Let's Live for Today (song)
Encyclopedia
"Let's Live for Today" is a song written by David Shapiro, Ivan Mogull, and Michael Julian, and initially recorded by the English band the Rokes in 1966. The song was later popularized by the American rock
band
The Grass Roots
, who released it as a single
on May 13, 1967. The Grass Roots' version climbed to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100
singles chart, eventually selling over two million copies and being awarded a gold disc
. The song was also included, as the title track, on The Grass Roots' second album
, Let's Live for Today
. Since its initial release, The Grass Roots' rendition of the song has become a staple of Oldies radio programming
in America and is today widely regarded as a 1960s classic.
) in 1966, with Italian lyrics
and the Italian title of "Piangi Con Me" (translated as "Cry with Me"). At the time, Shapiro was a member of the Rokes, an English beat group
who had relocated to Italy in 1963 and had signed a recording contract
with RCA Italiana the following year. During the mid-1960s, the Rokes became a popular band on the Italian charts, achieving a number of Top 20 hits
with Italian-language covers
of popular British and American songs. By 1966, however, the band had begun to write their own material, including "Piangi Con Me", which quickly became their biggest hit to date in Italy.
Following its success on the Italian charts, plans were made to release "Piangi Con Me" in the United Kingdom and as a result, the song was translated into English and given the new title of "Passing Thru Grey". However, the song's publisher in Britain, Dick James Music
, was unhappy with the lyrics of "Passing Thru Grey" and decided that they should be changed. Michael Julian, a member of the publisher's writing staff, was assigned the task of composing new words for the song and it was his input that transformed it into "Let's Live for Today". Before the Rokes could release the song in the UK, however, another British group named The Living Daylights released a version of it. Ultimately, neither The Living Daylights nor the Rokes would reach the charts with their recording of the song.
In the United States, the Rokes version of "Let's Live for Today" found its way to the head of Dunhill Records
, who felt that the song would make a suitable single release for The Grass Roots. The composer
/producer
team of P. F. Sloan
and Steve Barri
, who managed The Grass Roots' recordings, were also enthusiastic about the song, with Sloan being particularly enamored with the similarities that the song's chorus
had to The Drifters
' "I Count the Tears". "Let's Live for Today" was duly recorded by The Grass Roots, with the help of a number of studio musicians
, including Sloan on lead guitar
, and was released as a single in May 1967. The lead vocal
on The Grass Roots' recording was sung by the band's bassist
Rob Grill
and the distinctive "1-2-3-4" count-in before the chorus
was sung by guitarist
Warren Entner
.
The song quickly became popular with the record buying public, selling over two million copies in the U.S. and finally peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 during June 1967. As well as being popular with domestic American audiences, "Let's Live for Today" also found favor with young American men serving overseas in the Vietnam War
, as Bruce Eder of the Allmusic website has noted: "Where the single really struck a resonant chord was among men serving in Vietnam; the song's serious emotional content seemed to overlay perfectly with the sense of uncertainty afflicting most of those in combat; parts of the lyric could have echoed sentiments in any number of letters home, words said on last dates, and thoughts directed to deeply missed wives and girlfriends." Eder also described "Let's Live for Today" by The Grass Roots as "one of the most powerful songs and records to come out of the 1960s."
In addition to its appearance on The Grass Roots' Let's Live for Today
album, the song also appears on several of the band's compilations
, including Golden Grass, Their 16 Greatest Hits, Anthology: 1965–1975, and All Time Greatest Hits. Along with the Rokes, The Living Daylights, and The Grass Roots, the song has also been recorded by a number of other bands, including Tempest
, The Lords of the New Church
, The Slickee Boys
, The dB's
, and Dreamhouse
. The Grass Roots' recording of the song appears in the 1997 film Wild America
and on the accompanying soundtrack album
.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
The Grass Roots
The Grass Roots
The Grass Roots is an American rock band that charted between 1966 and 1975 as the brainchild of songwriting duo P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri.In their career, The Grass Roots achieved two gold albums, one gold single and charted singles a total of 21 times. Among their charting singles, they...
, who released it as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on May 13, 1967. The Grass Roots' version climbed to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
singles chart, eventually selling over two million copies and being awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. The song was also included, as the title track, on The Grass Roots' second album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Let's Live for Today
Let's Live for Today
Let's Live for Today is the second studio album by The Grass Roots. Released in 1967, it features their first top-ten hit by the same name, "Let's Live for Today".-Track listing:All songs written by P.F...
. Since its initial release, The Grass Roots' rendition of the song has become a staple of Oldies radio programming
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
in America and is today widely regarded as a 1960s classic.
History
The song that would become "Let's Live for Today" was originally written by David Shapiro and Ivan Mogull (MogolMogol (lyricist)
Giulio Rapetti , in art Mogol, is an Italian music lyricist. He is best known for his collaborations with Lucio Battisti.-Career:...
) in 1966, with Italian lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
and the Italian title of "Piangi Con Me" (translated as "Cry with Me"). At the time, Shapiro was a member of the Rokes, an English beat group
Beat music
Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a pop and rock music genre that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1960s. Beat music is a fusion of rock and roll, doo wop, skiffle, R&B and soul...
who had relocated to Italy in 1963 and had signed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with RCA Italiana the following year. During the mid-1960s, the Rokes became a popular band on the Italian charts, achieving a number of Top 20 hits
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
with Italian-language covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of popular British and American songs. By 1966, however, the band had begun to write their own material, including "Piangi Con Me", which quickly became their biggest hit to date in Italy.
