Song of the Day by Eric Berman – “Who Knows Where the Time Goes” by Judy Collins
This wistful gem is one of Judy Collins’ greatest recordings from her greatest album, the 1968 classic Who Knows Where the Time Goes. The song was written by the late, great Sandy Denny who recorded a demo of it in 1967. Shortly thereafter, Denny joined forces with The Strawbs who had a go at the song on their All Our Own Work album which was recorded in 1967 but not officially released in the U.S. until 1973. After hearing the original demo in 1967, Collins recorded it and relegated to the B-side of her smash hit single “Both Sides Now,” which gave it enormous exposure.
The song surfaced again the following year as the title track to the Who Knows Where the Time Goes album, whose super group of musicians included Stephen Stills (guitar), James Burton (guitar), Buddy Emmons (pedal steel), Van Dyke Parks (piano), Chris Ethridge (bass) and drummer/mother murderer Jim Gordon.
Sandy Denny then took the song with her when she joined Fairport Convention where it was released on their superb 1969 Unhalfbricking album, becoming the group’s signature tune. Others who have committed this song to wax include Greek pop star Nana Mouskouri, 10,000 Maniacs, Cat Power, Charlie Louvin, Susanna Hoffs & Matthew Sweet, Nina Simone and many others.
Denny would later go on to be the only guest vocalist ever to appear on a Led Zeppelin record when she supplied vocals to “The Battle of Evermore.” She later succumbed to complications from a brain hemorrhage after she fell down some steps on April 21st 1978 at the age of 31.
Denny would later go on to be the only guest vocalist ever to appear on a Led Zeppelin record when she supplied vocals to “The Battle of Evermore.”
