The Young Rascals - Groovin' (Classic Album US 1967)

Size: 135 MB
Bitrate: 256
mp3
Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
Artwork Included
Source: Japan 24-Bit Remaster

Groovin' is the third album by rock band The Young Rascals. The album was released on July 31, 1967 and rose to #5 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and number 7 on the R&B chart. Eight of the songs were released on singles with the title track reaching number 1 on the Pop chart in the U.S.

This was the last album on which the band was billed as "The Young Rascals"; their next album, Once Upon a Dream, would be credited to simply "The Rascals". The album began the Rascals' first forays into the psychedelic genre that they would explore further on Once Upon a Dream.

Eight of Groovin's eleven songs were issued by Atlantic Records as single A- or B-sides. The three songs specific to the album are "Find Somebody", "I Don't Love You Anymore", and the Rascals' cover of "A Place in the Sun". "If You Knew", upon its initial release as the "B" side of the single "(I've Been) Lonely Too Long", was jointly credited to all the Rascals' members; the writing credit was changed upon the album's release. Atlantic Records was at first reluctant to release the title song as a single, but its popularity was such that Italian and Spanish versions were released on different sides of a subsequent single.

Click on picture for bigger size

Flutist Hubert Laws is featured in a sessions role on the album's final track, "It's Love".

Booker T. & the MG's took a cover of "Groovin'" to the charts later in 1967 and the song "You Better Run" was later covered by Pat Benatar and was a hit for her in 1980.

The front cover design was conceived (but not illustrated) by the Young Rascals' drummer Dino Danelli. Affixed to the front cover was one of two stickers indicating: "THIS LP HAS THE BIG HIT", followed by either "How Can I Be Sure" (as shown in the cover photo on the right) or "A Girl Like You" as both tracks climbed into the Top 10.

"Groovin' Track"
"Groovin'" is a single released in 1967 by The Young Rascals that became a number-one hit and one of the group's signature songs.

Written by group members Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati and with a lead vocal from Cavaliere, it is indeed a slow, relaxed groove, based on Cavaliere's newfound interest in Afro-Cuban music. Instrumentation included a conga, harmonica, and an effective, Cuban-based bass guitar line from ace session musician Chuck Rainey. The result was fairly different from the Rascals' white soul origins, enough so that Atlantic Records head Jerry Wexler did not want to release "Groovin'". Cavaliere credits disc jockey Murray the K with intervening to encourage Atlantic to release the song. “To tell you the truth, they didn’t originally like the record because it had no drum on it,” admits Cavaliere. “We had just cut it, and he came in the studio to say hello. After he heard the song, he said, ‘Man, this is a smash.’ So, when he (later) heard that Atlantic didn’t want to put it out, he went to see (Atlantic executive) Jerry Wexler and said, ‘Are you crazy? This is a friggin’ #1 record.’ He was right, because it eventually became #1 for four straight weeks.”

Lyrically, "Groovin'" is themed around a highly romantic portrayal of a couple in love:
               Life would be ecstasy, you and me endlessly ... 
               Groovin' ... on a Sunday afternoon 
               Really couldn't get away too soon —

The single became an instant hit in May 1967, bounding up the charts and then spending four weeks atop the Billboard pop singles chart. It was RIAA-certified a gold record on June 13, 1967. Showing it (and the group's) crossover appeal, it also reached number 3 on the Billboard Black Songs chart chart.[2] "Groovin" was soon recorded by the likes of Booker T. & the M.G.'s (1967), Petula Clark (1967), Gladys Knight & the Pips (1968), Bernard Purdie (1968), Willie Mitchell (1969), Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs (1967), and Marvin Gaye (1969). Finally, "Groovin'" was the only real hit the group ever had in the United Kingdom, reaching number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.

UK Single 1967

Raymond Lefevre conducted an instrumental cover that became the theme song for WGN-TV's Sunday Matinee.

Aretha Franklin recorded the song for her album Lady Soul (1968), and included a live recording on the album Aretha in Paris (1968).

"Groovin'" was subsequently included on The Young Rascals' late July 1967 album Groovin', but with a different harmonica riff.

"Groovin'" is one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, and is also the recipient of a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.

Co-writer Eddie Brigati and his brother David, as the group Brigati, recorded a dance version of "Groovin'" for their 1976 album Lost in the Wilderness after Eddie left the Rascals.

Funk band War recorded a version in 1984, reaching #43 in the UK chart.

