Time Waits For No One is the seventh solo studio album by American R&B and gospel singer Mavis Staples (her first on Paisley Park Records), and her first to include input by Prince.
Six of the album's eight songs are written, produced and largely performed by Prince, and he is listed as the executive producer of the whole album (although he is not believed to have had any input on the two tracks not written by him).
First steps
Prince (through manager Bob Cavallo) approached Mavis Staples about recording an album in Autumn 1987 after seeing her perform as part of The Staple Singers in August 1987 at The Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA. The group had been unsigned for 13 years, and Mavis Staples soon signed with Paisley Park Records.
Recording process
Work on the album began in February 1988, when Prince recorded Interesting.
He sent the track, along with Jaguar (a vault track recorded in January 1987, originally intended for Sheena Easton), to Mavis Staples in Memphis, TN, USA, where she recorded lead vocals on both tracks using producers Al Bell, Homer Banks and Lester Snell at Ardent Studios.
In late June 1988, shortly before leaving for the European opening of the Lovesexy Tour, Prince recorded Time Waits For No One for the album, and revised Come Home (initially recorded January 1987), I Guess I'm Crazy (initially recorded October 1987) and Train (initially recorded July 1986), and all four songs were sent to Mavis Staples for lead vocal overdubs.
Prince and Mavis Staples did not work together in the studio on this album, therefore, although they did work together in late July 1988, in Olympic Studio, London, England, on God Is Alive, which was not considered for the album, as well as on later projects following the release of this album.
Promotion
The album produced three singles, 20th Century Express, Jaguar and Time Waits For No One, but failed to chart.
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