Back in Time (song)

"Back in Time" is the closing song performed by Huey Lewis and The News for Back to the Future.

It can also be heard playing on his clock radio when Marty McFly wakes up from what he believes is a nightmare.

Part of it can be heard in Doc's garage if Marty lets Biff Tannen use the jukebox.

In the 1986G timeline, Marty played a bit of the song to Citizen Brown with his guitar.

In 1991, the song played as the Institute of Future Technology's time travel volunteers exited the 8-passenger DeLorean and Doc warned them to hurry up and leave before they met themselves coming in.

Lyrics

 Verse 1:
 Tell me, Doctor, where are we going this time?
 Is this the Fifties, or 1999?
 All I wanted to do, was play my guitar and sing...

 CHORUS:
 So take me away, I don't mind.
 But you better promise me I'll be back in time.
 Gotta get back in time.
 Gotta get back in time.

 Verse 2:
 Don't bet your future on one roll of the dice.
 You'd better remember, lightning never strikes twice.
 Please don't drive 88...
 Don't wanna be late again

 CHORUS:
 So take me away, I don't mind.
 But you better promise me I'll be back in time.
 Gotta get back in time.
 Gotta get back in time.

 Get back, get back, get back, go, go...

 (INSTRUMENTAL BREAK)
 
 CHORUS:
 So take me away, I don't mind.
 But you better promise me I'll be back in time.
 Gotta get back in time.
 Gotta get back in time.

Behind the scenes

• "Back in Time" was played over the closing credits of Back to the Future. Later, it became the opening theme of Back to the Future: The Animated Series during its two year run.
• Written by Huey Lewis and Chris Hayes, the song references the events of the film, and relies on the double meaning of the phrase "I'll be back in time" within the story. Marty is the first person to travel backward in time. Habitually late, however, he is "never in time for his classes" (the tagline on posters for the film), and does not get back, in time, for certain events (such as to prevent the shooting of Emmett Brown).
• The third line of the second verse, "Please don't drive 88...", is often wrongly believed to be "Please don't drive and eat...", which makes no sense at all in the context of the song. This mistake does actually appear in the lyrics of the song as printed on the back cover of the Back to the Future Official Souvenir Magazine.

Appearances

• Back to the Future (Plays on Marty's clock radio at the end of the film and is heard at the beginning of the ending credits)
• Back to the Future: The Ride (Plays in the end)
• Back to the Future: The Animated Series (Used as the opening theme song)
  • Back to the Future Part II & III (It plays during title screen)
• Alvin and the Chipmunks
  • "Back to Our Future" (Chipmunks rendition of the song.)
• Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
• The Flash (2014)
• Back to the Future: The Game
  • Back to the Future: The Game - Episode 1: It's About Time (Plays on jukebox in Doc's garage.)
  • Back to the Future: The Game - Episode 2: Get Tannen! (It plays during the ending credits)
  • Back to the Future: The Game - Episode 3: Citizen Brown
  • Back to the Future: The Game - Episode 5: OUTATIME (It plays during the ending credits)
• Back to the Future: The Ride