All The Time In The World

Album: Now What?! (2013)
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Songfacts®:

  • Released as a single from Deep Purple's 2013 Now What?! album, the song finds lead singer Ian Gillan in a contemplative mood, singing about watching the world go racing by as he lays in the grass.

    The band, secure in their place in rock history, could certainly rest on their laurels and retire, but they toured extensively for the album and showed no signs of slowing down. This mark of Purple is comprised of Gillan, bass player Roger Glover, guitarist Steve Morse, drummer Ian Paice, and keyboard player Don Airey. They are all credited writers on this song along with Bob Ezrin, who produced the album.
  • In our interview with Steve Morse, he explained that his guitar work on this track was influenced by the Motown sound. He also explained that Ian Paice added some distinctive elements to the track. "Ian Paice does these little swingy, great-feeling drum parts so naturally because he's got a lot of history with big band type swing and cool jazz," Steve said. "It was just a great feel. It was sultry and seductive and just felt right."
  • The lyric delves into Greek legend with the line, "Like old Zeno's toytus, with Achilles snapping at my heels." Achilles has appeared in rock songs of yore, but Zeno we had to look up. He was a real person - a philosopher from around 450 BC famous for his paradoxes making the case that motion could be an illusion.

Comments: 1

  • Uli Rohde from Heidelberg, GermanyI once had to play pedalsteel guitar for this song with a great local Deep Purple coverband. Because on the orig. recording you can hear it clearly, and the steel player is named. Now the steel is gone on the version you can find on youtube.
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