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Beth Orton — Pass In Time
Album: Central Reservation
Avg rating:
6.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2192









Released: 1999
Length: 7:07
Plays (last 30 days): 5
So much stays unknown till the time has come.
Did you imagine you could ever be so strong,
Then watch your fear just turn into relief?
Your sea of doubt become your own belief?
Though tears don't come to cry some grief away,
The tears will help to keep your need at bay.

So come on now, come on now, child.
You're here just a while.
Come on now, come on now, child.
You're here just a while.

A mother told me just before she died
My mother told me just before she died,
"Oh darling, darling, don't you be like me.
You will fall in love with the very first man you meet."
But mother, mother, some will never know;
The love that you have is still holding my soul.

(Beth Orton & Terry Callier)
So come on now, come on now, child.
You're here just a little while.
Come on now, come on now, child.
You're here just a while.

(Beth Orton)
You're here just a while...

(Terry Callier)
Here just a while....

(Beth Orton)
So much stays unknown till the time you are strong.
Did you imagine you could ever feel so strong,
And all your pain just turns into relief?
All your doubt becomes your own belief?
Though tears don't come to cry some grief away,
The years will help to keep your need at bay.

(Beth Orton & Terry Callier)
So come on now, come on now, child.
You're here just a while.
Come on now, come on now, child.
You're here just a while.

So come on now, come on now, child.
You're here just a while.
Come on now, come on now, child.
You're here just a while.

(Beth Orton)
You're here just a while....

(Terry Callier)
Here just a while....

(Beth Orton)
You're here just a while
You might as well smile,
You might as well smile,
'Cause tomorrow, you just don't know.
It will pass. It's gonna pass.

(Beth Orton & Terry Callier)
It will pass in time.
It will pass in time.
It will pass.
It will pass in time.
It will pass in time.
It will pass.

(Beth Orton)
It's gonna pass
It's gonna pass
It's gonna pass in time.

(Beth Orton & Terry Callier)
It will pass in time
It will pass.

(Beth Orton)
It's gonna pass...

(Terry Callier)
It will pass in time.

(Beth Orton and Terry Callier)
It's gonna pass

(Beth Orton)
It's gonna pass
Comments (274)add comment
Just love this song. And so many others by her.
this song is amazing on so many levels
This “song”  (and I use that term loosely) is like fingernails on a blackboard (which I would rather listen too).  As soon as this comes on, I am gone to Spotify or some other music app that has actual music.
 Wonderloaf wrote:

LOVE STOLEN CAR

the rest of her stuff....is LAZY
vocals become more irritating than the goat style of Stevie Nicks




G.O.A.T. - Greatest Of All Time - is that what you meant?

This sounded pleasant enough to me - and nothing like Stevie Nicks that i can hear.
Just saying.
LOVE STOLEN CAR

the rest of her stuff....is LAZY
vocals become more irritating than the goat style of Stevie Nicks
Just fantastic! Hard to believe it has a 6.1 rating.
 Alastair wrote:

When is RP planning on telling us they're changing their name to Radio Orton?



Really? 
When is RP planning on telling us they're changing their name to Radio Orton?
Beth was a big part of the late 90s and early 00s for me. Love her voice, melodies and loved her live performance Glasto 99 
Sadly, very hard to listen to.  Vocals are so far out of tune…. Hard to hear without cringing. 
I, smugly, declared this song as it started playing to be by Fairport Convention. 
I'm not usually a huge fan of Beth's vocal style but there's something arresting about this one - if they sang it really "well" I don't think it would be anything like as good.  
William, Please don't stop playing what YOU like, you have introduced me to so much great music. 
Heard your comment about the rating of this song and GO YOU!
William making me stop what I’m doing in the garden and wash my hands so that I can pull out my phone and rate the song… I agree with you, it’s a nice song.
I'm with you Bill!  Please  keep this one.
Discovered her when she was playing with William Orbit. Love this album 'Stolen Car' is my favorite cut.
A rare time the DJ discusses the song. Its probably lower because the artist is not well known. I thought I may have been listening to Emilou Harris. Its the kind of song/lament she would sing. 
I've said it before... She is nearly perfect. Only problem is that she is not my girlfriend. lol!!!
 Jelani wrote:

I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.



