{{about|the album by Paul Jabara|for song by Angie McMahon|Keeping Time (song)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Keeping Time | type = studio | artist = Paul Jabara | cover = Pauljabarakeepingtime.jpg | alt = | released = May 1978 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Disco | length = | label = Casablanca NBLP 7102 | producer = Bob Esty | prev_title = Shut Out | prev_year = 1977 | next_title = The Third Album | next_year = 1979 }}
'''''Keeping Time''''' is the second studio album by American actor, singer and songwriter Paul Jabara.<ref name="LLC1978">{{cite journal|title=Hold on... For Dear Life!|website = Newyorkmetro.com|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FvgJ2nsZsk0C&pg=PT32|date=9 October 1978|publisher=New York Media, LLC|pages=32–|issn=0028-7369}}</ref> The album, which was released on Casablanca Records in 1978, includes Jabara's song "Trapped in a Stairway" from the movie ''Thank God It's Friday'', his own version of the Grammy Award-winning "Last Dance" (originally recorded by Donna Summer) as well as the duets "Something's Missing" (with Summer) and "Take Good Care of My Baby / What's a Girl to Do" (with Pattie Brooks). ''Keeping Time'' was released on CD by Gold Legion in 2011.
==Singles== The lead single from the album was "Dancin' (Lift Your Spirits Higher)".
Take Good Care Of My Baby/What's A Girl To Do was released as a single too. ''Cash Box'' wrote that the single was "a medley" featuring Pattie Brooks, with "strings, horns and disco beat" making it "a good disco, R&B add".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Singles reviews |magazine=Cashbox |date=12 August 1978 |volume=XL |issue=13 |page=13 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-12-OCR-Page-0011.pdf |access-date=21 April 2026 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260421001230/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-12-OCR-Page-0011.pdf|archive-date=21 April 2026}}</ref>
==Critical reception== Betty Lederer from ''Billboard'', elected "Pleasure Island" as the best cut of the album,<ref name="Lederer1978">{{cite magazine|last=Lederer|first=Barry|title=Billboard - Disco Mix|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JyQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT78|date=12 August 1978|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=78–|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> the magazine also choose the album as the best disco album of the week, giving it a favorable review.<ref name="albpek">{{cite magazine|title=Billboard's Top Album Peaks|magazine = Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZyQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT69|date=19 August 1978|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=69–|issn=0006-2510}}</ref> ''Cash Box'' wrote that the singer "has issued an appealing new effort" highlighting his "catchy, flowing compositions" and "smooth vocal style", with "shimmering production" by Bob Esty.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Album Reviews |magazine=Cashbox |date=19 August 1978 |volume=XL |issue=14 |page=18 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-19-OCR-Page-0018.pdf |access-date=21 April 2026 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260421000028/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/70s/1978/CB-1978-08-19-OCR-Page-0018.pdf|archive-date=21 April 2026}}</ref>
The album was listed in the "Fringe Albums Continued" section of ''Walrus!'' which wrote that Jabara, although "a pop artist", was also "a songwriter with quite a knack for appealing songs", and that "it's all in the direction the production takes".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=New releases |magazine=Walrus! |date=21 August 1978 |issue=243 |page=28 |access-date=20 April 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260420234931/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Walrus/IDX/Walrus-1978-08-21-IDX-28.pdf|archive-date=20 April 2026|url-status=live|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Walrus/IDX/Walrus-1978-08-21-IDX-28.pdf}}</ref> It was also included in ''Record World'''s "Album Picks" of the week; the magazine wrote: "Look out for this versatile musician on the rise".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Album Picks |magazine=Record World |date=2 September 1978 |volume=35 |issue=1626 |page=14 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Record-World-IDX/IDX/70s/78/Record-World-1978-09-02-OCR-Page-0014.pdf |access-date=21 April 2026 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260421005202/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Record-World-IDX/IDX/70s/78/Record-World-1978-09-02-OCR-Page-0014.pdf|archive-date=21 April 2026}}</ref>
==Commercial performance== The album peaked at number 12 in the National Disco Action Top 40.<ref name="chartpj">{{cite magazine|title=Billboard - National Disco Action Top 40|magazine = Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5SQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT41|date=9 September 1978|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=41–|issn=0006-2510}}</ref>
==Track listing== ;Side one # "Didn't the Time Go Fast" - 4:17 # "Saturday Matinee" - 3:24 # "Trapped in a Stairway" (from the Original Soundtrack Album ''Thank God It's Friday'') - 3:13 # "Take Good Care of My Baby / What's a Girl to Do" (duet with Pattie Brooks) - 4:47 # "Dancin' (Lift Your Spirits Higher)" - 3:39
;Side two # "Last Dance" - 3:10 # "Pleasure Island" - 10:40 # "Something's Missing" (duet with Donna Summer) - 3:02
==Personnel== *Paul Jabara - vocals *Jay Graydon, Steve Lukather, Ira Newborn, Thom Rotella, Ben Benay - guitar *David Hungate, Chuck Rainey, Bob Glaub - bass guitar *David Foster, Richard Tee, Jai Winding, Bob Esty, William Smith, Bill Payne - keyboards *Mike Baird, Ed Greene, Rick Shlosser - drums *Alan Estes, Victor Feldman, Tommy Vig - percussion *Jerry Jumonville - saxophone on "Trapped on a Stairway" *Bernie Fleischer, Jon Kip, Jack Nimitz - flutes on "Pleasure Island" *Bob Esty, Carlene Williams, Mary Ellen Gaines, Becky Lopez, Dani MiCormick, Patti Brooks, Petsye Powell, Carole Bayer Sager, Michele Aller, Brenda Russell - background vocals
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:Paul Jabara albums Category:1978 albums Category:Casablanca Records albums