Synopsis

Asia perform "Only Time Will Tell" from within a surreal wall of television screens, each set displaying one of the band members singing or playing. A female gymnast moves in slow motion across the foreground, tumbling over rows of monitors and adding an unexpected human element to the otherwise mechanical imagery. The video uses fragmented screens, repetition, and stark studio staging rather than a conventional storyline, creating an unmistakably early-1980s visual counterpart to the song's polished progressive rock sound.

Factoids & Trivia

• Released in 1982, the video accompanied the second single from Asia's self-titled debut album, following "Heat of the Moment."

• The band members are not shown performing together in a conventional setting. Their appearances are confined to separate television screens, an approach that makes the act feel deliberately mediated and slightly unreal.

• The gymnast's slow-motion tumbling became the video's most conspicuous visual motif. Its connection to the lyrics is not explicit, but the image helped distinguish the clip during the early MTV era.

• The video's split-screen design echoes "Heat of the Moment," giving the two early Asia clips a related visual identity.

• The concept was reportedly chosen for its visual appeal rather than because every image carried a fixed symbolic meaning. The television sets and gymnast were intended to create an intriguing mood that matched the music.

• The song itself was rooted in John Wetton's personal experience of a relationship ending. That background gives the video's detached, fragmented presentation an emotional contrast with the directness of the lyrics.

• Heavy MTV exposure helped turn "Only Time Will Tell" into one of Asia's best-known early videos. The single reached No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.