On July 22nd, my college buddy (music major too!) and I enjoyed a groovy night of The Happy Together Concert at a fantastic outdoor venue, Humphrey's-By-The-Bay, in San Diego. Back by popular demand, this year's tour featured regulars like Flo & Eddie of The Turtles and The Grass Roots, as well as The Buckinghams, The Association, Mark Lindsay (former lead singer of Paul Revere & The Raiders), and first-timers, The Cowsills. While I've had the opportunity to see The Turtles and The Grass Roots perform together three years ago, it was a real treat hearing these other great artists as well! The backing band was made up of stellar musicians who helped lock in the sound of the original recordings we all know and love. No doubt the crowd at this sold-out event was really diggin' the perfect weather and classic tunes!
Our view from the back of the relatively intimate venue. Loved the location right next to the harbor in Point Loma (photo during The Association's set).
The first act of the evening was The Buckinghams, and not only did they sound great, they looked pretty good too! Featuring original members Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna, I loved hearing all their hits from "Kind of a Drag," "Susan," "Mercy Mercy Mercy," "Don't You Care," and "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)." It was a crack-up when lead singer Carl brought out an old, retro jacket he wore in concerts in the '60s; he claimed he had to buy it back on eBay! Did I mention his voice sounded superb?! Love this Sunshine pop from Chicago! Here's The Buckinghams' #1 hit from 1967, "Kind of a Drag."
On their debut year with The Happy Together Tour, the next act featured the wonderful Cowsill siblings,
Susan, Paul and Bob, whose hits include "The Rain, the Park and the Other Things," "Hair," and "Indian Lakes," to name a few. They even performed "Love American Style," which was the theme they recorded for the 1970s show of the same name. The Cowsills proved they can still harmonize beautifully and were fantastic addition to the Tour. Since the other songs mentioned have already been featured on this blog, here's a classic promo video of The Cowsills' "We Can Fly," a #21 hit in 1967.
Before intermission, we rocked out to Mark Dawson and Dusty Hanvey who have returned to carry on the music of the The Grass Roots. As mentioned in my concert recap from three years ago (here), these guys never disappoint and covered all the great ones including "Let's Live For Today," "Temptation Eyes," "Wait a Million Years," and "Midnight Confessions." I love their moving a cappella tribute to Vietnam vets, particularly to the ones who did not return home. Although it's been featured a few times before on this blog, here's rare footage of The Grass Roots performing their #5 hit "Midnight Confessions" from 1968 (Rob and Warren are enjoying themselves way too much, ha). Love this tune!
Kicking off the second half of the show, The Association continued with the talents of Del Ramos (brother of the late Larry Ramos), Jim Yester, and Jules Alexander (although a 4th member joined them this particular night and I can't remember who! Maybe Russ Giguere? Feel free to chime in if you were there too!). Performing their four big hits like "Windy," "Along Comes Mary," "Cherish," and "Never My Love," the whole crowd was singing along, no matter that the vocal group didn't have the tightest of harmonies as they did in the '60s. It was a lot of fun and the guys looked cute in their matching white suits.
Because you've got to check out this clever and classic opening from this live performance, here's The Association playing "Along Comes Mary" at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
For the next set, you could feel the crowd's love for Mark Lindsay, original lead singer for Paul Revere & The Raiders. While this guy not only sounds pretty good, he had incredible energy and can still kick higher than a Radio City Rockette. This Raider covered the hits like "Kicks," "Hungry," and "Good Thing," as well as "Arizona" from his solo career in the early '70s. I couldn't
help but laugh at the ecstatic audience when he performed "Indian Reservation." I get this was a #1 hit in 1971, but I have never liked that song for some reason. Sorry, guys! Still a well-done performance for a happy crowd. Considering how much these guys were on TV, it's surprisingly hard to find good quality footage, but here's Mark Lindsay performing the #6 US hit "Hungry" with Paul Revere & The Raiders in 1966.
