Where Were You When I Needed You
Encyclopedia
Where Were You When I Needed You was the first album released by The Grass Roots
. Most of the album is performed by the duo of P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri
, although some of the album features a San Francisco band, including lead singer Willie "Bill" Fulton. The band was formerly known as the Bedouins and later known as the Unquenchable Thirst.
When the Hermits chose not to release the song as the follow-up single to the Sloan-Barri song "A Must to Avoid", Sloan and Barri were able to persuade their boss, Dunhill Records
head Lou Adler
, to let them record a single version of the song in 1965. However, Dunhill insisted that they find a "real group" to tour as the Grass Roots, since they were too valuable to Dunhill as songwriters for the label to allow them to perform live concerts or make personal appearances.
Sloan and Barri ended up signing a San Francisco band named the Bedouins to become the Grass Roots. The band consisted of lead singer/lead guitarist Willie "Bill" Fulton, rhythm guitarist Denny Ellis, bassist David Stensen and drummer Joel Larson
. The band quickly had no shortage of live performances, as they became a resident band at the Los Angeles
club "The Trip" and made frequent appearances at San Francisco's Avalon Ballroom. They also supported Dunhill acts The Mamas and the Papas, Johnny Rivers
and Barry McGuire
on TV performances. However, with the exception of Fulton's vocals and Larson on drums, they did not appear on Grass Roots records, which featured Sloan and various session musicians.
The band's single version of Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man
" (issued under the name "Mr. Jones") only reached the lower reaches of the Billboard Magazine charts, peaking at #121 in late 1965. A new single of "Where Were You When I Needed You", with Fulton's voice replacing Sloan's as the lead vocal, was finally released in June 1966 and reached the Top 40, peaking at #28. But that success was too late for the band members, who were frustrated by Dunhill's reluctance to let them record as a band. Although much of the first album had already been recorded at that time, the band (except for Larson) decided to return to San Francisco in mid-1966 and became the Unquenchable Thirst.
Fulton later was guitarist and vocalist in Tower of Power
on their albums East Bay Grease
(1970), Bump City
(1972), Direct
(1981) and Power
(1987). Ellis and Stensen joined a San Francisco group named The Serpent Power led by Beat poet David Meltzer
and his wife Tina. They released a self titled album in 1967.
After the band quit, Sloan once again took over as lead singer of the Grass Roots sessions, as he had been on the original demos. Sloan stated that Dunhill policy at the time required albums to include "other people's hits" that "they were trying to get into stores", which is why the album does not feature only Sloan-Barri originals. Because there was no longer a band for personal appearances or live concerts, though, the Sloan-Barri duo was never able to recapture the success of "Where Were You When I Needed You". The 12-track album featured three songs sung by Fulton and the rest by Sloan, including Sloan's original single version of "Where Were You When I Needed You" instead of Fulton's, but it failed to chart.
In 1994, when the original CD version of the album was released on Varèse Sarabande
, six bonus tracks were included. Five were sung by Fulton and one, the single A-side "Tip of My Tongue", by Sloan. Thus, this version of the album included 10 songs sung by Sloan and 8 by Fulton.
An English CD reissue on Rev-Ola Records
in 2005 included all of the previous tracks plus two more bonus tracks: the versions of the title song sung by Fulton and subsequent Grass Roots lead singer Rob Grill
.
except as noted.
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...
. Most of the album is performed by the duo of P.F. Sloan 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...
, although some of the album features a San Francisco band, including lead singer Willie "Bill" Fulton. The band was formerly known as the Bedouins and later known as the Unquenchable Thirst.
Background
Sloan and Barri had written the song "Where Were You When I Needed You" for the Hermans Hermits movie Hold On!Hold On! (film)
Hold On! is a 1966 musical film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Peter Noone, Shelley Fabares, Herbert Anderson, and Sue Ane Langdon. The film features performances by Herman's Hermits and stars the band as fictionalized versions of themselves...
When the Hermits chose not to release the song as the follow-up single to the Sloan-Barri song "A Must to Avoid", Sloan and Barri were able to persuade their boss, 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...
head Lou Adler
Lou Adler
Lou Adler is an American record producer, manager, and director.-Life and career:Adler was born in Chicago, Illinois in December 1933, and raised in East Los Angeles. In 1964, Adler founded and co-owned Dunhill Records. He was President of the label as well as the chief record producer from 1964...
, to let them record a single version of the song in 1965. However, Dunhill insisted that they find a "real group" to tour as the Grass Roots, since they were too valuable to Dunhill as songwriters for the label to allow them to perform live concerts or make personal appearances.
