jazz radio | Reprise |
| United Kingdom | 13 November 2000 | CDcassette | WEA | |
| Canada | 14 November 2000 | CD | ||
| Japan | 15 November 2000 | |||
| United States | 20 November 2000 | Adult contemporaryhot adult contemporary radio | Reprise | |
| 19 June 2001 | Contemporary hit radio | |||
| Canada | Remix | 4 December 2001 | CD | WEA |
| Australia | Original | 10 December 2001 | ||
| Japan | Remix | 19 December 2001 |
In popular culture
In the 2002 Friends episode “The One Where Chandler Takes a Bath”, Chandler plays the song while taking a bath.
In the 2006 Less than Perfect episode “Why Are You Hurting Claude”, Claudia “Claude” Casey sings the song to Kipp Stedman, who was depressed after losing his trust fund, to provide moral support, and then he sings along to Claude.
On 13 November 2013, The Epic Split advertisement was launched for the Volvo Trucks Volvo FM range and featured the song and Jean-Claude Van Damme. The success of the ad caused “Only Time” to re-enter the Billboard Hot 100 at number 43, and the UK Singles Chart at number 95. Kraft Foods later used the song in advertisements showing parents relaxing while their kids eat Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.
The song was featured in the 2018 Marvel film Deadpool 2, as well as the 2022 Marvel film Thor: Love and Thunder. The song is also played in goal reviews of all Dallas Stars home games at the American Airlines Center.
Sweet November (2001 Film)
| Sweet November | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Pat O’Connor |
| Screenplay by | Kurt Voelker |
| Story by | Paul Yurick Kurt Voelker |
| Based on | Sweet November by Herman Raucher |
| Produced by | Elliott Kastner Steven Reuther Deborah Aal Erwin Stoff |
| Starring | Keanu Reeves Charlize Theron Jason Isaacs Greg Germann |
| Cinematography | Edward Lachman |
| Edited by | Anne V. Coates |
| Music by | Christopher Young |
| Production companies | Bel Air Entertainment 3 Arts Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Release date | February 16, 2001 |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $40 million |
| Box office | $65.8 million |
Sweet November is a 2001 American romantic drama film based in San Francisco directed by Pat O’Connor and starring Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. The film is loosely based on the 1968 film written by Herman Raucher, which starred Anthony Newley and Sandy Dennis; with some differences in plot. The film reunites Reeves and Theron, who starred in Devil’s Advocate.
Sweet November was released on February 16, 2001, and was panned by critics, who called it “schmaltzy and manipulative”, while the plot and the lack of chemistry between Reeves and Theron were also criticized. The film was also a box office disappointment, grossing only $65.8 million worldwide against a budget of $40 million.
Plot
Nelson Moss is a workaholic advertising executive who meets Sara Deever, a woman very different from anyone he has met before. His attempt to get an answer from her on his driving test leads to her failing due to cheating.
Sara beguiles Nelson and continually asks him to spend a month with her on the promise that she will change his life for the better. On the first night of November, after he is fired and dumped on the same day, she sleeps with him, and the next day Chaz, a close friend of Sara’s, arrives and refers to Nelson as Sara’s “November”.
Throughout November, the two experience happy times together and fall in love. Nelson examines his life and past, and befriends a 10-year-old fatherless child named Abner. Eventually, he realizes he is in love with Sara and asks her to marry him. It is revealed that Sara has terminal cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Because she cannot bear to have Nelson experience her death, she asks him to leave. Sara tells Chaz that Nelson proposed. When he says that it wasn’t the first time that a man had proposed, implying Sara has had numerous “months” before. Sara confirms this but claims it was the first time she had wanted to say yes.
Sara decides she will not continue the relationship to protect Nelson from being hurt. He complies, but then stages a surprise return during the Thanksgiving holiday, giving her gifts that remind her of their happy times.
They stay together for one more day; he posts November calendars all over her apartment walls, saying it can always be November for them. They make love, but the next morning, Nelson finds Sara is dressed. She asks him to leave, and he sees she has taken down the calendars.
