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Grazin’ is the debut studio album by music group The Friends of Distinction, released in 1969 on RCA Victor.
Jessica Cleaves, Barbara Love, Harry Elston, and Floyd Butler were the Friends of Distinction, Southern California natives who sought to imitate the 5th Dimension’s success.
They shared similar lineups — two women, two guys, each dressed differently with no overt attempts to coordinate. “Grazing in the Grass” made them known across America; lyrics were added to Hugh Masekela’s clanging, cowbell-driven African tune, and it sold in droves, as radio stations played it, people liked it, and even jazz aficionados dug it.
“Going in Circles” duplicated “Grazing”‘s success and has been redone by R&B greats; the falsetto lead on the fade should be time-capsuled. Regardless of which female leads “I Really Hope You Do,” the sweet, husky soprano will likely never fail to jump-start listeners’ hearts; RCA mistakenly relegated it to B-side status.
They take Eddie Floyd’s “I Ain’t Never Found a Girl” out of the country and into the city. Lennon and McCartney’s “And I Love Him” is given a soulful, erotic reading by one of the Friends of Distinction women. Roy Porter’s somber “Lonesome Mood” shows a desire to do jazzier selections.
The album peaked at No. 10 on the R&B albums chart. It also reached No. 35 on the Billboard 200. The album features the single, “Grazing in the Grass“, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. A second single, “Going in Circles” also charted at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.
Side one
- Grazing in the Grass
[Philemon Hou, Harry Elston]– 2:58 - I’ve Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)
[Booker T. Jones, Eddie Floyd, Alvertis Isbell]– 3:34 - I Really Hope You Do
[Anita Poree, Jerry Peters]– 4:00 - (A) Sweet Young Thing Like You
[Big Dee Irwin]– 3:08 - Going in Circles
[Anita Poree, Jerry Peters]– 4:28
Side two
- Eli’s Comin
[Laura Nyro]– 4:19 - Help Yourself (To All of My Lovin’)
[Scott English, Mark Barkan, Jerry Ross]– 2:07 - Baby I Could Be So Good at Loving You
[Buzz Clifford]– 3:09 - And I Love Him
[John Lennon, Paul McCartney]– 4:17 - Peaceful
[Kenny Rankin]– 3:32 - Lonesome Mood
[Roy Porter]– 4:48
Companies, etc.
- Record Company – Radio Corporation Of America
- Copyright © – RCA Records
- Recorded At – RCA’s Music Center Of The World
- Pressed By – RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis
Credits
- Arranged By [Vocals] – Clarence McDonald
- Arranged By, Conductor – Ray Cork, Jr.
- Cello – Douglas Davis
- Congas – King Errisson
- Design [Album] – Apple Graphics
- Drums, Percussion – Jim Gordon
- Electric Bass – Max Bennett
- Engineer [Recording] – Hank McGill
- Engineer [Remastering] – Grover Helsley, Hank McGill
- Flute, Clarinet – Plas Johnson
- Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Piccolo Flute – Gene Cipriano
- Flute, Piccolo Flute – William Green
- Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Jim Horn
- French Horn – David Duke
- Guitar – Al Casey, Arthur Wright
- Harp – Catherine Gotthoffer
- Liner Notes – Jim Brown
- Percussion – Gary Coleman, Jack Arnold
- Performer [The Friends Of Distinction] – Barbara Love, Floyd Butler, Harry Elston, Jessica Cleaves
- Producer – John Florez
- Technician – Dennis Smith
- Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Brad Bauder
- Trombone – Dick Leith
- Trumpet – Bud Brisbois
- Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bill Peterson, Buddy Childers, Dalton Smith, John Audino
- Viola – Garry Nuttycombe
- Violin – Harry Bluestone, Jimmy Getzoff, Paul Shure
Notes
Released: 1969
Recorded at: in RCA’s Music Center of the World, Hollywood, California
Genre: Soul, psychedelic soul
Length: 39:26
Producer: John Florez
Label – RCA Victor Records
Record-facts... 