"Time to Pretend"
Single by MGMT
from the album Oracular Spectacular
B-side"Weekend Wars"
ReleasedMarch 3, 2008
Genre
Length4:19
LabelColumbia[2]
Songwriter(s)Andrew VanWyngarden, Ben Goldwasser
Producer(s)Dave Fridmann
MGMT singles chronology
"Weekend Wars"
(2007)		 "Time to Pretend"
(2008)		 "Electric Feel"
(2008)
Music video
"Time to Pretend" on YouTube

"Time to Pretend" is a song by the American indie band MGMT, released as the lead single from their debut studio album Oracular Spectacular (2007) on March 3, 2008. An earlier version had been released on their Time to Pretend EP. The single was released as a 7" and CD single featuring the B-sides "Weekend Wars" (BBC Radio 1 Session)[3] and "Metanoia", respectively.[4] In early 2009, the song was re-released in the UK. The song was ranked at number 493 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time",[5] and its parent album, Oracular Spectacular, was ranked at number 494 on the publication's additional list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".[6] The song was also ranked at number 90 on NME's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Background

The track was originally recorded for the Time to Pretend EP (2005). It was re-recorded for the Oracular Spectacular album.

From a quote from live at Abbey Road:

We wrote Time to Pretend our senior year of college, and the music was inspired by a praying mantis we had in our house. She laid eggs and it died, and we laid the egg case on this kinda model pirate ship on the mantle piece, and the eggs hatched and all these baby praying mantises were climbing up the rigging of the ship, and it was pretty crazy...uhm so the music was inspired by our praying mantis that liked to dance to The Clash {laugh} and the lyrics are just about us imagining being rock stars....and yeah, fantasy rock star life.

Music video

The music video for the song contains references to Alejandro Jodorowsky's 1973 film The Holy Mountain[7] and the 1954 novel Lord of the Flies. The video was directed by Ray Tintori. Tiscali Music gave the video a rating of 10 out of 10.[8][9] A 3D version of the video with minor changes to the original was also produced.

Track listing

7" Single
No.TitleLength
1."Time to Pretend"4:19
2."Weekend Wars" (BBC Radio 1 session)4:34
2 Track Promo
No.TitleLength
1."Time to Pretend"4:19
2."Time to Pretend" (Clean)4:20
Radio Edit Promo
No.TitleLength
1."Time to Pretend" (Radio edit)4:11
2009 Digital Download
No.TitleLength
1."Time to Pretend"4:21
2."Future Reflections" (Triple J live recording)4:10

Reception

Kevin O'Donnell wrote in Rolling Stone that "Time to Pretend is a space-rock gem that mocks the clichéd coke-and-hookers rock-star lifestyle, over big synth whooshes."[10]

The song hit #38 on the Mediabase Alternative chart.[11] Time critic Josh Tyrangiel named Time to Pretend the #8 song of 2008.[12] The song was #3 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008,[13] #4 on NME's Best Singles of 2008,[14] The song was ranked at number 493 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[5] NME ranked "Time to Pretend" as the 2nd best song of the 2000s. In October 2011, NME placed it at number 12 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[15]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2008) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[16] 62
Canadian Hot 100[17] 64
Irish Singles Chart[18] 33
Japanese Singles Chart[19] 75
Switzerland Airplay (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 89
UK Singles Chart[21] 35
US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles[22] 9
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[23] 23
Billboard European Hot 100 Singles[24] 99

Year-end charts

Chart (2008) Position
UK Singles Chart[25] 145
Chart (2009) Position
UK Singles Chart[26] 193

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[27] Platinum 80,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[28] Gold 25,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[29] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[30] Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Television performances

MGMT performed the song "Time to Pretend" in a 3.5 minute slot on Late Show with David Letterman on January 8, 2008, ending the performance with a nod to The Doors' "Light My Fire". The song subsequently hit #19 on the Mediabase U.S. Alternative chart.[31] They later performed the song on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on May 15, 2008. The band returned to Letterman for a 4-minute slot on May 11, 2010.

Television

"Time to Pretend" has featured in a number of TV shows, including HBO's show Pacquiao-Hatton 24/7, episode 2, which originally aired on April 18, 2009, the Season 1 finale of Gossip Girl on May 19, 2008, and featured prominently at the end of the second series finale of popular UK channel E4's Skins but was later omitted from the DVD release of the series due to issues acquiring the rights. It was also featured in the series premiere of 90210 on September 2, 2008 and in the pilot episode of HBO's Girls and the pilot episode of The Magicians. It has also appeared in ITV's live coverage of Champions League football. "Time to Pretend" was also used on the Argentine TV show Exitosos Pells, showing bloopers from the series. The song was also used in the series The Revolution Will Be Televised. It was also featured in the season one finale of The Imperfects.

