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By the Time It Gets Dark

[ Roud - ; Mudcat 161665 ; Sandy Denny]

Sandy Denny’s song By the Time It Gets Dark was not released on any of her official albums, but we still have four different recordings available:

  1. Sandy recorded By the Time It Gets Dark as a demo at home in Byfield, Northamptonshire in 1974, accompanying herself with 12-string guitar. This demo was eventually released on the Who Knows Where the Time Goes box set.
  2. Another home demo recorded in March 1976 can be found on the bonus CD of Fledg’ling’s 5 CD Sandy Denny anthology of 2004, A Boxful of Treasures. Here she sings “you’ll be laughing” in the third verse.
  3. Sandy also recorded By the Time It Gets Dark with her band during the Rendevous recording sessions but left the song off the album. One take with John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick, keyboards; Jerry Donahue, guitar; Pat Donaldson, bass; Trevor Lucas, guitar; Dave Mattacks, drums; was released in 2004 on A Boxful of Treasures.
  4. A last take recorded in June 1976 with Jerry Donahue, guitar; Pat Donaldson, bass; and probably Timi Donald, drums; was included on the bonus CD of A Boxful of Treasures.

Cover Versions

  1. Julie Covington on her album Julie Covington (1978)
    (produced by Joe Boyd; backing musicians included Richard Thompson, John Cale, Ray Cooper, Trevor Lucas and Steve Winwood)
  2. Julie Covington and the Albion Band on the album The Guv’nor Vol. 3 (1995).
    Julie Covington promoted her self-titled album (see above) in 1978 on a tour with the Albion Band, where this track was recorded
  3. Mary Black sings the title track of her album By the Time It Gets Dark (1987)
  4. Tina Adair on her album Just You Wait and See (1987)
  5. Yo La Tengo on their EP Little Honda (1997)
  6. Iain Matthews with No Grey Faith on their album Secrets All Told (2000)
  7. More Maids on their album Mary Is Busy... Too Busy to Marry (2000)
  8. Susan Hedges on her album Crimson Love on Velvet Black (2001)
  9. Mary Lou Lord on her album Live City Sounds (2001)
  10. Marsden Blant & Squire on their album Trio (2003)
  11. Miranda Sykes on her album Miranda Sykes Band (2005)
  12. Ida on her 2 CD album Rarities—Who Were You Then (2008)

Lyrics

Sandy Denny sings By the Time Ig Gets Dark

Baby, every cloud has a silver lining
Baby every dog really has his day
And it matters to me to see you smiling
Why don’t we blow all your cares away ?

Yesterday is gone and will be forgotten
And today is where every new day starts
Got to be free as the leaves in autumn
You may be sad but it never lasts.

And maybe, by the evening we’ll be laughing
Just wait and see
All the changes there’ll be
By the time it gets dark.

We could go walking out in the sunshine
Look at all the people out in the street
Hurrying away to a business luncheon
Waiting for a taxi for aching feet.

Light up your face, baby, let’s get going
Want to see a change in those weary eyes
We’ll have some fun, take a boat out rowing
Why on earth should life be so serious?

And maybe, by the evening we’ll be laughing
Just wait and see
All the changes there’ll be
By the time it gets dark.

Sorry, I can't show the lyrics here as I don't have the copyright owners' permission to publish them. But please feel free and ask me to send you the song's lyrics.