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Maybe It's Time

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"Maybe It's Time"
Song by Bradley Cooper
from the album A Star Is Born
ReleasedOctober 5, 2018
Recorded2017
StudioThe Village West
(Los Angeles, California)
VenueGlastonbury Festival
Genre
Length2:39
LabelInterscope
Songwriter(s)Jason Isbell
Producer(s)
  • Bradley Cooper
  • Benjamin Rice
  • Lady Gaga (add.)

"Maybe It's Time" is a song from the 2018 film A Star Is Born and the soundtrack of the same name, performed by Bradley Cooper. It was written by Jason Isbell and produced by Cooper and Benjamin Rice with additional vocal production by Lady Gaga. The song is a country ballad with lyrics on the theme of salvation and redemption. "Maybe It's Time" has received a positive critical reception and became Cooper's first solo chart entry on the Billboard Hot 100.

Background and writing

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After listening to producer Dave Cobb's work, actor Bradley Cooper, who was also directing A Star Is Born, approached him to craft the soundtracks album's sound. Cobb was recording an album in Nashville, Tennessee, with American singer-songwriter and guitarist Jason Isbell, and asked him to write a song for the soundtrack. Isbell asked to see the screenplay and got in touch with Cooper to understand his requirements for the track and to discuss his character Jackson Maine. Cooper wanted a realistic song and urged Isbell to put his own thoughts as a songwriter into the lyrics, resulting in "Maybe It's Time". As he composed the song, Isbell kept in mind the "idea of salvation and redemption throughout the story and the movie, how that's something that comes from within an individual". In an interview with Harper's Bazaar he explained: "That’s what the song deals with more than anything else—whether you reach the point of redemption or not is wholly determined on your own willingness to work. If you’re going to change, it has to come from within."[1]

When Cobb flew to Los Angeles and met Cooper and his co-star Lady Gaga for a writing session, he played "Maybe It's Time". It became Jackson's staple song and set the tone for the rest of the soundtrack.[2] They were impressed. Cooper felt the Americana folk rock blend of the tune fit perfectly with Jackson's character, highlighting his fading career and substance abuse problems.[1][3]

Recording and composition

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"Maybe It's Time" was written by American singer-songwriter and guitarist Jason Isbell.

Musically, "Maybe It's Time" is a country ballad written by Isbell and produced by Cooper and Benjamin Rice with additional vocal production by Lady Gaga.[4][5] It is heard several times during the film. Its central lyrics—"Maybe it's time to let the old ways die"—are a metaphor for many of A Star Is Born's central themes, including dealing with and attaining true love and the "double-edged sword of fame". The line is repeated a number of times in the song, accompanied by the line: "It takes a lot to change a man, hell, it takes a lot to try".[6] Reviewing the film for the Vox website, Alissa Wilkinson suggests the song's lyrics signal that the Jackson character, including his music, lifestyle, and what he represents, needs to step aside to "make room for others"—in this case Gaga's character Ally.[7] The song is performed in the key of G major with a moderate tempo of 80 beats per minute in common time. It follows a chord progression of G–C–G–C during the verses and G–Em–D–C–G during the chorus, and the vocals span from B3 to B4.[8]

The Jackson character sings "Maybe It's Time" for the first time in a drag bar after meeting Ally and seeing her performing a cover of "La Vie en rose".[9] Before its production Cooper had reached out to musician Lukas Nelson, with whom he practiced for about a year, learning to play the guitar, and honing his vocal skills. "Bradley's ear is already trained and developed because he sings along to his favorite songs and he knows when it sounds bad," Nelson noted.[10]

Critical reception

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Bradley Cooper's performance received a positive reception.

Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone described "Maybe It's Time" as a "sullen triumph of a song" and complimented Cooper's vocal delivery.[9] USA Today's Patrick Ryan wrote that the song is a "wistful" album highlight.[11] Joey Morona of The Plain Dealer also highlighted the track, calling it an authentic country song.[4] According to Wren Graves of Consequence of Sound, "Maybe It's Time" might be the best track on A Star Is Born.[12] The Guardian's Ben Beaumont-Thomas also praised the song calling it an "extremely strong" country ballad.[5] Chris DeVille of Stereogum listed it as the best track on the album, calling it a "barebones country song".[3] The Washington Post's Bethonie Butler described the song as vulnerable and swooning, with a Sam Elliott-inspired vocal delivery.[13]

Writing for Thrillist, Esther Zuckerman found the song to be a "soulful ballad".[10] Jeremy Gordon of The Outline felt the track could be a campaign song for a future American presidential candidate who is a younger visionary, noting:

The old ways—hardcore social conservatism, white supremacy, the myth of America as shining city on the hill despite all the people who've been barred from the doors over the last 250 years—need to be forgotten by time. Our future president could try to boil down this idea into an easily reproducible slogan. Or, they could let Jackson Maine's gravelly voice do the talking: "Maybe it's time to let the old ways die."

Gordon ended his article saying that the "catchy track summed up all these sentiments better than any fight song".[6]

Dann Gire of the Daily Arlington Herald found that "Maybe It's Time" portrayed more of a nostalgia for Cooper's character as an artist on the decline, "rather than the optimistic challenge of new talent he undoubtedly was when he first sang it".[14] For Nick Reily from NME, the track was comparable to songs by Kris Kristofferson (who had played the central character in the 1976 film version).[15]

Vulture's Natalie Walker ranked it at number 17 in her list of the top songs from A Star Is Born. She "much preferred" the other "hard-edged" songs by Cooper over "Maybe It's Time".[16] Carl Wilson of Slate described Cooper's songs on the soundtrack as "mostly gray zones that one has to sit through, waiting for Gaga to come back", except "Maybe It's Time" which he compared to the work of American singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt.[17]

Chart performance

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Following the soundtrack's release, "Maybe It's Time" debuted at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Cooper's first solo entry and second overall, after lead single, "Shallow" (with Gaga).[18] The song also reached number six on the Digital Songs chart, along with other tracks by Cooper, like "Black Eyes" and "Music to My Eyes".[19] "Maybe It's Time" has sold 116,000 copies in the United States as of March 2019, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[20]

In Canada the track entered the Hot Canadian Digital Songs chart at number 12; it debuted on the Canadian Hot 100 at number 86.[21][22] In Australia peaked at number 58 on the ARIA Charts, while in New Zealand the track debuted on the country's Hot Singles chart at number 16.[23][24] Across Europe, "Maybe It's Time" became Cooper's solo entry in Hungary, Scotland and Switzerland,[25][26][27] and on the download charts of France and the United Kingdom.[28][29]

Cover versions

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On October 22, 2018, Jason Isbell performed "Maybe It's Time" live at Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, as part of his show's encore.[30] Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder covered the song live at Tempe, Arizona's Innings Festival in 2019,[31] and later performed it once again at BottleRock Napa Valley 2024 in a duet with Cooper.[32]

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of A Star Is Born.[33]

Management

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Personnel

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  • Bradley Cooper – primary vocals, producer
  • Jason Isbell – songwriter
  • Benjamin Rice – producer, recording, mixing
  • Lady Gaga – additional vocal producer
  • Alex Williams – recording assistant
  • John Rooney – mixing assistant
  • Randy Merrill – audio mastering
  • Lukas Nelson – acoustic guitar
  • Jesse Siebenberg – lap steel guitar

Charts

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Weekly chart performance for "Maybe It's Time"
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[23] 58
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[22] 86
France Downloads (SNEP)[28] 35
Hungary (Single Top 40)[25] 14
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[24] 16
Scotland (OCC)[26] 22
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 82
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[29] 32
US Billboard Hot 100[34] 93