Two decades later, "Groovin'" was recorded by Pato Banton and it became a top 20 hit in the UK for him in 1996 and in the end credits of the 1996 Shaquille O'Neal film, Kazaam. In 1997, the song was used in a Doritos commercial featuring then-New York Jets head coach Bill Parcells.

The Rascals move into the era of psychedelia with a vengeance on this album -- their best of their entire history -- which also retains a soulful core and adds a bit of a Latin beat. The original album on Atlantic was a monster seller thanks to the title track, practically the group's signature tune (number one on the pop charts, number three on R&B), but "Groovin'" was only one small strong point on the album of the same name. "Find Somebody" marked a return to the group's garage band sound with a psychedelic twist, including phased fuzztone guitars and some catchy lyrics and choruses. "How Can I Be Sure" is the second-best-known song off of this album, but it has a fully successful companion piece, "I'm So Happy Now," which applies similar instrumentation to very different (but pleasing) effect. 

US Single 1967

Gene Cornish's "I Don't Love You Anymore" could be the finest pop song in the band's repertory apart from "How Can I Be Sure," with a delectable guitar part, scrumptious melody, and delicious chorus. "You Better Run" was more than a year old when it turned up on this album, and its garage band sensibilities are a bit more primitive than those of "Find Somebody," but it's a great piece of rock & roll. The band turns in one superb Motown cover, "A Place in the Sun," done in a surprisingly subdued fashion. And for a finale, Cavaliere and Brigati turn in an exultant period piece, "It's Love," whose soaring lyrics are matched by guest artist Hubert Laws' flute -- alas, his presence would point the way toward less effective, more disjointed work in the group's future, as they moved more deeply into psychedelia.

The Young Rascals History:
The Rascals (initially known as The Young Rascals) were an American blue-eyed soul group[1] initially active during the years 1965–72. The band released numerous top ten singles in North America during the mid- and late-1960s, including the #1 hits "Good Lovin'" (1966), "Groovin'" (1967), and "People Got to Be Free" (1968), as well as "A Beautiful Morning" (#3 1968) 

Billy (Amato) Smith was the founder manager at the formation of the group then called "Them". The name "The Rascals" came about after meeting TV personality Soupy Sales though Billy (Amato) Smith. Soupy Sales hired the group as his back-up band on his college tours early 1965 just before playing the summer of 1965at The Barge, a disco club on Dune Road in Westhampton, Long Island, New York — all under the direction of Billy (Amato) Smith. Smith introduced manager Sid Bernstein to the Rascals along with longtime friend of Sid Bernstein, Walter Hyman at The Barge.

US Single 1967

Eddie Brigati (vocals), Felix Cavaliere (keyboard, vocals), Gene Cornish (guitar) and Dino Danelli (drums) started the band in Brigati and Danelli's hometown of Garfield, New Jersey. Brigati, Cavaliere and Cornish had previously been members of Joey Dee and the Starliters.[3] Eddie's brother, David Brigati, an original Starliter, helped arrange the vocal harmonies and sang backgrounds on many of the group's recordings (informally earning the designation as the "fifth Rascal"). When Atlantic Records signed them, they discovered that another group, Borrah Minnevitch's and Johnny Puleo's 'Harmonica Rascals', objected to their release of records under the name 'The Young Rascals'. To avoid conflict, manager Sid Bernstein decided to rename the group 'The Young Rascals'.

The Young Rascals' first television performance was on the program Hullabaloo on February 27, 1965, where they performed their debut single, "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore". The track reached #23 in Canada, and touched the lower reaches of the U.S. charts as well. This modest success was followed by the U.S./Canada #1 single "Good Lovin'" (1966, originally recorded by The Olympics in 1965).

The band's songwriting team of Eddie Brigati and Cavaliere then began providing most of their songs, and the hits kept coming for the next two years. Their immediate followups to "Good Lovin'", including "You Better Run" (1966; covered in 1980 by Pat Benatar) and "Come On Up" were only modest hits. "(I've Been) Lonely Too Long" (1967) did better, and "Groovin'"[1] (#1 US/Canada, 1967) returned them to the top of the charts. They reeled off a succession of top 20 U.S. hits, including "A Girl Like You" (1967), "How Can I Be Sure?" (1967), "It's Wonderful" (1968), and "A Beautiful Morning" (1968). The band was exceptionally popular in Canada, where "A Girl Like You", "How Can I Be Sure?", and "A Beautiful Morning" all reached #1. However they struggled in the UK, where they only twice reached the top 75 — with "Groovin'" (#8) and "A Girl Like You" (#35). The band would bill themselves as the Young Rascals for the last time with the single release of "It's Wonderful"; they would be known thenceforwards as simply The Rascals.

