Groovin' (The Young Rascals album)


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.

History

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.
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.

Cover design

The front cover design was conceived 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" or "A Girl Like You" as both tracks climbed into the Top 10.

Reception

Writing for Allmusic, critic Bruce Eder wrote the album moved into the psychedelic genre while retaining a "soulful core". He called the album "their best of their entire history... but "Groovin'" was only one small strong point on the album of the same name."

Track listing

All songs written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati, except where otherwise indicated.

Side One

  1. "A Girl Like You" – 2:51 - Lead Vocals: Felix
  2. "Find Somebody" – 3:48 - Lead Vocals: Eddie
  3. "I'm So Happy Now" – 2:50 - Lead Vocals: Gene
  4. "Sueño" – 2:48 - Lead Vocals: Felix
  5. "How Can I Be Sure" – 2:56 - Lead Vocals: Eddie

    Side Two

  6. "Groovin'" – 2:33 - Lead Vocals: Felix
  7. "If You Knew" – 3:04 - Lead Vocals: Eddie & Felix
  8. "I Don't Love You Anymore" – 3:09 - Lead Vocals: Gene
  9. "You Better Run" – 2:28 - Lead Vocals: Felix
  10. "A Place in the Sun" – 4:52 - Lead Vocals: Eddie
  11. "It's Love" – 3:15 - Lead Vocals - Felix

    Certifications

US-Gold.

Personnel

The Rascals
Additional musicians