I couldn't agree more.
 juppe3 wrote:

Do I hear a bit female Van Morrison?



So when you listen to him, you probably hear a male Beth Orton?
I love this song.
I've always like Beth Orton, but this is one I will pass on.
She has (to me) the best album covers…
She gets me every time.  Love her.  ,#
One of the great "get through the tough times" songs
God, that's a long 7 minutes
 BillG wrote:

60% of those rating it gave it a least a 6. That means that you (and I) are in the majority, despite a vocal few posting here. 

I find it helpful to keep in mind that even if there are dozens of negative posts, that represents a tiny, tiny fraction of the total RP audience. 

Math is a powerful thing. And this is a powerful song -- at least according to me, and I'm the only one whose opinion I trust :-) 
Yeah, I guess I didn't bother with the math(never my strongest subject), just the posts and the odd amount of warm colors on the left of the ratings scale.

And, I trust your opinion also, most of the time!

 Jelani wrote:

I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.


60% of those rating it gave it a least a 6. That means that you (and I) are in the majority, despite a vocal few posting here. 

I find it helpful to keep in mind that even if there are dozens of negative posts, that represents a tiny, tiny fraction of the total RP audience. 

Math is a powerful thing. And this is a powerful song -- at least according to me, and I'm the only one whose opinion I trust :-) 
 thatslongformud wrote:

Thats exactly what I've always felt about the dissonance too.  It's clearly intentional.  Love it!


Generally, I *really* don't like such dissonance.  I don't know why this song works for me, but it does.  Brilliant! 
This is one of many great songs from this beautiful album that I listened to on my car CD player so many times that I think my car was sick of it. Not me though - this song stands the test of time.
Great Voice!
Agree with those wondering about the low ratings. An 8 for me (up from 7 from the first time I heard it). It reminds me of Fairport Convention; Beth's voice is a nice reminder of Sandy Denny's voice, but not a copy the way I hear Tori Amos copy Kate Bush. This song has a lilting, slightly unrhythmic quality that might be a little annoying to those used to hearing "modern" vocals Auto-Tuned into unnaturally perfect pitch and time.
Solid 8, the whole album is awesome, and takes be back to driving during the summer in 1997.  Great times, and the ping ping ping of my 1973 beetle worked well with the tempo of this song.  
Curious about so many low ratings for a sweet, tender song. I can understand not loving it, but hating it? Really?
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:

As they say on the likes of America's Got Talent or  The X Factor... "a bit pitchy".  The harmonies are not "harmonious" either. Sorry Beth, you are straying into Natalie Merchant territory with this one.

one of the things I love about them. "Top singers" on TV leave me cold when I hear them. Pure voices like Ella Fitzgerald's are always the exception. But this song is ringing bells for me today...bought the CD when it came out. This song will be part of the music for a memorial i am putting together - in fact several of today's tunes will be - for someone who truly loved music with me.

 Jelani wrote:

I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.



This is special 
Do I hear a bit female Van Morrison?
As they say on the likes of America's Got Talent or  The X Factor... "a bit pitchy".  The harmonies are not "harmonious" either. Sorry Beth, you are straying into Natalie Merchant territory with this one.
Could we follow this with some Yoko Ono while our sensitivities are dulled?
Not to mention Terry Callier as her "backup singer"...I think they sound great together.  Listen to "Dolphins" or "Lean On Me" off of the "Best Bit" EP.  
 todbothom wrote:
I find her music sounds ala Astral Weeks.
 
Hadn't occurred to me before... now I can't unhear it
I find her music sounds ala Astral Weeks.
 Jelani wrote:
I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.
 
Thats exactly what I've always felt about the dissonance too.  It's clearly intentional.  Love it!
Oops.  Intonation problems all over the place.  Not nice.
 scottygirl wrote:
Ugh seems I'm in the camp that can't bear the awful pitching Beth Orton seems to think is quirky. There is little or no physical effort behind her singing, which is probably why the tone is all over the place....get some singing lessons woman, or just stop singing! There are plenty of other wonderful singers and songwriters out there who can display vulnerability and softness without resorting to this half hearted, out of tune wailing. Can you tell I really hate this!? 😆😆
 Show us yours so we can hear how to do it better...and then tell you that you didn't.