Following its success on the Italian charts, plans were made to release "Piangi Con Me" in the United Kingdom and as a result, the song was translated into English and given the new title of "Passing Thru Grey". However, the song's publisher in Britain, Dick James Music
Dick James
Dick James , born Reginald Leon Isaac Vapnick, was a music publisher and the founder of the DJM record label and recording studios, as well as The Beatles' publisher Northern Songs.-Early life:...
, was unhappy with the lyrics of "Passing Thru Grey" and decided that they should be changed. Michael Julian, a member of the publisher's writing staff, was assigned the task of composing new words for the song and it was his input that transformed it into "Let's Live for Today". Before the Rokes could release the song in the UK, however, another British group named The Living Daylights released a version of it. Ultimately, neither The Living Daylights nor the Rokes would reach the charts with their recording of the song.
In the United States, the Rokes version of "Let's Live for Today" found its way to the head of Dunhill Records
Dunhill Records
Dunhill Records was started by Lou Adler, Al Bennett, Pierre Cossette and Bobby Roberts in 1964 as Dunhill Productions, originally for the purpose of releasing Johnny Rivers recordings on Imperial Records. It became a record label in 1965 and was distributed by ABC Records...
, who felt that the song would make a suitable single release for The Grass Roots. The composer
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
/producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
team of P. F. Sloan
P. F. Sloan
P.F. Sloan is an American pop-rock singer and songwriter. He was very successful during the mid-1960s, writing, performing and producing Billboard top 20 hits for artists such as Barry McGuire, Jan & Dean, Herman's Hermits, Johnny Rivers, The Grass Roots and the Mamas and the Papas...
and Steve Barri
Steve Barri
Steve Barri is an American songwriter and record producer.Early in his career Barri was a staff writer with Dunhill Records. He frequently collaborated with P.F. Sloan, and the partners were responsible for the success of The Grass Roots and contributed largely to the band's first album...
, who managed The Grass Roots' recordings, were also enthusiastic about the song, with Sloan being particularly enamored with the similarities that the song's chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
had to The Drifters
The Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
' "I Count the Tears". "Let's Live for Today" was duly recorded by The Grass Roots, with the help of a number of studio musicians
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, including Sloan on lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, and was released as a single in May 1967. The lead vocal
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
on The Grass Roots' recording was sung by the band's bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Rob Grill
Rob Grill
Robert Frank "Rob" Grill was an American lead singer, songwriter and bass guitarist of the rock and roll band, The Grass Roots.-Career:Rob was a native of Hollywood, California where he attended Hollywood High School...
and the distinctive "1-2-3-4" count-in before the chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
was sung by guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Warren Entner
Warren Entner
Warren Entner was an American singer, songwriter, organist and guitarist for the rock and roll band, The Grass Roots...
.
The song quickly became popular with the record buying public, selling over two million copies in the U.S. and finally peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 during June 1967. As well as being popular with domestic American audiences, "Let's Live for Today" also found favor with young American men serving overseas in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, as Bruce Eder of the Allmusic website has noted: "Where the single really struck a resonant chord was among men serving in Vietnam; the song's serious emotional content seemed to overlay perfectly with the sense of uncertainty afflicting most of those in combat; parts of the lyric could have echoed sentiments in any number of letters home, words said on last dates, and thoughts directed to deeply missed wives and girlfriends." Eder also described "Let's Live for Today" by The Grass Roots as "one of the most powerful songs and records to come out of the 1960s."
In addition to its appearance on The Grass Roots' Let's Live for Today
Let's Live for Today
Let's Live for Today is the second studio album by The Grass Roots. Released in 1967, it features their first top-ten hit by the same name, "Let's Live for Today".-Track listing:All songs written by P.F...
album, the song also appears on several of the band's compilations
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, including Golden Grass, Their 16 Greatest Hits, Anthology: 1965–1975, and All Time Greatest Hits. Along with the Rokes, The Living Daylights, and The Grass Roots, the song has also been recorded by a number of other bands, including Tempest
Tempest (band)
Tempest is a Celtic rock band from the San Francisco Bay Area, based in Oakland, California. They fuse together the traditional Celtic music with Norwegian and European folk, American folk, and progressive rock....
, The Lords of the New Church
The Lords of the New Church
The Lords of the New Church were an English/American post-punk supergroup with a line-up consisting of four musicians from prominent 1970s punk bands...
, The Slickee Boys
The Slickee Boys
The Slickee Boys were a Washington, D.C. area punk-psychedelic-garage rock band whose most-remembered lineup consisted of guitarist Marshall Keith, guitarist Kim Kane, singer Mark Noone, and drummer Dan Palenski. The band has become a legend in the D.C. punk community...
, The dB's
The dB's
The dB's are a jangle pop/power pop group who came into prominence in the late 1970s and 1980s. The bandmembers were Peter Holsapple, Chris Stamey, Will Rigby and Gene Holder, all of whom were from Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
, and Dreamhouse
Dreamhouse (band)
Dreamhouse are a British dance/pop group consisting of Paul Barry, David Riley, and Jules Tulley. They released their self-titled debut album in 1998 and released three singles, including a cover version of the Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs song "Stay"....
. The Grass Roots' recording of the song appears in the 1997 film Wild America
Wild America (film)
Wild America is a 1997 adventure comedy film directed by William Dear, written by David Michael Wieger, and starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Devon Sawa and Scott Bairstow.-Plot:...
and on the accompanying soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
.