"Grazing in the Grass" | ||||
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Single by Hugh Masekela | ||||
from the album The Promise of a Future | ||||
B-side | "Bajabula Bonke (Healing Song)" | |||
Released | May 1968 | |||
Recorded | March 12, 1968 | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 2:55 | |||
Label | Uni (55066) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Philemon Hou | |||
Producer(s) | Stewart Levine | |||
Hugh Masekela singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Grazing In The Grass" on YouTube |
"Grazing in the Grass" is an instrumental composed by Philemon Hou and first recorded by the South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela. Released in the United States as a single in 1968, it followed United States trumpeter Herb Alpert's vocal performance of "This Guy's in Love with You" to the top spot on the Hot 100 chart, [1] ranking it as the 18th biggest hit of the year. [2] The song also reached No. 15 Adult Contemporary. [3] Masekela included the song in his albums Grazing in the Grass: The Best of Hugh Masekela (2001), Still Grazing (2004), and Live at the Market Theatre (2006).
Masekela's recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018. [4]
A vocal version by The Friends of Distinction, with lyrics by band member Harry Elston, was a US chart hit in 1969. "Grazing in the Grass" has been recorded by many other musicians.
The music was inspired by an earlier novelty recording, "Mr. Bull No. 4", by Freddie Gumbi, [5] which Masekela had heard in Zambia, that started with a cowbell. When Masekela was recording his debut album, the running order was short by three minutes and his record company suggested he add the tune. Philemon Hou, an actor and singer who was present in the studio, came up with a new melody while the backing track was already being recorded. [6] The session was held at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood. [7]
Chart (1968) | Peak position |
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US Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
"Grazing in the Grass" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Friends of Distinction | ||||
from the album Grazin' | ||||
B-side | "I Really Hope You Do" | |||
Released | March 1969 | |||
Recorded | 1969 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:52 | |||
Label | RCA Victor | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | John Florez | |||
The Friends of Distinction singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Grazing in the Grass" on YouTube |
The Friends of Distinction recorded a vocal remake of the tune in 1969 on RCA Victor, which was also a Top Ten pop and R&B hit, reaching No. 3 on the former and #5 on the latter. [9] One of the group's members, Harry Elston, wrote lyrics for their version and sang lead vocals.
The Friends of Distinction performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show on December 27, 1970 [10] and appeared in a cameo section of Season Episode 8 of the adult animated sitcom Family Guy .[ citation needed ] Their version also used in a 2023 TV commercial for Airbnb.[ citation needed ] A cover by Raven is featured in the end credits of the animated film The Lion King 1½ .[ citation needed ]
Chart (1969) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada RPM Top Singles [11] | 5 |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [12] | 3 |
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul/R&B Singles [13] | 5 |
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 [14] | 6 |
Chart (1969) | Rank |
---|---|
Canada [15] | 62 |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [16] | 17 |
U.S. R&B (Billboard) [13] | 42 |
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 [17] | 59 |
Hugh Ramapolo Masekela was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for writing well-known anti-apartheid songs such as "Soweto Blues" and "Bring Him Back Home". He also had a number-one US pop hit in 1968 with his version of "Grazing in the Grass".
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"My Guy" is a 1964 hit single by American singer Mary Wells for the Motown label. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson of The Miracles, the song is a woman's rejection of a sexual advance and affirmation of her fidelity to her boyfriend, who is her ideal and with whom she is happy, despite his ordinary physique and looks.
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The Friends of Distinction were an American vocal group founded by Harry Elston and Floyd Butler, best known for their late 1960s hits, "Grazing in the Grass", "Love or Let Me Be Lonely", and "Going in Circles".
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"Lonely Boy" is an international hit song from 1977, written and recorded by Andrew Gold in 1976 for his album What's Wrong with This Picture? It spent five months on the American charts, peaking at number seven in both Canada and the United States, the latter for three consecutive weeks on June 11, 18 and 25, 1977, and number 11 in the United Kingdom. While "Lonely Boy" would be Gold's biggest U.S. hit, his track "Never Let Her Slip Away" achieved greater success in the U.K.
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"Going in Circles" is a song written by Jerry Peters and Anita Poree, and originally performed by The Friends of Distinction on their 1969 album Grazin', reaching number 15 on the U.S. Hot 100, and number three on the R&B chart. The song has since been covered numerous times by other artists, including Isaac Hayes and Luther Vandross. In addition, the song's co-composer, Jerry Peters released his own version of the tune on his 1972 solo album Blueprint for Discovery. The Friends of Distinction's original version is an R.I.A.A. Certified Million-Seller.
"I'll Be Good to You" is a 1976 hit song by R&B duo the Brothers Johnson. George Johnson, one of the two Johnson brothers in the band, wrote the song after deciding to commit to a relationship with one woman, instead of dating several at a time. While George was recording a demo for the song, family friend Senora Sam came by and added some lyrics. Brothers Johnson producer and mentor Quincy Jones heard the song, liked it, and convinced George to sing lead on the finished track. Released from their debut album, Look Out for #1, it was a top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot Singles Charts, peaking at number three, and a number one song on the Billboard R&B Charts during the summer of 1976. The single was later certified gold by the RIAA.
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