Film

"Time to Pretend" has been used in the 2008 films (or in the trailers for) Sex Drive, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People and 21, an early trailer for the Tim Burton film Alice in Wonderland, the 2011 film Warrior and the official trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming.[32] The song (in a "Super Clean Version" that censors the profanity and drug references) was also featured on the soundtrack of the 2008 film 21. It also appeared in the films Changeland and Sex Drive. It is played when Oliver, Felix, Venetia, and Farleigh are shown back and forth in scenes of them having fun and hanging out in the 2023 movie Saltburn.

Commercials

The song was the theme music for Manchester-based UK radio station Key 103/Piccadilly Magic 1152's new football show Total Football covering Manchester United and Manchester City games. It was also included in one of HMV's holiday commercials. The song was also used for the Polish TV commercial for the Ferrero SpA Duplo chocolate bar aired from December 2009.

Video games

Covers

Remixes

References

  1. 1 2 Harvey, Eric (22 October 2007). "MGMT: Oracular Spectacular Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  2. ↑ Keaveny, Shaun. "Record of the Week". BBC Radio. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  3. ↑ "MGMT Time To Pretend UK 7" RECORD (428836)". eil.com. Retrieved October 24, 2008.
  4. ↑ "MGMT Ready UK Debut Single Time To Pretend". Angry Ape. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
  5. 1 2 "'Rolling Stone' Updates '500 Greatest Songs' List". CBS 2 Chicago. May 28, 2010. Archived from the original on June 14, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  6. ↑ "My Favorite Things, Part II". Rolling Stone. May 31, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  7. ↑ Morrison, Kyle (May 14, 2008). "MGMT". DEJOUR Magazine. Cultural Commentary. Brash Publisher Network. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Time to Pretend: video review". Tiscali Music. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  9. ↑ "Time To Pretend video". Vevo. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  10. ↑ O'Donnell, Kevin. "Artist to Watch: MGMT". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 16, 2007. Retrieved November 14, 2007.
  11. ↑ "US Alternative Radio Airplay Monitor". Mediabase. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
  12. ↑ Time, December 22, 2008, pp. 47–8.
  13. ↑ "The 100 Best Songs of 2007". Rolling Stone. December 25, 2008. Archived from the original on December 27, 2008. Retrieved December 25, 2008.
  14. ↑ "NME's Track Of The Year 2008". NME. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
  15. ↑ "150 best tracks of the past 15 years". NME. 6 October 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  16. ↑ "The ARIA Report: Issue 981" (PDF). webarchive.nla.gov.au. August 23, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-12-19. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
  17. ↑ Billboard Artist Chart History – MGMT (Canada)
  18. ↑ "Irish Charts Week 30". Retrieved August 18, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Billboard Artist Chart History – MGMT (Japan)". billboard.com.
  20. ↑ "Schweizer Airplay Charts 19/2008 - hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  21. ↑ "UK Singles Chart". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2008.
  22. ↑ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  23. ↑ "MGMT Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  24. ↑ "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 22, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
  25. ↑ "Official Singles Chart 2008" (PDF). UKChartsPlus.co.uk. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Charts Plus Year end 2009" (PDF). Charts Plus. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
  27. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – MGMT – Time to Pretend". Music Canada. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Italian single certifications – MGMT – Time to Pretend" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved June 18, 2021. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Time to Pretend" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  29. ↑ "British single certifications – MGMT – Time to Pretend". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  30. ↑ "American single certifications – MGMT – Time to Pretend". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
  31. ↑ "US Alternative Radio Airplay Monitor". Mediabase. Retrieved February 7, 2008.
  32. ↑ Bradley, Bill (March 28, 2017). "Does The New 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Trailer Give Too Much Away?". Huffington Post. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  33. ↑ "2K Beats: NHL 2K10". 2K Sports. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Janice Long - live session. Fri 22 Jan 2010". bbc.co.uk.
  35. ↑ "Patience Hodgson and Broderick Smith". SBS.com.au.
  36. ↑ Mellman, Kenny (2016-07-05). "Why Kenny Mellman Needed to Revive Kiki and Herb". Talkhouse. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  37. ↑ Daly, Rhian (7 February 2021). "Black Country, New Road share raw cover of MGMT's 'Time To Pretend'". NME. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  38. ↑ Kenneally, Cerys (16 November 2021). "Black Country, New Road releasing covers of ABBA, Adele and more on vinyl". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  39. ↑ Kenneally, Cerys (21 March 2023). "Charlie Hickey releases cover of MGMT's "Time to Pretend"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  40. ↑ "Charlie Hickey Finds The Emotional Core Of MGMT's 'Time To Pretend'". www.clashmusic.com. 21 March 2023.
  41. ↑ "MGMT Tracks / Remixes Overview". www.1001tracklists.com.
  42. ↑ "MGMT - Time to Pretend (High Contrast Remix)". youtube.com.
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