 Jelani wrote:
I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.
 It adds a lot of texture, to what might otherwise be a very smooth and uneventful song.


 rspronsen179 wrote:
bit boring
 Quite so.

Bill! How could you play Beth Orton knowing the anti-Beth Orton tribe is gonna come out in full force?
Maybe cuz you like her and you know others do too?
 klaasstap wrote:

Wow, a 5,4. So the average of the people don't really like Beth Orton.
I do like her music. I dig it, actually. But I can understand it separates people in two. Love it or hate it, I suppose.
 
I think it's just that more people don't like this particular song, on average her songs have a rating around 6.98.
arrangement brings tim buckley to mind
Ilikeitalot
Ugh seems I'm in the camp that can't bear the awful pitching Beth Orton seems to think is quirky. There is little or no physical effort behind her singing, which is probably why the tone is all over the place....get some singing lessons woman, or just stop singing! There are plenty of other wonderful singers and songwriters out there who can display vulnerability and softness without resorting to this half hearted, out of tune wailing. Can you tell I really hate this!? 😆😆
bit boring
 Jelani wrote:
I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.
 
Wow, a 5,4. So the average of the people don't really like Beth Orton. I do like her music. I dig it, actually. But I can understand it separates people in two. Love it or hate it, I suppose.
 Jelani wrote:
I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.
 
you are not alone.
I love everything about this song.
 Jelani wrote:
I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.
 
I agree; I like the song and her style.  Apparently it's not for everyone.
 Jelani wrote:
I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.
 
Perhaps the minority but no alone. There is no part of this song I don’t like. 
I guess I'm in the minority here. I like everything about this song.
The 'dissonant' qualities lend a humanness, or vulnerability to it.
I love Beth Orton but this is not my favorite song...
Even the bass is out of tune.
  chinaski wrote:
She can sing for me anytime. Thank you for playing her stuff Bill!
  
ciarataylor wrote:
You are certainly a select audience of .. one.  Enjoy.
 
No its at least two.
I'm surprised at the comments, I love this. Yes it's a bit discordant, I get it. But it suits the song perfectly. She knows what she is doing.
c.
{#Stop}
2 but just for the drummer ...
Pahaass fohoor meheee... did she drug the whole record company to get this published?
 UUMike wrote:
Normally admire her stuff, but her "pitchiness" is questionable here, along with that backup harmony.

 
Just so. {#Wall} Can't imagine this surviving in the Listener Submissions queue.
Normally admire her stuff, but her "pitchiness" is questionable here, along with that backup harmony.
A wee bit pitchy.
 chinaski wrote:
She can sing for me anytime. Thank you for playing her stuff Bill!

 
You are certainly a select audience of .. one.  Enjoy.
 Alastair wrote:
 
jhorton wrote:
Beth Orton does not sing flat. She bends and quavers like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, BB King, and tons of other brilliant musicians.

She plays her voice like a beautiful string or horn. She knows where the notes are. She chooses to sing around them.

If you can't hear her hit them, YOU'RE NOT LISTENING GOOD ENOUGH! 


That doesn't really explain why the guy singing harmonies is flat as well. 


 
Who gave this chick the mistaken impression that she can sing?  Unacceptable to anybody who appreciates singing on key.   So flat.  So ugly. So ugh  PSD SAVES THE DAY
 
jhorton wrote:
Beth Orton does not sing flat. She bends and quavers like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, BB King, and tons of other brilliant musicians.

She plays her voice like a beautiful string or horn. She knows where the notes are. She chooses to sing around them.

If you can't hear her hit them, YOU'RE NOT LISTENING GOOD ENOUGH! 


That doesn't really explain why the guy singing harmonies is flat as well. 



 oldsaxon wrote:

yeah it's a nice lyric, too bad the singing is so dreadful.

 
yup, just awful....
 TerryS wrote:
Vocal eccentricity never did interest me that much.....
Except for, well, lots of people, but I simply cannot tohelerate Beheth.
IBGone. 

