"Midnight Confessions" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Grass Roots | ||||
from the album Golden Grass | ||||
B-side | "Who Will You Be Tomorrow" | |||
Released | June 1968 [1] | |||
Recorded | 1968 in Los Angeles, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:42 | |||
Label | ABC/Dunhill | |||
Songwriter(s) | Lou Josie | |||
Producer(s) | Steve Barri | |||
The Grass Roots singles chronology | ||||
|
"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.
The Grass Roots version became the band's biggest charting hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching the Top 5 of both the U.S. and Canadian pop singles charts. [3]
The lyrics describe a man who is infatuated with a married woman, knows he can never have her, and is relegated to confessing his love for her audibly, but alone. The original recording of "Midnight Confessions" was a demo by the Evergreen Blues Band, whose manager – Lou Josie – wrote the song. The demo contained a horn section and caught the attention of record producer/engineer Steve Barri, who was looking to produce a song for the Grass Roots that was a "West Coast" version of a Motown-style production. The Grass Roots track was produced/engineered by Steve Barri with the horn section's arrangement by Jimmie Haskell. The instrumentation was recorded by the group of LA studio musicians known as The Wrecking Crew, as were many hits by the Grass Roots. [4] [5] Rob Grill and Warren Entner shared lead vocals, with Grill singing the verses and Entner, the choruses.
Per the Wrecking Crew's Facebook page. [6]
The Grass Roots
Additional musicians
"Midnight Confessions" was released as a single by the ABC/Dunhill record label in late June 1968. [1] It was the Grass Roots' first to feature a horn section and was therefore a departure from the group's previous singles; the band members worried that this would preclude it from becoming a hit. [5] However, it was well received and became their biggest hit in the United States, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 2, 1968, [3] and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, with sales of over one million units, on December 3, 1968. [8] The single also did well in Canada, peaking at #4 on the RPM 100 singles chart. [9]
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.
"Beginnings" is a song written by Robert Lamm for the rock band Chicago Transit Authority and recorded for its debut album Chicago Transit Authority, released in 1969. The song is the band's second single, but failed to chart on its initial release.
"(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII (1974). The first single released from that album, it reached number 9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It also hit number 8 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In Canada, the song peaked at number 5.
"No Tell Lover" is a song written by Lee Loughnane, Danny Seraphine, and Peter Cetera for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Hot Streets (1978), with Cetera and Donnie Dacus singing lead vocals. The second single released from that album, it reached No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 5 on the adult contemporary chart.
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 a song written by Brian Potter and Dennis Lambert which became a top ten hit single in 1971 for Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds.
"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, ranking it as the 18th biggest hit of the year. The song also reached No. 15 Adult Contemporary. 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).
"(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again" is a hit song written by Len Ron Hanks and Zane Grey for R&B/funk band L.T.D. Released from their Something To Love album, it spent two weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart in the fall of 1977. It became a gold record. Jeffrey Osborne is the lead singer.
"Never My Love" is a pop standard written by American siblings Don and Dick Addrisi, and best known from a hit 1967 recording by the Association. The Addrisi Brothers had two Top 40 hits as recording artists, but their biggest success as songwriters was "Never My Love". Recorded by dozens of notable artists in the decades since, in 1999 the music publishing rights organization Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) announced it was the second most-played song on radio and television of the 20th century in the U.S.
"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.
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.
"Temptation Eyes" is a 1970 hit song by The Grass Roots. It was released on their second compilation album, More Golden Grass.
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.
Lovin' Things is the fourth 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.
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.
"Sooner or Later" is a 1971 hit song by The Grass Roots. It was released as a single and put on their third compilation album, Their 16 Greatest Hits. It reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming their third and last top ten hit.
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.
"Midnight Confessions" showed the strong influence of Motown, and the R&B flavor of the song stuck with Barri and the band.