The Rapture has always been a band you can dance to. From the overdriven, cowbell-infused rush of the now iconic “House of Jealous Lovers” to the Danger Mouse-assisted disco thump of the its underrated second record, Pieces of the People We Love—which I still use as fuel for long runs, a good five years since it came out—all the Rapture’s highlights have been uppity, quixotic, and ready for the (dance)floor. But “It Takes Time To Be a Man” is assured, languid, and, most importantly, a grown up song. You can hear it in the yearning in Luke Jenner’s voice, in the repetitive loop of the piano and bass parts, and in the optimism of the Gospel-inspired arrangement. It’s an assured strut of a song, and a marvel to listen to walking around the city at night.
It’s also a song about responsibility. This is a difficult concept to grasp when you’re young; who wants to think about the future and taking care of your son and family when you have nothing stopping you from staying out past 2 am every night? The older I get, the more I relate—and actively want to relate—to the sentiment expressed here. Come on sugar, come on darling—let’s grow old together.
