Ride on Time

Infobox Single
Name = Ride on Time

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Caption =
Artist = Black Box
from Album = Dreamland
A-side =
B-side = Remix
Released = July 19 1989
Format = CD maxi, 12" single, 7" single
Recorded =
Genre = Dance, Electronic
Length = 4:36
Label = ZYX
Writer = Dan Hartman
Mirko Limoni
Daniele Davoli
Valerio Semplici
Producer = Groove Groove Melody
Certification = Platinum (UK)
Last single =
This single = "Ride on Time"
(1989)
Next single = "I Don't Know Anybody Else"
(1990)
Misc =

"Ride on Time" is a 1989 song recorded by band Black Box. It was later released on their debut LP "Dreamland". The song achieved a great success in many countries, such as UK and Ireland where it was a number-one hit.

Music and lyrics

The song was written and produced by the Italian production team Groove Groove Melody, consisting of DJ Daniel Davoli, programmer Mirko Limoni and musician Valerio Semplici. The team worked with model Catherine Quinol (aka Katrin), who was the face of Black Box. In the video and in live performances she lip-synced to the original vocals.

The song incorporated Loleatta Holloway's 1980 disco hit "Love Sensation" and Jennifer Holliday's 1985 "No Frills Love", and attracted some controversy for the uncredited use of Holloway's vocals from that song. Holloway's counsel engaged in a press attack on Black Box, successfully securing a settlement that paid the singer an undisclosed sum; the group had legally cleared the samples with Salsoul Records, who had released the original track, but Holloway was in arrears for advances from the label and thus was not recompensed by Salsoul.

The song's title derives from a sample of Holloway singing the lyrics "thank you baby, 'cause you're "right on time". The altered title is a consequence of "flapping", which makes American T's sound like D's to non-native speakers of English.

Chart performances

"Ride on Time" became a massive hit in Italy and then worldwide, after legal rights were obtained in all territories. The song spent six weeks at No.1 in the UK Singles Chart, ultimately becoming the biggest selling single of the year. It fared less well in the United States, where it failed to chart as a pop record, although it did reach No.39 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. It was the first high-profile example of an Italo-House record. The genre is noteworthy for extreme amounts of "borrowing", usually in single phrases, sometimes in couplets, the lyrical "hooks" from other compositions.

Track listings

; CD maxi
# "Ride on Time" (the original) — 6:27
# "Ride on Time" (garage trip) — 6:05
# "Ride on Time" (piano version) — 2:53

; 7" single
# "Ride on Time" (The original) — 3:55
# "Ride on Time" (piano version) — 2:53

; 12" maxi
# "Ride on Time" (the original) — 6:27
# "Ride on Time" (garage trip) — 6:05
# "Ride on Time" (piano version) — 2:53

Certifications

References