Search - Grass Roots :: Where Were You When I Needed You

Showcases The Folk-Rock Beginnings

06/15/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Note: This is NOT the Rob Grill led Grass Roots who scored big with "Midnight Confessions", "Temptation Eyes", or "I'd Wait a Million Years". This first album with the Grass Roots name mostly features PF Sloan and Steve Barri who produced and wrote the songs and performed them under the Grass Roots name. Not willing to hit the road, Sloan & Barri hired a new band twice, the first being a short lived stint by a group led by Bill Fulton and his version of the 'Roots has a couple of songs here. His vocal version (same track) of "Where Were You When I Needed You" was on the original LP version of this album, however, for the CD release, the original hit single version with Sloane and Barri gets the nod.
Note: The lead vocal was re-recorded yet a 3rd time with Rob Grill and that is the superior version which still has not seen the light of digital day. It's only appearence was on the Golden Grass vinyl collection in 1968.
There are other pleasant folk-rock songs here, especially "Only When You're Lonely",and a nice take on Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man (Mr Jones)", along with a shoulda been hit - "Tip Of My Tongue".
The CD release adds a few extra tracks, including folky covers of "I Am a Rock", "You Baby", and "Eve Of Destruction" that are so so."