Groovin by The Young Rascals

About

After achieving their first #1 single with their version of The Olympics' “Good Lovin'”, The Young Rascals, inspired by the success of The Beatles, endeavored to write their own songs. After a few attempts to a rather lackluster commercial reception, Felix Cavaliere fell in love with his muse – Adrienne Buccheri. Adrienne was his first serious girlfriend, and the music he wrote during their short relationship betrays a serious artistic confidence and a true stylistic growth for the band. And it’s here, on “Groovin'”, that The Rascals begin to wear their influences (specifically Latin music and R&B) proudly, on their sleeves. “Groovin'” was the second single released in advance of their 1967 album of the same name. It was a great success for the band, topping the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of May 20, 1967. The heavy soul influence in the song helped it gain a large fanbase among black listeners as well, and the song actually peaked at #3 on Billboard’s Hot R&B chart. By June, the RIAA had certified it as a gold record. It was also one of only two Rascals singles to chart in the UK (peaking at #8). A promotional video was filmed in Central Park, and Atlantic even commissioned Italian, French and Spanish-language versions of the single in July. In 1999, “Groovin'” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It was also named as one of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock ‘n’ Roll.