US Single 1967

Bruce Eder, writing for Allmusic, rates the band's 1967 album Groovin' as their best, noting the record's soulful core and innovative use of jazz and Latin instrumental arrangements. It also boasted the monster hit of the same name. However, 1968's Once Upon A Dream was the first Rascals album designed from conception as an album, rather than as a vehicle to package their singles (eight of Groovin''s eleven songs had been released as single A- or B-sides, most in advance of the album). Once Upon a Dream, which peaked at #9 on the album charts, contained the single "It's Wonderful" plus many other strong songs, including "Easy Rollin'," "Rainy Day," "My World," and the title track. Perhaps understandably, the album's song "My Hawaii" became a top of the charts hit in Hawaii.

Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits, released in mid-1968, topped the U.S. album chart and became the group's best-selling album. The same year, "People Got to Be Free", a horn-punctuated plea for racial tolerance (the band was known for refusing to tour on segregated bills) in the wake of the assassinations that year of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., became their third and final U.S. #1 single, and their sixth and final Canadian #1. It was also their final U.S. Top Ten hit, although they remained a Canadian top 10 act for the next few years.

"A Ray of Hope", "Heaven", "See", and "Carry Me Back" were all modest U.S. hits for the band during late 1968 and 1969; all entered the top 40, but none higher than #24. In Canada, however, the Rascals were still major stars; all these songs went top ten, completing a run of 11 straight Canadian top ten hits for The Rascals from 1967 to 1969. December 1969's "Hold On" broke the run of top 40 US singles for the Rascals, stalling at #51, as well as the run of Canadian top tens, peaking at #22.

During their period of greatest celebrity, the band's influence on aspiring R & B-flavored white acts was without equal, especially in the northeastern U.S. Notable bands that incorporated (sometimes to the point of parody) the Rascals' full-on stage demeanor and energy as well as the intense, hyper-dramatic vocalizing, drumstick-spinning gyrations and heavy bottom-end rhythm also achieved some prominence: the Vagrants (featuring Leslie West, later of Mountain), the Rich Kids, and the epitome of over-the-top funky psychedelia, the Vanilla Fudge, all owed their styles to the Rascals' synthesis of show-biz and soul.

Fillmore Auditorium - August, 19 & 20 1966

Brigati left the group in 1970, followed by Cornish in 1971. Their last Rascals album was Search and Nearness (#198 U.S.), which featured Brigati's lead vocals on the Cornish-penned "You Don't Know" and a cover of The Box Tops' hit "The Letter", and drummer Danelli's composition "Fortunes". The only single release from the album was the spiritually themed "Glory, Glory" (#58 U.S., #40 Canada), with backing vocals by The Sweet Inspirations. Search and Nearness would be the Rascals' last album for Atlantic Records, with Cavaliere and Danelli taking the band to Columbia Records in mid-1971.

Cavaliere shifted towards more jazz- and gospel-influenced writing for the Rascals' next two albums, Peaceful World (U.S. #122) and The Island Of Real (U.S. #180), using Robert Popwell and Buzzy Feiten on bass and guitar respectively, and new singers Annie Sutton and Molly Holt. These albums didn't sell as well as their earlier work, with none of their associated singles reaching higher than #95 on the U.S. chart. Towards the end of 1970 Danny Weis (previously with Rhinoceros and Iron Butterfly) then joined as a replacement for Feiten on guitar and Feiten then again replaced Weis before the group disbanded.

Post break-up:
Cavaliere released several solo albums during the 1970s. Brigati, with his brother David, released Lost in the Wilderness in 1976. Cornish and Danelli worked together in Bulldog, who released two albums — one for MCA Records in 1973, the second for Buddah in '74 — and Fotomaker, who issued three albums on Atlantic in 1978-79. In 1982, Danelli joined Steve Van Zandt in Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul for the group's first two albums.

