Playing for Time (song)

"Playing for Time" is a song by English musician Peter Gabriel, released in March 2023 as the third single in promotion of his tenth studio album I/O. This is his first album of original material since 2002's Up. Two versions of the song have been released: the "Bright Side Mix" (mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent) and the "Dark Side Mix" (mixed by Tchad Blake). The cover art for this track features Annette Messager's Mes voeux (avec nos cheveux). Recorded at Gabriel's Real World Studios in Wiltshire and the Beehive and British Grove Studios in London, "Playing For Time" features regulars Tony Levin on bass and Manu Katché on drums. The single was released on March 7 and the full moon, called the Worm Moon.

Background
In its unfinished form (part of the intro and the entire bridge were missing at the time) without proper lyrics and only with piano and bass instrumentation, "Playing for Time" was performed on Back to Front Tour from 2012 to 2014, opening almost all shows. At that time it was known as "O But" (later as "Daddy Long Legs").

When asked about the song's meaning, Gabriel stated that:"'It is more of a personal song about how you assemble memories and whether we are prisoners of time or whether that is something that can actually free us. I do think it's good to push yourself towards more bold or interesting experiences because then you will have richer memories to feed you when you get to my age. You also get taught by every meaningful experience that you go through.'" Tom Cawley, who played piano on Gabriel's New Blood Tour, appears on the track along with many musicians from the New Blood Orchestra. The orchestral arrangements were done by Edward Shearmur, who previously handled the orchestration for Gabriel's cover of "That'll Do" from the Babe: Pig in the City soundtrack. Gabriel has also stated that an influence on the track was the non-profit organization Long Now Foundation.

Personnel

 * Peter Gabriel – lead and backing vocals, synthesizers
 * Tony Levin – bass
 * Manu Katché – drums
 * Oli Jacobs – synthesizer
 * Tom Cawley – piano
 * Richard Chappell – rhythm programming
 * Katie May – engineering
 * Orchestra
 * Orchestral arrangement: Edward Shearmur
 * Violins: Everton Nelson, Ian Humphries, Louisa Fuller, Charles Mutter, Cathy Thompson, Natalia Bonner, Richard George, Marianne Haynes, Martin Burgess, Clare Hayes, Debbie Widdup, and Odile Ollagnon
 * Violas: Bruce White, Fiona Bonds, Peter Lale, and Rachel Roberts
 * Cellos: Ian Burdge, Chris Worsey, Caroline Dale, William Schofield, Tony Woollard, and Chris Allan
 * French horn: David Pyatt, Richard Bissill
 * Tenor trombone/Euphonium: Andy Wood
 * Tenor trombone: Tracy Holloway
 * Bass trombone: Richard Henry
 * Tuba: David Powell
 * Orchestra conductor: John Metcalfe
 * Orchestra leader: Everton Nelson
 * Sheet music supervisor: Dave Foster
 * Orchestra contractor: Lucy Whalley and Susie Gillis