Sara runs out of her apartment with Nelson chasing her in the street until finally she stops along a foot bridge to the park entrance. There, she asks him to let her go so that he will always have happy memories of her, and explains that this is how she needs to be remembered. Sara will return home to her family (whom she had been avoiding) and face her last days.
Sara then blindfolds Nelson, leads him into the park, and gives him a last kiss. He takes off the blindfold and sees that he is alone in the park where they went on one of their first dates. His eyes fill with tears.
Cast
- Keanu Reeves as Nelson Moss
- Charlize Theron as Sara Deever
- Jason Isaacs as Chaz Watley/Cherry
- Greg Germann as Vince Holland
- Lauren Graham as Angelica
- Liam Aiken as Abner
- Frank Langella as Edgar Price
- Ray Baker as Buddy Leach
- Michael Rosenbaum as Brandon/Brandy
- Robert Joy as Raeford Dunne
- Jason Kravits as Manny
- Tom Bullock as Al
- Susan Zelinsky as Waitress
Music
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “Cellophane” | Amanda Ghost, Sacha Skarbek, Ian Dench, Lucas Burton | Amanda Ghost | 3:33 |
xxx
xxx
| 3. | “Shame” | Brian Transeau | BT | 3:21 |
|---|
xxx
| 4. | “Touched by an Angel” | Stevie Nicks | Stevie Nicks | 4:23 |
|---|
xxx
| 5. | “The Consequences of Falling (Lenny B Remix)” | Billy Steinberg, Rick Nowels, Marie-Claire D’Ubaldo | k.d. lang | 4:16 |
|---|
xxx
| 6. | “Heart Door (with Dolly Parton)” | Paula Cole | Paula Cole with Dolly Parton | 4:08 |
|---|
xxx
| 7. | “My Number” | Tegan Rain Quin, Sara Keirsten Quin | Tegan and Sara | 4:09 |
|---|
xxx
| 8. | “Off the Hook” | Steven Page, Ed Robertson | Barenaked Ladies | 4:34 |
|---|
xxx
| 9. | “Rock DJ“ | Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers, Kelvin Andrews, Nelson Pigford, Ekundayo Paris | Robbie Williams | 4:16 |
|---|
xxx
| 10. | “Baby Work Out” | Jackie Wilson | Jackie Wilson, Alonzo Tucker | 3:00 |
|---|
xxx
| 11. | “You Deserve to Be Loved” | Dillon O’Brian | Tracy Dawn | 5:02 |
|---|
xxx
| 12. | “Wherever You Are” | Larry Klein, Tonio K | Celeste Prince | 4:17 |
|---|
xxx
| 13. | “The Other Half of Me” | S. Freeman, J. Lawrence | Bobby Darin | 2:27 |
|---|
xxx
| 14. | “Calafia” | Dave Ralicke | Jump with Joey |
|---|
xxx
| 15. | “Middle of the Night” | Paul Brown, Roberto Vally, Rick Braun | Rick Braun |
|---|
xxx
| 16. | “Time After Time“ | Jules Styne, Sammy Cahn | Keanu Reeves |
|---|
xxx
Reception
Box office
The film opened at number 4 at the North American box office making $11,015,226 in its opening weekend behind Recess: School’s Out, Down to Earth and Hannibal. It ultimately grossed $25.3 million domestically with an additional $40.5 million overseas to a total of $65.8 million worldwide.
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 15% based on 99 reviews, with an average rating of 3.6/10. The website’s critics consensus states: “Schmaltzy and manipulative, Sweet November suffers from an implausible plot and non-existent chemistry between its leads.” At Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 27 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating “generally unfavorable reviews”. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “B” on an A+ to F scale.
Todd McCarthy of Variety called it: “A contrived but entirely workable premise is given a well-tooled treatment in Sweet November, a femme-slanted doomed romance with a heavily calculated feel to it.” Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 1 out of 4, and wrote: “Passes off pathological behavior as romantic bliss. It’s about two sick and twisted people playing mind games and calling it love.” Peter Travers of Rolling Stone warned: “Beware all male viewers who enter here, you are in chick-movie hell.”
The film was nominated for three Razzies, including Worst Remake or Sequel, Worst Actor & Worst Actress. It’s listed on Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson‘s book The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of the 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made.
){kind=link}
Comments