The night concluded with the entertaining Flo & Eddie (Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan) of The Turtles, who are responsible for keeping this Happy Together Tour together each year. After beginning their set by poking fun at the "lousy" music of today (in this case, Flo wearing a snowman suit and lip-syncing a bit to a certain popular Disney song), the guys jumped into their early folk rock hits like "You Baby" and "It Ain't Me Babe," followed by "Elenore" from the late '60s. They also condensed snippets from their solo show including nods to Frank Zappa and Bruce Springsteen (which I likely would have missed if I hadn't seen their show 3 years ago). Of course, this wouldn't be the Happy Together Tour without their quintessential '60s hit of the same name. Finally, the concert was recapped when each group hopped back onstage and performed a quick segment from one of their top songs, concluding with an all-hands "Happy Together" singalong (The Turtles' #1 hit in 1967). Also a great cover version by Johnny Cash, here's The Turtles performing the Bob Dylan-penned "It Ain't Me Babe" on Shindig! in 1965 (#8 in the US).
What a fun night hearing all the classics! Thanks to Humphrey's for hosting these great groups!
And thanks to my buddy, Jenny, for being a good sport as my concert buddy. :)
On a side night, this night holds the record for the most comments about my white go-go boots. I even had someone ask me if these were my original boots that I had kept all these years. Why, yes, thank you. I do look pretty good for 65!
Sorry for the lack of posts around here. Life has been busy and full of fun but has not allowed much time for the blogosphere. I have many posts planned but most them will have to wait until the new year. By the way, if you've been dying to hear some classic Christmas tunes, be sure to check out last year's Christmas posts here.
So today is my daugher's birthday. Three years ago, Zoe arrived one week before Christmas, what a nice present! She is hilarious and loves music, especially the tunes from the 1960s (although this could have something do with the fact her mother usually plays the '60s station in the car!). In honor of her birthday (and while she's napping), I thought I'd post all of her favorite songs. She regularly requests these songs by name. I have no idea what drew her to this particular set of songs, but I think you'll appreciate them, too. (Since most of these tunes have been previously featured at The '60s Beat, I'll try to find different videos for each song).
Whenever Zoe thinks it's "the all-request hour" in the car, she'll first ask to hear "I Love the Flower Girl," also known as "The Rain, The Park, And Other Things" by The Cowsills. This multi-million selling single was #2 hit in 1967 for the popular family group, and it's no wonder why my kiddo loves this happy tune. This playful footage of the Cowsills family riding the miniature train looks like something my daughter would love to do.
Every time Sonny & Cher's signature song plays on the radio, my daughter excitedly shouts, "It's 'I Got You, Babe!'" Written and produced by Sonny Bono, this tune became one of her first favorites nearly a year ago; I guess the repetitive chorus stood out to her. Back in the 1965, looks like the charts would agree with Zoe, as this song reached #1 in the US and UK. This performance of the husband and wife vocal duo comes from The Beat Club, a German music program.
The Turtles' "Happy Together" is a newer favorite for my daughter, and she can actually sing the chorus pretty well, the descending arpeggio and all ("I can't see me..."). I discovered that she liked this song when I noticed her singing it to her stuffed animals one day. Released on Valentine's Day in 1967, this quintessential '60s song was also a #1 hit, staying at the top of the US chart for 3 weeks. Zoe refers to this one as "Happy Dugeder."
Now this next favorite of Zoe's comes as quite a surprise. With a title like "I Love You," you'd expect this Zombies' song to have a cheery tune, however, it is actually in a minor key, giving it a darker sound. Written by bassist Christ White, this British single was released in 1965 but failed to make the US chart, although it was quite popular in the Philippines. Three years later, the Californian group People! scored a big hit with their cover version of "I Love You," making them a one-hit wonder. It was so random hearing my daughter as a young 2-year-old regularly requesting to hear this one!
I recently let Zoe watch a few episode of The Monkees TV show and she was totally into it! Right now, her favorite Monkees' song is "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day," from the group's debut, #1 hit album in 1966. Like another one of their infamous tunes, the chorus in this song includes a few "hey, hey, hey's," which has my daughter laughing every time; she actually thinks the name of this song is "Hey, Hey, Hey." Here's a typical Monkees romp from the first season of the show; Zoe loves it.
