Time (1999)

Time is the third major studio album by the Christian rock band Third Day. It was released on August 24, 1999 by Essential Records with distribution by Provident Music Distribution and Sony Music. The album was produced by Monroe Jones with Jim Dineen co-producing on two tracks.

Starting with this release and afterwards in their career, Third Day was still with Provident Music but switched labels from Reunion Records to its subsidiary label Essential, which was home to other Christian rock acts like Jars of Clay and Caedmon's Call at the time. Time marked a return to the band's southern rock roots leaving their alternative grunge rock sound heard from their previous release Conspiracy No. 5 and the band felt that some of their Gomers (their fan base) felt disappointed when they shifted their sound for that release. Time featured 10 songs chosen from more than 30 the band had managed to write during their tour the previous year. Some of the songs left out can be heard in the EP Southern Tracks, which was released with limited copies of Time. Southern Tracks was recorded live, in the round, at Southern Tracks studio in Atlanta, Georgia.

The album's lead single, "I've Always Loved You," was written and sung from a first person perspective of God speaking directly to humanity. It emphasizes unconditional, everlasting love and grace. The lyrics highlight that God's love existed "even before there was time" and persists even when people turn away. Lead singer Mac Powell has said that this track is his personal favorite song and has sung it in Third Day concerts and in his solo concerts, even to this day. "I've Always Loved You" gave Third Day some Christian AC exposure for the first time, when they were only limited to Christian rock. It topped both the Christian CHR and Christian AC charts. Their rock single "Sky Falls Down" also topped the Christian Rock chart.

Time gave Third Day their first number one album on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart and peaked at number 63 on the Billboard 200. The band went on to win Dove Awards for this release and earned their second Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Gospel Album. Time was Third Day's first Gold certified album in 2002 by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of 500,000 copies.

On August 23, 2024 nearly a day after its original release, Time was reissued for its 25th anniversary on vinyl coming in three colors: red, blue and tan. The Time reissue was also available on digital platforms containing the 10 original tracks, along with the four tracks from the Southern Tracks EP and three previously unreleased live tracks.

Track listing for the 25th Anniversary Edition

All songs written by Mac Powell, except where noted.

1. I've Always Loved You -4:28

2. Believe (Mac Powell, Tai Anderson) -3:03

3. Took My Place -2:15

4. Never Bow Down -3:28

5. Your Love Oh Lord (Psalm 36) -3:55

6. Don't Say Goodbye (Mark Lee) -4:36

7. What Good -3:53

8. Can't Take the Pain -4:50

9. Sky Falls Down (Mark Lee) -3:48

10. Give -8:15

11. I've Always Loved You (Live Acoustic) -4:27

12. It's About Time (Southern Tracks session) -4:02

13. Long Time Comin' (Southern Tracks session) -4:00

14. She Sings in Riddles (Southern Tracks session) -3:51

15. Sky Falls Down (Live) -4:35

16. Underwater (Southern Tracks session) -5:34

17. What Good (Live) -3:08

Personnel

Third Day:

Mac Powell -lead vocals, acoustic guitar

Mark Lee -guitars

Brad Avery -lead guitar

Tai Anderson -bass guitar

David Carr -drums, percussion

additional musicians:

Scotty Wilbanks -Hammond B-3 organ (tracks 3, 5 -9), synth pad (track 7),

piano (tracks 8)

Monroe Jones -programming (track 5), acoustic piano (track 6), keyboards

(track 10)

Buck Reid -steel guitar (tracks 1 and 8)

Blaine Barcus -percussion on tracks 2, 7 and 9

Tabitha Fair and Alfreda Gerald -backing vocalists on tracks 3, 5 and 7

Michael Millet -backing vocals on tracks 4 and 9

horn section on tracks 2, 3, 7 and 9:

Jim Spake -saxophone

Scott Thompson -trumpet

Production credits

Monroe Jones -producer (all tracks)

Jim Dineen -co-producer (tracks 1 and 6)

RIAA certifications

Gold certified in 2002.

Accolades

Dove Award -2000 Rock Album of the Year (Time)

2001 Rock Recorded Song of the Year ("Sky Falls Down")

Radio singles

1999 "I've Always Loved You" -#1 Christian CHR, -#1 Christian AC for 2 weeks

2000 "Your Love Oh Lord (Psalm 36) -#1 Christian CHR for 2 weeks, -#8 Christian

AC

2000 "Sky Falls Down" -#1 Christian CHR for 5 weeks

2000 "What Good" -#1 Christian CHR

Previous release: Conspiracy No. 5 (1997) 

Next release: Offerings: A Worship Album (2000)

Watch the music video of "Your Love Oh Lord" here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEF7IoQ3eUk