Lovin' Things | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 1969 | |||
Recorded | January 1969 | |||
Studio | United Western, Hollywood, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Label | Dunhill | |||
Producer | Steve Barri | |||
The Grass Roots chronology | ||||
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Singles from Lovin' Things | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Lovin' Things is the fourth studio album by American rock group the Grass Roots. The album was originally released by Dunhill Records in 1969. The album charted at No. 73. It contained only two songs composed by the group. The album was intended to take the group into a soulful direction that was being rewarded by charting singles. The A- and B-side singles released were "Lovin' Things", "The River Is Wide", "(You Gotta) Live for Love" and "Fly Me to Havana". At the end of this run, "I'd Wait a Million Years" was released as an A side and became the group's next charting single, appearing on their next album, Leaving It All Behind . [2]
The songs featured unique horn punctuated touches by arranger Jimmie Haskell. The songs were written by outside composers, with the exception of two from the group songwriting team of Entner and Grill. This was a notable decrease in compositions by group members compared to their previous two studio albums, Let's Live for Today and Feelings , which contained four and seven group member penned tracks, respectively. Dunhill Records executives decided that since "Midnight Confessions" previously performed so well in the charts, they would take the group output in the same direction with the strong use of horns and wind instruments. A new soulful direction first surfaced on this album and continued on their next album, titled Leaving It All Behind. The group continued to move forward with multiple hit records until 1973. This is the last album with guitarist Creed Bratton, who left the group in early 1969. It is also the last album by the group to feature songs written by P.F. Sloan. [2]
The original release of Lovin' Things is on Dunhill ABC as mono or stereo. The front cover designed by Philip Schwartz.
Year | Titles | Peak chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Billboard | U.S. Cash Box | Canada RPM Top Singles | Canada RPM Adult Contemporary | ||
1969 | "Lovin' Things" | 49 | 35 | 24 | – |
"The River Is Wide" | 31 | 16 | – | 17 | |
All songs produced by Steve Barri. [2]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Lovin' Things" | Artie Schroeck, Jet Loring | Grill | 2:40 |
2. | "The River Is Wide" | Gary Knight, Billy Admire | Entner and Grill | 2:30 |
3. | "(You Gotta) Live for Love" | Warren Entner, Rob Grill | Entner | 2:10 |
4. | "City Women" | P.F. Sloan | Grill | 2:54 |
5. | "What Love Is Made Of" | Elaine Simone | Entner | 2:50 |
6. | "Pain" | Bob Mann | Grill | 2:45 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Get So Excited" | Derv Gordon, Eddy Grant | Entner | 2:40 |
2. | "The Days of Pearly Spencer" | David McWilliams | Grill | 2:30 |
3. | "Baby, You Do It So Well" | P.F. Sloan, Steve Barri | Entner | 2:40 |
4. | "I Can't Help But Wonder, Elisabeth" | P.F. Sloan | Grill | 4:05 |
5. | "Fly Me to Havana" | Warren Entner, Rob Grill | Entner | 3:50 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
12. | "Midnight Confessions" | Lou Josie | Grill and Entner | 2:44 |
13. | "Bella Linda" | Mogol, Lucio Battisti, Steve Barri, Barry A. Gross | Grill | 3:07 |
Philip Gary "Flip" Sloan, known professionally as P. F. Sloan, was an American singer and songwriter. During the mid-1960s, he wrote, performed, and produced many Billboard Top 20 hits for artists such as Barry McGuire, the Searchers, Jan and Dean, Herman's Hermits, Johnny Rivers, the Grass Roots, the Turtles, and the Mamas and the Papas.
The Grass Roots are an American rock band that charted frequently between 1965 and 1975. The band was originally the creation of Lou Adler and songwriting duo P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri. In their career, they achieved two gold albums and two gold singles, and charted singles on the Billboard Hot 100 a total of 21 times. Among their charting singles, they achieved Top 10 three times, Top 20 six times and Top 40 14 times. They have sold over 20 million records worldwide.
Creed Bratton is an American actor, singer and musician. A former member of the rock band the Grass Roots, he is best known for playing a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom The Office, which earned him five nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
Erik Michael Coonce was the drummer for American rock band The Grass Roots from 1966 to 1972.
Cameo is the eighth studio album released by singer Dusty Springfield, released in 1973.
Robert Frank Grill was an American musician and songwriter, best known as lead singer and bassist of the rock and roll group The Grass Roots. Though not a founding member, Grill was the longest-serving member of the band prior to his death in 2011.
"Don't Pull Your Love" is the debut single by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds which became a top ten hit single in 1971. The song was written by Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert.
Bubblegum, Lemonade &... Something for Mama is the second solo album released by Cass Elliot under the billing "Mama Cass". It was recorded in 1969 and arranged and produced by Steve Barri. The album was originally released in June 1969, with only 11 tracks. It was released again in November 1969, under a new title and with a different album cover as Make Your Own Kind of Music/It’s Getting Better. "Make Your Own Kind of Music" had just become a hit and was added to the album.
Let's Live for Today is the second studio album by the American rock band the Grass Roots, released in July 1967 by Dunhill Records. A new group was brought in for this album which included Creed Bratton, Rick Coonce, Warren Entner and Rob Grill. It features their first top-ten hit by the same name, "Let's Live for Today". The bulk of the compositions are by group creators Sloan and Barri, but the new group was allowed to compose four songs and was given some input in the studio instrumentation. The other A and B side singles released were "Depressed Feeling", "Things I Should Have Said" b/w "Tip of My Tongue", and "Wake Up, Wake Up" b/w "No Exit". The album charted at No. 75.