Finally, I'll end today's post with a final #1 hit, "Good Lovin'" by The Young Rascals. The backing vocals shouting "good lovin'" are what caught Zoe's attention, and she repeats the lyrics as "due lub!" Released in 1966, this high-energy tune is also great for dancing; what 3-year-old doesn't like dancing, anyway? Here's a great live performance by the blue-eyed soul group on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Sunshine Pop: Part 3
Yes, we're FINALLY getting to our final post for this summer's Sunshine Pop Series. Originally active from 1966 to 1970 (and currently performing on the Happy Together Tour!), The Buckinghams were a Chicago-based Sunshine Pop band with a "brass-rock" approach. With a name inspired by the British Invasion (as well as a nod to the beautiful Buckingham Fountain in their hometown), this popular group first found success with their breakout hit "Kind of a Drag" and continued with several Top-20 hits, including "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" which reached #12 in 1967. With an upbeat sound complete with strings and brass (and wearing awesome Nehru jackets!), here's a great clip of The Buckinghams in 1968. EDITED 9/25/12: Rats, this excellent video performance was removed from YouTube. The only clip available now is just the audio of the studio recording and slide show. :(
With warm harmonies, upbeat choruses, and well-produced songs, The Turtles also crossed-over into the Californian sound of Sunshine Pop. Beginning as folk rock group in mid-'60s Los Angeles, it was their biggest hit, "Happy Together," that brought out the sunnier pop side of The Turtles, and they went on to have several other key singles written by the Bonner & Gordon team, including "She'd Rather Be With Me." Included on the Happy Together album in 1967, this song reached #3 in US in late spring and actually out-charted "Happy Together" overseas, reaching #4 in the UK. Complete with the usual antics of "Flo" (Mark Volman with the glasses), here's a live (vocals only) performance on The Ed Sullivan Show. (And don't forget, there guys are also currently performing on The Happy Together Tour).
Well, you can't get much more sunny sounding than the name of this next group. Also from L.A., The Sunshine Company released their debut album in 1967, and although short-lived, did manage to score three hit singles in the U.S. before disbanding in 1968. Interestingly, they were the first group to record "Up, Up And Away" (although The 5th Dimension made it famous), and bassist Sims and drummer Bregante later backed Loggins & Messina. With a gentle folk rock sound enhanced by strings and woodwinds, "Back on the Street Again" was released in October of 1967 and reached #36. Featuring founding members/vocalists Mary Nance and Maury Manseau, here's the audio of a pleasant, groovy song by The Sunshine Company.
Although this may be too fluffy for some, this next tune is considered a Sunshine Pop classic by the one-hit wonder group The Yellow Balloon. In late 1966, vocal surf pop duo Jan & Dean recorded a new song called "Yellow Balloon" (actually, it was only Dean's vocals as Jan was recovering from a near fatal accident), but when producer Gary Zekley didn't care for the recording, he took the song to another record label and re-recorded the tune with noteworthy studio musicians while handling the lead vocals himself. The single was released under the name The Yellow Balloon in direct competition with the Jan & Dean version, and because many disc jockeys only played The Yellow Balloon recording, this single reached #25 on the charts on May 1967 while Jan & Dean's didn't make the top 100. Since was no actual The Yellow Balloon band, the record label put together a group of musicians (including Don Grady, known for playing Robbie Douglas on the TV series My Three Sons) who recorded their self-titled album. Here's a (lip-synced) performance at the (then) California Angels' Anaheim Stadium, however, I love how "thrilled" the ballplayers look towards the end of the clip when the group sings them a little tribute. (Video since removed from YouTube, so here's the audio).
And finally, we'll conclude this series with a nice one by The Lovin' Spoonful. Although known for their major contributions to the folk rock scene, the band went through some personnel changes in early 1967, which coincidentally led to a more pop-oriented sound. Before lead singer John Sebastian left the group for a solo career the following year, the Spoonful did produce two moderately successful singles in '67, including "She Is Still a Mystery" (#27). With a lush production, warm vocal harmonies, and an upbeat chorus, this Sebastian-penned song definitely fits the Sunshine Pop bill. Actually, every time my husband hears this tune, he asks if it's The Turtles, which actually makes a lot of sense, compositionally speaking (with the exception of Sebastian's distinct voice). Often incorporating an autoharp in their music, the contraption in this song is called a marxophone, which basically is a fretless zither with metal hammers used to strike the strings, creating a mysterious shimmer. From a TV performance with live vocals, here's a pretty, little gem by The Lovin' Spoonful.