 
You leave town tonight, right now. And when you're gone, you stay gone, or you be gone. You lost all your R.P. privileges. Deal?
Vocal eccentricity never did interest me that much.....
Except for, well, lots of people, but I simply cannot tohelerate Beheth.
IBGone. 
She can sing for me anytime. Thank you for playing her stuff Bill!
Beth Orton does not sing flat. She bends and quavers like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, BB King, and tons of other brilliant musicians.

She plays her voice like a beautiful string or horn. She knows where the notes are. She chooses to sing around them.

If you can't hear her hit them, YOU'RE NOT LISTENING GOOD ENOUGH! 
very beautiful song
Shitty voices.
 oldsaxon wrote:

yeah it's a nice lyric, too bad the singing is so dreadful.

 
Dreadful? This is nothing but fantastic. Hit the PSD button next time. I'm sick of reading negative shit in this comment section...
 markg063 wrote:
Is that Bruce Cockburn singing with her?

 
The late, great Terry Callier.
 skindy wrote:
Oh man, YES. I've loved this song, and Beth Orton in general, ever since a friend put this and a few other Beth songs on a mix CD for me. I love her distinctive voice and even more distinctive style. This makes me feel good all over. {#Good-vibes}

 
yeah it's a nice lyric, too bad the singing is so dreadful.
Most definitely NOT her shining moment.... No thanks.
 ScottishWillie wrote:

May not ring your bell Burg but I wish I could make something as awe-inspiringly beautiful as this. I think the vocals are sublime and they move me every time I hear them. It is art and I don’t care if its in or out of tune it’s the effect it has on the audience (me) that counts.



 
^ THIS. {#Yes}
 MrsTom wrote:
Sounds like two drunk people doing karaoke
 
Indeed...
...and thankfully, THIS will pass in time. Unbelievably bad. There's "art" and then there's crap - entitled artists who feel they can record anything because they've earned it.
Oh man, YES. I've loved this song, and Beth Orton in general, ever since a friend put this and a few other Beth songs on a mix CD for me. I love her distinctive voice and even more distinctive style. This makes me feel good all over. {#Good-vibes}
 MrsTom wrote:
Sounds like two drunk people doing karaoke

 
{#Lol}
Sounds like two drunk people doing karaoke
 OceanBlue wrote:
Woah, the dissonance...

 
What you call dissonance works for me. Not everything must follow the expected relationship between what is expected and what emerges. I understand that some see this as discordant, but I have come to hear the uniqueness and appreciate this piece. Although the male singer subtracts from the whole.
Gohotta goho.
Is that Bruce Cockburn singing with her?
Woah, the dissonance...
incredibly worthless
I really like this song and her distinctive way of singing, good and sweet (with little bit of xylophone plinking softly in the background)
 Burg wrote:
It must be some form of art to sing out of tune all the time!!
 

May not ring your bell Burg but I wish I could make something as awe-inspiringly beautiful as this. I think the vocals are sublime and they move me every time I hear them. It is art and I don’t care if its in or out of tune it’s the effect it has on the audience (me) that counts.


I think that this is a lovely little bit of songwriting which would move me deeply if the delivery didn't get in the way.  She is better than this.
 Burg wrote:
It must be some form of art to sing out of tune all the time!!

 
Worked pretty well for Bob Dylan.
Enjoying the tune on this wet rainy-snowy evening as I bottle some home brew.  Thanks RP.
This song could have been great but it completely derails - it's a bit of a mess and unpleasant to listen to.   Thankfully, it will pass in time.....
 MrsTom wrote:

Yes, I see what you mean. Thankfully the song is pleasant enough to not be spoiled by it. Not sure the guy hits any of the notes though
 

The guy is the only one that doesn't hit the notes??
 Bridieboo wrote:
I used to enjoy listening to this simger but now it grates on me how she sings one-syllable words with two- or three-syllables. Buh-uhgs me-ee :)
 
Yes, I see what you mean. Thankfully the song is pleasant enough to not be spoiled by it. Not sure the guy hits any of the notes though
It must be some form of art to sing out of tune all the time!!
 Vespertine82 wrote:
It *really* confuses me that people critique people like Beth Orton on the basis of being musically or technically inept... as if she's not making a choice to sing that way and has no idea that her vocals are unconventionally flat... as if nobody at any stage of conception, or production, or a record company has ever thought about this issue or made a conscious decision to indeed write, record and release it exactly as it is...