"Midnight Confessions" is a song written by Lou T. Josie and originally performed by the Ever-Green Blues. American rock band The Grass Roots later made it famous when they released it as a single in 1968. Though never released on any of the group's studio albums, it was on their first compilation album, Golden Grass, and has since been included on many of their other compilations.
"Let's Live for Today" is a song written by David "Shel" Shapiro and Italian lyricist Mogol, with additional English lyrics provided by Michael Julien. It was first recorded, with Italian lyrics, under the title of "Piangi con me" by the English band the Rokes in 1966. Later, when "Piangi con me" was to be released in the United Kingdom, publisher Dick James Music requested that staff writer Julien compose English lyrics for the song. Julien composed new lyrics, rather than translating from the Italian, and it was his input that transformed "Piangi con me" into "Let's Live for Today".
Warren Entner is an American singer, songwriter, organist and guitarist for the rock and roll band The Grass Roots. He subsequently became a manager for several successful heavy metal/rock groups.
Dennis Provisor is an American musician and songwriter. He recorded on several different labels, including 20th Century Fox and Valiant, under the name of Denny Provisor. He released some soulful singles as a solo artist. He later joined the groups The Hook, Blue Rose, and The Grass Roots. Provisor is a lead singer, keyboard player and songwriter.
Their 16 Greatest Hits is the third compilation album by the American rock band the Grass Roots. It was originally released by Dunhill Records in September 1971 shortly after the success of "Sooner or Later" earlier that year. The album also included many other hit singles that were released from 1966 to 1971. The album was released on both stereo LP & tape as well as in Quadraphonic Sound on both LP & tape. This album was the only Quadraphonic album released by The Grass Roots.
Where Were You When I Needed You is the debut studio album by the American pop band the Grass Roots, released in October 1966 by Dunhill Records. Most of the album is performed by the songwriter/producer duo of P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri. Some of the album features members of a San Francisco band that became the first Grass Roots. The members who recorded are vocalist Willie Fulton and drummer Joel Larson. The A and B side singles released are "Mr. Jones ", "You're a Lonely Girl", "Where Were You When I Needed You", "(These Are) Bad Times", "Only When You're Lonely", "This Is What I Was Made For", Tip of My Tongue" and "Look Out Girl".
More Golden Grass is the second compilation album by the American rock band the Grass Roots, released in September 1970 by Dunhill Records. It includes the No. 15 charting single "Temptation Eyes", the No. 61 charting single "Come On And Say It", and the No. 35 charting single "Baby Hold On". The album charted at No. 152.
Feelings is the third studio album by the American rock band the Grass Roots, released in February 1968 by Dunhill Records. It contained many songs composed by the group's members and studio performances of the musician's instrumentation. The album was intended to take the group into a heavier psychedelic direction with their music. The A- and B-side singles released from the album were "Melody For You" b/w "Hey Friend", "Feelings" b/w "Here's Where You Belong", "Who Will You Be Tomorrow", "Hot Bright Lights", "All Good Things Come to an End" and "You and Love Are the Same". Midway during this run "Midnight Confessions" was released as an A-side and became the group's highest charting single.
Golden Grass is the first greatest hits album by the American rock band the Grass Roots, released in November 1968 by Dunhill Records. The LP's release in the fall of 1968 followed the success of the group's highest-charting single, "Midnight Confessions". It featured a song written by Carole King and Toni Stern titled "Lady Pleasure", which was previously unreleased by the group, as well as a new single, "Bella Linda", which was originally written by the Italian songwriting duo of Lucio Battisti and Mogol. The Grass Roots' version of the song, which was given English lyrics by Barry Gross and Steve Barri, charted at No. 28. Golden Grass is the highest charting Grass Roots album at #25, and was certified gold by the RIAA in 1970.
Leaving It All Behind is the fifth studio album by the American rock band the Grass Roots, released in November 1969 by Dunhill Records. Following the departure of Creed Bratton, who left in April 1969, seasoned musician Dennis Provisor joined the group, solidifying the new direction of the band. Terry Furlong and Brian Naughton became alternating touring guitarists for the group. In a return to grace for the group member composers, it contained six songs written by the group. The album was intended to move the group further in a soulful direction that was being rewarded by more charting singles. The A- and B-side singles released were "I'd Wait a Million Years", "Heaven Knows" b/w "Don't Remind Me", and "Walking Through The Country" b/w "Truck Drivin' Man". At the end of this run "Something's Comin' Over Me" was released as a B-side to "Come On And Say It", a charting single written by the group that appeared on the band's next compilation album, More Golden Grass. The album charted at No. 36, making it the group's highest-charting studio album.
Move Along is the sixth studio album by the American rock group the Grass Roots. The album was released in 1972 and charted at No. 86. It was the last of the group's albums to chart on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. The album marked the departures of longtime drummer Rick Coonce and keyboardist Dennis Provisor from the group, though Provisor still contributed to the album both as a performer (uncredited) and as a composer. The A- and B-side singles released were "Two Divided by Love", "Glory Bound" b/w "Only One", "The Runway" b/w "Move Along", and "Anyway the Wind Blows" b/w "Monday Love". Later, the song "Someone to Love" was released as the B side to the song "Love Is What You Make It", which appeared on the band's following album, Alotta Mileage.