Sloan and Barri ended up signing a San Francisco band named the Bedouins to become the Grass Roots. The band consisted of lead singer/lead guitarist Willie "Bill" Fulton, rhythm guitarist Denny Ellis, bassist David Stensen and drummer Joel Larson
Joel Larson
Joel Larson is a rock drummer and percussionist from California. He was born on April 29, 1947 at St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco. He lived near Lincoln Park until he was 12 years old. He took up drumming at the age of 12 and moved near Avalon Park until he was 17. During these five years he...
. The band quickly had no shortage of live performances, as they became a resident band at the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
club "The Trip" and made frequent appearances at San Francisco's Avalon Ballroom. They also supported Dunhill acts The Mamas and the Papas, Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. His styles include folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material...
and Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire is an American singer-songwriter best known for the hit song "Eve of Destruction", and later as a pioneering singer and songwriter of Contemporary Christian Music.-Early life:...
on TV performances. However, with the exception of Fulton's vocals and Larson on drums, they did not appear on Grass Roots records, which featured Sloan and various session musicians.
The band's single version of Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man
Ballad of a Thin Man
"Ballad of a Thin Man" is a song written and recorded by Bob Dylan, released on the album Highway 61 Revisited in 1965.-Meaning:"Ballad of a Thin Man" comments on a conventional "Mr. Jones", who walks into a room of intentionally bizarre circus freaks and doesn't "know what's happening".The...
" (issued under the name "Mr. Jones") only reached the lower reaches of the Billboard Magazine charts, peaking at #121 in late 1965. A new single of "Where Were You When I Needed You", with Fulton's voice replacing Sloan's as the lead vocal, was finally released in June 1966 and reached the Top 40, peaking at #28. But that success was too late for the band members, who were frustrated by Dunhill's reluctance to let them record as a band. Although much of the first album had already been recorded at that time, the band (except for Larson) decided to return to San Francisco in mid-1966 and became the Unquenchable Thirst.
Fulton later was guitarist and vocalist in Tower of Power
Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B-based horn section and band, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing for over 43 years. They are best known for their funky soul sound highlighted by a powerful horn section...
on their albums East Bay Grease
East Bay Grease
East Bay Grease is the debut album by the soul funk group Tower of Power. It is characteristic of the Bay City funk style they helped to establish and further built upon throughout their career.- Track listing :...
(1970), Bump City
Bump City
Bump City is the second album by the soul/funk group Tower of Power. The album cover is derived from a sketch by David Garibaldi. It's also their first album for Warner Bros. Records...
(1972), Direct
Direct (Tower of Power album)
Direct is a 1981 live in-studio album by Tower of Power. It was their only album for the direct-to-disc record label Sheffield Lab. It also marked the return of original guitarist Willie James Fulton, not heard from since 1972's Bump City, and the last album to feature saxophonist Lenny Pickett. ...
(1981) and Power
Power (Tower of Power album)
Power is a studio album by Tower of Power released in 1987 on the A&M Records-distributed Cypress Records label. It was released a year earlier with additional and/or different songs in Europe under the title T.O.P....
(1987). Ellis and Stensen joined a San Francisco group named The Serpent Power led by Beat poet David Meltzer
David Meltzer
David Meltzer is an American poet and musician of the Beat Generation and San Francisco Renaissance. Lawrence Ferlinghetti has described him as "one of the greats of post-World-War-Two San Francisco poets and musicians." Meltzer came to prominence with inclusion of his work in the anthology, The...
and his wife Tina. They released a self titled album in 1967.
After the band quit, Sloan once again took over as lead singer of the Grass Roots sessions, as he had been on the original demos. Sloan stated that Dunhill policy at the time required albums to include "other people's hits" that "they were trying to get into stores", which is why the album does not feature only Sloan-Barri originals. Because there was no longer a band for personal appearances or live concerts, though, the Sloan-Barri duo was never able to recapture the success of "Where Were You When I Needed You". The 12-track album featured three songs sung by Fulton and the rest by Sloan, including Sloan's original single version of "Where Were You When I Needed You" instead of Fulton's, but it failed to chart.
In 1994, when the original CD version of the album was released on Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
, six bonus tracks were included. Five were sung by Fulton and one, the single A-side "Tip of My Tongue", by Sloan. Thus, this version of the album included 10 songs sung by Sloan and 8 by Fulton.
An English CD reissue on Rev-Ola Records
Rev-Ola Records
Rev-Ola Records is a UK record label formed in 1988 that specializes in reissues, as well as select new releases. The label is headed by Joe Foster, a former child actor and musician/producer...
in 2005 included all of the previous tracks plus two more bonus tracks: the versions of the title song sung by Fulton and subsequent Grass Roots lead singer 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...
