Timothy (song)

For other uses, see Timothy (disambiguation).
"Timothy"
Single by The Buoys
from the album The Buoys
B-side"It Feels Good"
ReleasedFebruary 1970[1]
Recorded1970
GenrePop rock
Length2:45
LabelScepter
Songwriter(s)Rupert Holmes[2]
Producer(s)Michael Wright

"Timothy" is a pop rock song recorded by The Buoys as a single in 1970. The song describes a mine cave-in and aftermath, with the implication the two survivors cannibalized their companion, the eponymous Timothy. Written by Rupert Holmes, who also performed piano on the song, "Timothy" was conceived from the band being forced to promote their first single without the aid of their label, Scepter Records. Holmes' solution was to have the song generate attention by depicting a controversial subject.

Despite initial efforts from radio stations to ban the song, "Timothy" proved to be a success for the Buoys. It reached the U.S. Billboard Top 40 chart on April 17, 1971, where it remained on the chart for eight weeks and peaked at #17.[3] On the U.S. Cash Box Top 100, it spent two weeks at #13.[4] In Canada, the song reached #9.[5] "Timothy" became the Buoys' best known song and their most successful song to chart on Billboard.

  1. ^ "Record Details (SCE-12275)". www.45cat.com. Archived from the original on 15 September 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  2. ^ "The "Golden Hits Of The 70s": Buoys "Tiimothy"". www.onehitwondersthebook.com. 1997. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  3. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  4. ^ "Top 100 1971-05-15". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-09-20. Retrieved 2015-09-15.
  5. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-09-18. Retrieved 2016-10-05.