I mean... you definitely don't have to like it, I can easily see why it's stylistically irksome... but the idea that it is somehow a lack of ability/appreciation of what she's doing is silly.

I'm not even a very big fan of Beth Orton... and indeed I often find the "flatness" she sings with to be too relentlessly downbeat and lacklustre... but it's definitely not an accident, or just an inability to do other things with her voice - that's the way she wants to sound.

 
I think RP should have a "like" button for comments like this one!
OUTSTANDING song.

Good Lord... the lyrics, music, sentiment. Just beautiful.

Apparently i don't hear "flat" or "off-key". I hear lyrics, vocals, instruments and melody that really sound great together.

Let the trolling continue... 
It *really* confuses me that people critique people like Beth Orton on the basis of being musically or technically inept... as if she's not making a choice to sing that way and has no idea that her vocals are unconventionally flat... as if nobody at any stage of conception, or production, or a record company has ever thought about this issue or made a conscious decision to indeed write, record and release it exactly as it is...

I mean... you definitely don't have to like it, I can easily see why it's stylistically irksome... but the idea that it is somehow a lack of ability/appreciation of what she's doing is silly.

I'm not even a very big fan of Beth Orton... and indeed I often find the "flatness" she sings with to be too relentlessly downbeat and lacklustre... but it's definitely not an accident, or just an inability to do other things with her voice - that's the way she wants to sound.
Beth Orton keeps growing on me the more I hear her on RP.  Her voice is so soulful - pleasantly jarring with electronica, a natural fit with acoustic songs.
If you asked me to rate this on the street while not listening to it, I'd give it a 4 or a 5.  But I find myself rating it much higher while listening to it and letting my mind wander.  Just works for me.
Please, Bill... 
Some like flat.

But mother, mother, some will never know;
The love that you have is still holding my soul.

I find it beautiful.  Especially as a parent.
Dreadful.
Barely on key.
Thank goodness even this song will pass...
I used to enjoy listening to this simger but now it grates on me how she sings one-syllable words with two- or three-syllables. Buh-uhgs me-ee :)
Please make it stop
Dire, painful to listen to. Sorry. If you want a British singer songwriter that can sing put some Martha Tilston on your playlist.
 Moak wrote:

No, I was saying you are another insignificant music "critic" riding piggyback on somebody else's negative comment, lacking the mental capital to come up with your own sarcasm.  Not to mention calling anybody that wants to challange your easy cynicism a "troll". 
 
You are way, way off.  I wasn't remotely trying to piggyback on another music critic.  I happen to like Beth Orton and wasn't trying to criticize the song.
All my original comment was saying was that I found the other comment hilarious.  If I laugh at a joke told by Louis CK, does that mean I'm trying to be a comic or even agreeing with the statement he made by his joke?  Some things are just funny.
So you call me "bankrupt" on account of that?  It appears you're the one with "easy cynicism."  
 coffee-eyes wrote:
Seems you either love Beth or you hate her with no middle ground. 

I love her.
 
Love flowing here too.

Don't understand the hate - such a beautiful song. 
 window wrote:

Actually no, I'm not bankrupt.  Not rich by any stretch, but definitely not legally insolvent.
What's that?  "Bankrupt" was just a figure of speech?  Well, so was "made my day."

F'ing troll.
 
No, I was saying you are another insignificant music "critic" riding piggyback on somebody else's negative comment, lacking the mental capital to come up with your own sarcasm.  Not to mention calling anybody that wants to challange your easy cynicism a "troll". 
 Moak wrote:


That's all it takes to make your day?  You're fuckin' bankrupt.
 
Actually no, I'm not bankrupt.  Not rich by any stretch, but definitely not legally insolvent.
What's that?  "Bankrupt" was just a figure of speech?  Well, so was "made my day."

F'ing troll.
yeah. it's flat. but still melodic and beautiful in its own way. solid 7.
5.3??  Bullshit.  This is a great song.
 window wrote:

LOL!!! This comment made my day, thanks.
 

That's all it takes to make your day?  You're fuckin' bankrupt.
 cpher wrote:
Flatty flat flat
 
LOL!!! This comment made my day, thanks.