\time command

[Jérôme Plût]

% -- first file
\score { \time 4/4 c1 }

error: syntax error, unexpected NOTENAME_PITCH

% -- second file
\score \relative c' { \time 4/4 c1 }

error: syntax error, unexpected MUSIC_FUNCTION, expecting '{'

Why does this not compile? The manual has no indication on where the
\time command is accepted, and plainly says that \score, as a
top-level command, is allowed. This is Lilypond 2.18.2, which I know
is not bleeding-edge new (but this is what Debian stable has, and this
not likely to depend much on Lilypond version).