Last night, my husband took me to see The Turtles and The Grass Roots perform at the "Live and Up Close" Theater in Sycuan Casino out in El Cajon (East San Diego County) and it was a rockin' good time! It may be the fact that I don't go to concerts enough but I couldn't believe how incredibly loud it was! The Turtles Featuring Flo and Eddie were the headlining act, so The Grass Roots opened the concert (each group played about an hour), and boy did they give us a show! Although original lead singer Rob Grill (pictured playing bass on the left) sadly passed away last year, Mark Dawson did a fantastic job taking over lead vocals and bass duties, and the whole group was solid. As soon as they opened with "I'd Wait a Million Years," the audience moved to the edge of their seats for the rest of the concert (if not jumping up and groovin'), impressed by this wall of sound full of '60s nostalgia. The band covered all of their hits including "Sooner or Later," "Two Divided By Love," "Heaven Knows," "Temptation Eyes," "Where Were You When I Needed You," and "Let's Live for Today," at which point they gave a heartfelt salute and thank-you to our veterans. They also added in a couple of covers that went well with their set, such as "Don't Pull Your Love" (originally by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds) and Edison Lighthouse's "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)." When the band acted like they were finished, I started thinking "Wait, they have to do "Midnight Confessions!" and thankfully, they saved that classic as their encore. Since my pictures from the concert stink, here's a photo of the current Grass Roots members:
And since this wouldn't be The '60s Beat without some music, here are the original Grass Roots performing "Heaven Knows" on the short-lived series "Music Scene" in 1969 (and Rob Grill is looking mighty fine).
Be sure to check out past posts featuring other great tunes by The Grass Roots here.
So over the last five decades, there have been several different personnel lineups for The Turtles, however, original members Howard Kaylan (lead singer) and Mark Volman (backing vocals/funny sideman) have always remained consistent. After The Turtles dissolved in 1970, some serious lawsuits took place with their record label, and for several years, they were prevented from using The Turtles name, as well their real names, in a musical context. Thus, Volman and Kaylan became Flo (aka "Phlorescent Leech") & Eddie. As you may have noticed these guys' antics in videos from the '60s, they are quite a comedic musical duo, and although their voices aren't as top-notch as they used to be, last night's show proved to be an entertaining mix of comedy and music. After an over-the-top orchestral introduction, Flo & Eddie entered the stage wearing Lady Gaga wigs as one of her songs played and was cut short with Kaylan ("Eddie") shouting, "What have they done to our music, man? Real music used to sound like this!" and the group began with their 1967 hit "She'd Rather Be With Me." The set continued with other Turtles hits including "You Baby," "It Ain't Me, Babe" (written by Bob Dylan), "She's My Girl," "You Showed Me," and "Elenore," mixed with lesser known but interesting Flo & Eddie material. The audience may have been expecting more familiar Turtles tunes, but I totally get why they branched out and wanted to show the crowd some of the other things they've done in their career. Actually, the duo has quite a fascinating history, joining Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in 1970, and going on to lend their trademark harmonies in recordings for several other artists including T. Rex ("Get It On [Bang a Gong]"), John Lennon, Alice Cooper, Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran, The Ramones, and many more. These guys have been best friends and musical partners for 50 years, so it only makes sense to showcase their extensive career and not just those five years when The Turtles were at their peak in the '60s. There was always a touching moment when the band sang a tribute for the late Davy Jones of The Monkees who was their dear friend, and they performed the first verse and chorus of "Daydream Believer." Backed by an excellent four-man band, the exciting night ended with their most popular hit "Happy Together" from 1967 (previously featured here). And here are those crazy guys now (and yes, Flo managed to retain that wild 'fro).
And of course, we'll conclude with The Turtles performing their 1968 hit, "Elenore." Written by all the band members at the time, this song was intended to be a parody of their "happy-go-lucky"-type tunes but to their surprise, it reached #6 on the US charts.
If you're interested in hearing these groups, be sure to check out the Happy Together Tour taking place this summer (here's the schedule). The Buckinghams, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, and Micky Dolenz of The Monkees will be joining The Turtles and The Grass Roots, performing all their top hits.
