Until It's Time for You to Go

This article is about the song by Buffy Sainte-Marie. For the album by Rusty Bryant, see Until It's Time for You to Go (album).

"Until It's Time for You to Go" is a song from the 1965 album Many a Mile by American singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie. Sainte-Marie included a French-language reworking of the song, "T'es pas un autre", on her 1967 album Fire & Fleet & Candlelight. French translation was made by Quebecer songwriter Claude Gauthier.

"Until It's Time for You to Go"
Single by Buffy Sainte-Marie
from the album Many a Mile
B-side	"The Flower and the Apple Tree"
Released	1965
Label	Vanguard
Songwriter	Buffy Sainte-Marie
Producer	Maynard Solomon

"Until It's Time for You to Go"
Single by Elvis Presley
from the album Elvis Now
B-side	"We Can Make the Morning"
Released	January 4, 1972
Recorded	May 16, 1971
Studio	RCA Studio B, Nashville
Genre	Pop
Label	RCA Victor
Songwriter	Buffy Sainte-Marie
Elvis Presley singles chronology
"Merry Christmas Baby" / "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (1971) "Until It's Time for You to Go" / "We Can Make the Morning" (1972) "He Touched Me" / "Bosom of Abraham" (1972)

The song has been recorded by many other singers.^[1]

Background

The lyrics concern an ordinary man and woman who love each other, but cannot stay together because they come from different worlds. The singer asks their lover: "Don't ask why / Don't ask how / Don't ask forever / Love me now." According to Sainte-Marie, the song "popped into my head while I was falling in love with someone I knew couldn't stay with me."^[2]

"The Flower and the Apple Tree"

Featured as a B-side to the Sainte-Marie's single release of "Until It's Time for You to Go" is the rarity "The Flower and the Apple Tree", an original song that was exclusive to the single.^[3]

Notable cover versions

• It was a UK Top 20 hit for British group the Four Pennies in 1965.^[4]
• In 1969, Neil Diamond released a cover that went to No. 11 on the US Easy Listening chart and No. 53 on the US Hot 100 the following year.^[5] Record World said that "Neil Diamond has done a beautiful job" with the song.^[6] Billboard called it "one gem of a performance".^[7] Cash Box called it "a splendid reading with the velvet style polished by 'Holly' and 'Caroline.'"^[8]
• In 1972, Elvis Presley released the song, which peaked at No. 40 on the US Hot 100, and No. 9 on the US Easy Listening chart.^[9]
• In 1973, New Birth featuring future Supremes member Susaye Greene recorded a version of the song, which peaked at No. 21 on the US Hot Soul Singles chart.^[10]