Bad Time

Album: All The Girls In The World Beware (1974)
Charted: 4
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this song, Grand Funk lead singer Mark Farner has met the girl of his dreams, but at an awkward time in his life, meaning he may have to let her go. Farner was indeed going through a bad time with his wife Cheryl. In a Songfacts interview, he explained: "My first wife was in the kitchen. I can remember sitting at the piano - I had a little spinet in the dining room - and she's threatening to put a 12-inch cast-iron skillet through my forehead. And I'm in there writing 'bad time for being in love.'"
  • "Bad Time" was the last big hit for Grand Funk, who were one of the most popular bands of the early and mid-'70s. They started falling apart soon after, and broke up in 1976 after releasing their album Good Singin', Good Playin', produced by Frank Zappa. They got back together for a few years in the early '80s, but didn't regroup again until the mid-'90s. Their last studio album was issued in 1983.
  • The American alternative country and rock band The Jayhawks did a popular cover on their 1995 album, Tomorrow The Green Grass.

Comments: 3

  • Marinegrunt66 from Indianagreat song
  • Lenny K from Edison, Nj@ Zen Dean - It is Mark Farner on Lead Vocals
  • Zen Dean from GeorgiaWho sang the lead vocal on this song? It says the vocalist Mike Farner wrote the song but grand funk had two lead vocalists. Which one sang this vocal?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum

Dave Pirner of Soul AsylumSongwriter Interviews

Dave explains how the video appropriated the meaning of "Runaway Train," and what he thought of getting parodied by Weird Al.

Graduation Songs

Graduation SongsFact or Fiction

Have you got the smarts to know which of these graduation song stories are real?

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."

Millie Jackson

Millie JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Outrageously gifted and just plain outrageous, Millie is an R&B and Rap innovator.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders

Chrissie Hynde of The PretendersSongwriter Interviews

The rock revolutionist on songwriting, quitting smoking, and what she thinks of Rush Limbaugh using her song.