After appearing at Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary Celebration on May 14, 1988, the Rascals reunited (with Cavaliere, Cornish, and Danelli) for a brief reunion tour in 1988; Eddie Brigati opted not to participate. The reunion group featured an expanded lineup that included Mel Owens (in Brigati's place) on vocals and percussion, Steve Mackey on bass, Ed Mattey on guitar, Dena Iverson on backup vocals and a horn section from Nashville to beef up the sound. The reunion did not last beyond the end of the year.

After that, Cavaliere returned to his solo career and in the 1990s there were two factions touring: The New Rascals (featuring Cornish and Danelli) and Cavaliere, who sometimes called his grouping Felix Cavaliere's Rascals. The New Rascals lasted only a short time but toured again in 2006 with two new members, Bill Pascali (formerly of Vanilla Fudge) on vocals and keyboards and Charlie Souza on bass and vocals. The New Rascals released a concert DVD, shot at club Centro in New Jersey on Route 35.

In early 2009, Eddie Brigati went on to put together a project of young musicians who played all the classics. Eddie performed with the group along with his brother David. Called The Boys From The Music House, the band consisted of 4 talented young boys from New Jersey. Anthony Duke Claus, a cousin of Eddie's, sang lead vocals and tambourine, Joseph Pomarico played lead guitar, sang background vocals, and even the harmonica, Adam Sullivan played the piano and the classic organ along with some background vocals, and Matt Gazzano played the drums.

In April 2010, all four members of The Rascals reunited for the Kristen Ann Carr benefit, which was held at New York's Tribeca Grill; Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Van Zandt joined the band for a closing "Good Lovin'".

2012 Reunion:
In September the group announced that The Rascals' original lineup of Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish, Eddie Brigati and Dino Danelli would reunite for their first public performances in over 40 years with "Once Upon A Dream," a combination concert/theatrical event produced and directed by Steven Van Zandt and lighting/projection wizard Marc Brickman.In addition to the concert experience, the history of The Rascals, and the history of the ‘60’s through their music, will be dramaticized by a combination of narration, filmed scenes of actors acting out key moments in the band's history, news footage, and archival footage of the band. The shows debuted at the The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, December 13th, 14th, and 15th of 2012. Three more dates were added at The Capitol Theatre on December 20th, 21st, and the 22nd of 2012.

The Rascals on this album is:
* The RascalsFelix Cavaliere – vocals, keyboards, organ 
* Eddie Brigati – vocals, percussion 
* Gene Cornish – vocals, guitar, bass, harmonica 
* Dino Danelli – drums 

Additional musicians
* David Brigati – vocals 
* Hubert Laws – flute 

(((Stereo Version)))
01."A Girl Like You" – 2:51 - Lead Vocals: Felix 
02."Find Somebody" – 3:48 - Lead Vocals: Eddie 
03."I'm So Happy Now" (Gene Cornish) – 2:50 - Lead Vocals: Gene 
04."Sueño" – 2:48 (Ron Sasiak)- Lead Vocals: Felix 
05."How Can I Be Sure" – 2:56 - Lead Vocals: Eddie 
06."Groovin'" – 2:33 - Lead Vocals: Felix 
07."If You Knew" – 3:04 - Lead Vocals: Eddie & Felix 
08."I Don't Love You Anymore" (Cornish) – 3:09 - Lead Vocals: Gene 
09."You Better Run" – 2:28 - Lead Vocals: Felix 
10."A Place in the Sun" (Ronald Miller, Brian Wells) – 4:52 - Lead Vocals: Eddie 
11."It's Love" – 3:15 - Lead Vocals - Felix 

(((Mono Version)))
12."A Girl Like You" – 2:51 - Lead Vocals: Felix 
13."Find Somebody" – 3:48 - Lead Vocals: Eddie 
14."I'm So Happy Now" (Gene Cornish) – 2:50 - Lead Vocals: Gene 
15."Sueño" – 2:48 (Ron Sasiak)- Lead Vocals: Felix 
16."How Can I Be Sure" – 2:56 - Lead Vocals: Eddie 
17."Groovin'" – 2:33 - Lead Vocals: Felix 
18."If You Knew" – 3:04 - Lead Vocals: Eddie & Felix 
19."I Don't Love You Anymore" (Cornish) – 3:09 - Lead Vocals: Gene 
20."You Better Run" – 2:28 - Lead Vocals: Felix 
21."A Place in the Sun" (Ronald Miller, Brian Wells) – 4:52 - Lead Vocals: Eddie 
22."It's Love" – 3:15 - Lead Vocals - Felix 

1. Link
or
2. Link
.