Time to Get Alone

"Time to Get Alone" is a song written by Brian Wilson for the American rock band the Beach Boys. It was released on their 1969 album 20/20 and produced by Carl Wilson. It is a waltz in the style of baroque pop. Brian originally wrote and produced the song for the band Redwood, which would later become known as Three Dog Night.

PopMatters calls the song "a dream, right on down the line from Carl’s feathery lead vocal—and the way it contrasts with the up-and-down crunch of the waltz backdrop—to the sumptuously layered arrangement of the chorus to the immaculate production job to the unadorned coda (which is from the extended version)."

Recording

Brian Wilson originally planned to give the song (along with "Darlin'") to Redwood. The group began recording on October 12, 1967 while in the midst of sessions for the Beach Boys' Wild Honey (1967). Strings and horns overdubs were added on October 14 with drums and percussion on October 15.Danny Hutton recounted:

Then I remember Brian calling in the string section. [Brian's sister-in-law] Diane Rovell called them in at the last minute, and some of them still had their tuxedos on. Brian was thoroughly in control of those guys. He said, “I’m gonna make you guys feel better. I think some of you guys might have colds.” Then he had everybody open their mouths and Diane or Marilyn [Wilson] sprayed some kind of a cough medicine. I looked at these guys and I thought, “The power! I could never have the power to do that.” And then he was sitting there, talking to me, while they were doing a take, and he stops and says, “Hold it, Danny. Hey, viola! The second chair … you’re flat on that C.’ He not only heard a bad note; he knew which guy did it. Amazing sense.’