Although Halloween is generally too creepy for me, here's a fun-filled (and I mean full!) post of some innocent, 1960s spookiness.
We're kicking this post off with a Halloween pop favorite, the novelty song "Monster Mash." During the early 1960s, Bobby "Boris" Pickett was an aspiring actor who first gained attention with his Boris Karloff impressions while singing with a band called The Cordials. Composed together with guitarist Leonard Capizzi, Pickett recorded the "Monster Mash" with session musicians credited as "The Crypt-Kickers," and this monster-themed tune reached #1 on the charts in October of 1962, just in time for Halloween. Seeing Pickett's crazy facial expressions are crackup, though you're almost kind of relieved when you finally see him smile at the end (reminds me of the "first Darrin Stephens" from Bewitched in the mid-1960s).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This next creepy tune is brought to you by The Turtles before they scored their best-known hit ("Happy Together") in 1967. Released as a single in May of 1966, "Grim Reaper of Love" barely made the Billboard charts since it was clearly too dark for record-buying public. Written by Turtles lead guitarist Al Nichol and bassist Chuck Portz, it's actually a pretty cool and haunting song with the verses metered in a 5/8 feel (some nerdy musician language for ya).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ And who can forget one of the strangest families on 1960s television? Based on Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons,The Addams Family TV series ran for two seasons from 1964 to 1966 on ABC, and were often compared to their working-class rivals, The Munsters (that TV theme featured during Surf Rock Week). Composed by American TV and film composer Vic Mizzy (who also wrote the theme to Green Acres), this finger-snappin' tune is still remembered generations later.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next up is a "spooky little" cover by "The White Queen of Soul," British singer Dusty Springfield. Originally an instrumental song played a saxophonist, the best-known version of "Spooky" was actually by The Classics IV, whose jazz fusion/pop rendition reached #3 on the charts in 1968. Unfortunately no decent videos of The Classics IV's "Spooky" are currently available, so here's the next best cover by the beautiful and sultry Dusty, probably in the early 1970s since her signature beehive hairdo of the '60s is not included.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One of the most recognizable films in cinema history is Hitchcock's 1960 horror film Psycho, with Bernard Herrmann's musical score adding greatly to the tension and drama. Hitchcock himself stated that "33% of the effect of Psycho was due to the music." The Shower Scene is probably the most famous cue in film music, with the shrill screeching of string instruments. However (no Shower Scene today), this sound clip below is the main title of the soundtrack, an intense yet truly fantastic piece of musical art.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And of course a Halloween post deserves a typical and crazy Monkees romp (a music video precursor), featuring the foursome with classic Hollywood monsters in the episode titled "The Monstrous Monkee Mash." Although the episode first aired in January of 1968, the filming actually started on Halloween of '67. Written together by all four of The Monkees with Diane Hilderbrand, "Goin' Down" shows off Micky Dolenz's impressive (and quick) vocal skills, and was the B-side to "Daydream Believer." Sock it to me! (The individual music video has been removed from YouTube, so here's the whole episode! "Goin' Down" begins around the 20-minute mark).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- First opening in August of 1969 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, the Haunted Mansion is a beloved dark ride with a classically creepy theme song heard in many different variations throughout "the tour." Composed by Buddy Baker with lyrics written by Disney legend "X" Atencio, "Grim Grinning Ghosts" featured a pickup group of vocalists including Thurl Ravencroft (in the clip, the "singing bust" on its side) who is also known for singing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," as well as the voice of Tony the Tiger ("they're ggggreat!"). This particular sound clip comes from the "Graveyard Jamboree" variation where the theme is played the loudest in the ride, with ghosts singing over a background loop including the 1960s-style bass line and rhythm section. In college, I actually based a music composition homework assignment on these chords because I liked the progression so much. ("Graveyard Jamboree" begins around the 10:39 mark).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To end this Spooktacular post, here's my favorite creepy song of the 1960s: "People Are Strange" by The Doors. Written by bandmates Robby Krieger and Jim Morrison, this psychedelic rock song was released as a single in September of 1967, and peaked at #12 on the Billboard charts and #10 on the Cashbox. As a teenager, I heard a cover version of this used for the opening credits of the 1980s vampire film The Lost Boys (with a teenage Keifer Sutherland!), which I think forever etched into my mind the eeriness of this tune. Showcasing The Doors' interest in the theatrical music of European cabaret, this song isn't at all Halloween-related but about alienation and being an outsider, and seems to expose Morrison's vulnerability. On that depressing note, enjoy!