.
Track listing
All songs written by P.F. Sloan and Steve BarriSteve 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...
except as noted.
- "Only When You're Lonely" – 3:09
- "Look Out Girl" - 2:16
- "Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby" (Ivory Joe HunterIvory Joe HunterIvory Joe Hunter was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, and pianist. After a series of hits on the US R&B chart starting in the mid 1940s, he became more widely known for his hit recording, "Since I Met You Baby" . He was billed as The Baron of the Boogie, and also known as The...
, Clyde OtisClyde OtisClyde Otis, born in Prentiss, Mississippi, , was an American songwriter and producer best known for his collaboration with singer Brook Benton, and for being one of the first African American A&R executive for a major label.According to the music licensing organization Broadcast Music Inc., Otis is...
)** - 2:48 - "I've Got No More To Say" - 2:47
- "I Am a RockI Am a Rock"I Am a Rock" is a song written by Paul Simon. It was first performed by Simon alone as the opening track on his album The Paul Simon Songbook which he originally recorded and released in August 1965, only in the United Kingdom...
" (Paul SimonPaul SimonPaul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
) - 3:01 - "Lollipop Train (You Never Had It So Good)" - 3:09
- "Where Were You When I Needed You" - 3:01
- "You Didn't Have to Be So NiceYou Didn't Have to Be So Nice"You Didn't Have to Be So Nice" is the second single released by The Lovin' Spoonful, released in 1965. The song was featured on their 1966 album Daydream...
" (John SebastianJohn SebastianJohn Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
, Steve BooneSteve BooneSteve Boone is the bass guitarist for the rock band, The Lovin' Spoonful.After the Lovin' Spoonful stopped touring in 1968, Boone went to work producing an album for Mercury Records by the Oxpetals. Soon after finishing the album Boone bought a 56 ft sailboat 'Cygnus' and moved onto it in the...
) - 2:19 - "Tell Me" (Mick JaggerMick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
)** - 3:24 - "You Baby" - 2:20
- "This Is What I Was Made For" - 2:22
- "Mr. Jones (Ballad of a Thin Man)Ballad of a Thin Man"Ballad of a Thin Man" is a song written and recorded by Bob Dylan, released on the album Highway 61 Revisited in 1965.-Meaning:"Ballad of a Thin Man" comments on a conventional "Mr. Jones", who walks into a room of intentionally bizarre circus freaks and doesn't "know what's happening".The...
" (Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
)** - 2:54
CD Bonus Tracks (1994)
- "You're a Lonely Girl"** - 2:21
- "(These Are) Bad Times"** - 3:04
- "Tip of My Tongue" - 2:32
- "You've Got to Hide Your Love AwayYou've Got to Hide Your Love Away"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" is a song by The Beatles. It was written and sung by John Lennon and released on the album Help! in August 1965.-Composition and recording:...
" (John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
)** - 2:50 - "Hitch Hike" (Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, William "Mickey" Stevenson, Clarence PaulClarence PaulClarence Otto Pauling , better known as Clarence Paul, was a songwriter and record producer for Detroit's Motown Records....
)** - 2:39 - "Eve of Destruction" (P.F. Sloan)** - 3:35
Additional CD Bonus Tracks (2005)
- "Where Were You When I Needed You" (single version)** - 3:01
- "Where Were You When I Needed You" (third version, sung by Rob GrillRob GrillRobert 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...
, from Let's Live for TodayLet's Live for TodayLet'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...
) - 2:59
Personnel
- P.F. Sloan - lead and backing vocals, guitars, co-producer
- Steve BarriSteve BarriSteve 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...
- backing vocals, percussion, co-producer - Willie "Bill" Fulton - lead vocals on songs marked **
- Joel LarsonJoel LarsonJoel Larson is a rock drummer and percussionist from California. He was born on April 29, 1947 at St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco. He lived near Lincoln Park until he was 12 years old. He took up drumming at the age of 12 and moved near Avalon Park until he was 17. During these five years he...
- drums - Bones HoweBones HoweDayton Burr "Bones" Howe is a Grammy-award-winning record producer and recording engineer associated with 1960s and 1970s hits, mostly of the sunshine pop genre, including most of the hits of The 5th Dimension and The Association, as well as music supervision of several films...
- drums - Larry KnechtelLarry KnechtelLawrence William "Larry" Knechtel was an American keyboard player and bassist, best known for his work as a session musician with such artists as Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & the Papas, The Partridge Family, The Doors, and Elvis Presley, and as a member of the 1970s...
- keyboards - Other personnel unknown