Certifications and sales

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Certifications and sales for "Maybe It's Time"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[35] Platinum 40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[37] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b Williams, Nick (October 30, 2018). "For Lady Gaga, The A Star Is Born Soundtrack Is a Family Affair and Sonic Journey Down Memory Lane". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  2. ^ Betts, Stephen L. (December 6, 2017). "Jason Isbell, Lukas Nelson Songs to Appear in Lady Gaga's 'A Star Is Born'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 7, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  3. ^ a b DeVille, Chris (October 5, 2018). "Hear Bradley Cooper Sing A New Jason Isbell Song In A Star Is Born". Stereogum. Archived from the original on November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Morona, Joey (October 5, 2018). "'A Star Is Born' soundtrack is more than an excuse to listen to 'Shallow' on repeat". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on October 13, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (October 5, 2018). "A Star Is Born soundtrack review – instant classics full of Gaga's emotional might". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 14, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Gordon, Jeremy (October 15, 2018). "Maybe it's time for 'Maybe It's Time' to become a 2020 campaign song". The Outline. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  7. ^ Wilkinson, Alissa (October 4, 2018). "Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper shine in the newest version of A Star Is Born". Vox. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  8. ^ Germanotta, Stefani (2018). "Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper 'Shallow' Sheet Music in G Major". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  9. ^ a b Spanos, Brittany (October 5, 2018). "Review: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper Shine Bright on the 'A Star Is Born' Soundtrack". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 2, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  10. ^ a b Zuckerman, Esther (October 4, 2018). "Yes, That's Really Bradley Cooper Singing in 'A Star Is Born'". Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  11. ^ Ryan, Patrick (October 5, 2018). "Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper's stunning 'A Star Is Born' soundtrack proves 'Shallow' was no fluke". USA Today. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  12. ^ Graves, Wren (October 5, 2018). "Album of the Week: Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper Share Real Chemistry on A Star Is Born". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  13. ^ Butler, Bethonie (October 12, 2018). "All the songs from 'A Star Is Born,' ranked". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  14. ^ Gire, Dann (October 3, 2018). "Movie review: Bradley Cooper makes impressive directing debut in raw, relevant 'Star is Born'". Daily Arlington Herald. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  15. ^ Reilly, Nick (October 8, 2018). "A Star Is Born' – soundtrack review". NME. Archived from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  16. ^ Walker, Natalie (October 12, 2018). "A Person Who Has Not Seen A Star Is Born Ranks Its Entire Soundtrack". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  17. ^ Wilson, Carl (October 9, 2018). "On the A Star Is Born Soundtrack, It's Lady Gaga That Shines". Slate. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  18. ^ Zellner, Xander (October 15, 2018). "Five 'A Star Is Born' Songs Hit Hot 100, Led by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper's 'Shallow'". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 3, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  19. ^ "Bradley Cooper Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  20. ^ Bjorke, Matt (March 11, 2019). "TOP 30 Digital Country Singles: March 11, 2019". RoughStock. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  21. ^ "Bradley Cooper Chart History (Hot Canada Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  22. ^ a b "Bradley Cooper Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  23. ^ a b "ARIA Charts: Issue 1497" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  24. ^ a b "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. November 5, 2018. Archived from the original on November 3, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  25. ^ a b "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  26. ^ a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  27. ^ a b "Bradley Cooper – Maybe It's Time". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  28. ^ a b "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés : Week 41, 2018" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 21, 2018.[permanent dead link‍]
  29. ^ a b "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  30. ^ Paulson, Dave (October 23, 2018). "Jason Isbell at the Ryman: 'Tonight, we're home'". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  31. ^ Kreps, Daniel (March 4, 2019). "Watch Eddie Vedder Perform 'A Star Is Born' Song 'Maybe It's Time'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 5, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  32. ^ Kreps, Daniel (May 26, 2024). "See Bradley Cooper Join Pearl Jam to Sing 'Maybe It's Time' at BottleRock". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  33. ^ A Star Is Born (Credits from Liner notes). Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Interscope Records. 2018. B0028726-01. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  34. ^ "Bradley Cooper Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  35. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Bradley Cooper – Maybe It's Time" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  36. ^ "British single certifications – Bradley Cooper – Maybe It's Time". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  37. ^ "American single certifications – Bradley Cooper – Maybe It's Time". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
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