Other 1960s songs that you can include in your Halloween playlist are "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones (already featured here) and The Zombies' very interesting "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" from their Odessey and Oracle LP here.
Happy Fall, everyone!
Well, you can't get much more American than Paul Revere & the Raiders, a rock band that formed in 1960 from Boise, Idaho. With Paul Revere as the rockin' keyboardist and Mark Lindsey singing lead vocals, these guys first started out playing garage rock at teen dances. Under the guidance of producer Terry Melcher, the guys relocated to L.A. in 1965 and began recording music that mixed the sounds of the British Invasion bands with an American, R&B feel. Gaining considerable mainstream success through national TV appearances as regulars on Dick Clark'sWhere the Action Is, they were presented as America's response to the British Invasion wearing American Revolutionary War uniforms, however, fellow West Coast bands and the counterculture youth were not fans. Released in March 1966, one of their biggest hits was "Kicks," an anti-drug song by songwriting team Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, originally written for The Animals (who turned it down). Reaching the #4 position on the charts, this garage rock tune is now among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Apologies for the watermark but I loved the color footage.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Turtles first began as a surf-rock group in Westchester, California (west L.A.), formed by Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman in 1965, however, following a popular musical trend at time, they re-branded themselves as a folk rock group. Like The Byrds, The Turtles achieved breakthrough success with a Bob Dylan cover ("It Ain't Me Babe") in late '65, but it wasn't until 1967 that the group gained the most chart success. Released in February '67, "Happy Together" knocked The Beatles' "Penny Lane" out of the #1 position on the charts, and has since become the group's signature song. This tune had actually been rejected a dozen times before it was offered to The Turtles, and with their bassist Chip Douglas providing the arrangement (who soon after became the producer for The Monkees), this folk rock/psychedelic rock/pop rock song has been used in many films, TV shows, and commercials. With over five million plays on American radio, it ranks as one of the most performed songs in the US of the 20th century, placing it in the same league as The Beatles' "Yesterday" and Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson." This will always be one of my favorites (though some of the non-Turtle clips in this video were definitely added in 1980s, probably re-edited for playtime during MTV's early years).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From Niles, Michigan, the rock band Tommy James & the Shondells formed in 1959 when lead singer/guitarist Tommy James was just 12 years old (first known as Tom & the Tornadoes). Officially changing to the Shondells in 1964, the group had a big local hit with "Hanky Panky," but after they did not break into the national market, they disbanded after high school graduation. When a Pittsburgh radio station unearthed the forgotten single, Tommy James reformed with a new group of Shondells and went on to have many successful hits, ranging from garage rock, psychedelic rock, and bubblegum (which he hated). Released in February of 1968, "Mony Mony" reached #3 on the US charts and went to #1 in the UK, their only song to even reach the Top-20 across the Atlantic. The song's title was inspired by a sign for Mutual of New York just outside James' apartment window in NYC. Later embracing the sounds of psychedelia (like "Crimsom and Clover"), the group was even invited to perform at the Woodstock concert, but they declined. Here's another rockin' song by Tommy James & the Shondells.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From Garfield, New Jersey, The Young Rascals were a blue-eyed soul/pop rock band that released numerous Top-10 singles in their career from 1965 through 1972. They first gained modest success after they performed their debut single ("I Ain't Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore") on the TV program Hullabaloo in 1965, but it wasn't until they released "Good Lovin'" in February of '66 that they really made a name for themselves. Becoming the first of three #1 hits for The Young Rascals, this mixture of garage rock and white soul, as well as their variety of hits to come, had a big impact on aspiring R&B-flavored, white acts. With its high-energy instrumentation, call-and-response vocals from lead singer/organist Felix Cavaliere and the band, and a complete false ending (popular at the time), "Good Lovin'" has since become labeled as one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll and is among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Oh and if you ever notice another group from the 1960s simply called The Rascals, they're the same guys; the band dropped the "Young" part of their name in early 1968. Another great live performance from the Ed Sullivan Show!
