You said the other day that you had to room to make a full album reaction to SMiLE. Since the album is split into three sections c can you do one of each, to make the videos shorter? Jamal, you don’t understand how great this album is. Brian Wilson presents SMiLE will make you change the way you see music forever
The sixties and 70s music brought everyone together. There was no skin color. We all just loved music. We would hear a song and just enjoy. If you really was curious if it was a black or white band you had to see an album cover, magizine article or on television. Times were great, we all love each other and music brought us all together as a country.
That's not true, and you know that it brought possible some together but definitely not all. The 60s were a terrible time like many other era in this country it was a ugly and turbulent decade, but it had no question some beautiful moments and this band and many others we're the ones that brought some beauty to it all
Oh, my friend Jamal...you SERIOUSLY need to get acquainted with the Fifth Dimension! They were beloved by Black and White fans throughout the 60's and 70's. Their music was SO great!
Love the reaction. The reverse Bobby Caldwell effect. This group always gets mistaken for White but Black people didn`t make one type of music. During the 60`s & 70`s Black & White people made various types of music & it was accepted by all audiences. Just because it was good. Soul ain`t got no color.
It was an amazing time for music. I'm so thankful for the table top radio mom had when I was a little kid, in the early 70's. Those tubes got quite a workout!
I'd never heard that one before, and after looking it up I see why. It's just another sad 60's slow-dance song. "Aquarius" stands out and is unforgettable. "Band of Gold" covers tyhe same basic themes as that song but is more memorable, and "The Tracks of My Tears" is a gender-flipped version with a better groove.
Next for Jamel is Up, Up and Away, Last Night I Didn’t Get To Sleep At All, Wedding Bell Blues, Never My Love, and Stoned Cold Picnic. Marilyn McCoo was the star voice of the group!
They had SO MUCH MORE than their most commercial hits. Their Declaration of Independence/Sam Cooke's "A Change is gonna come" was the most emotional, beautiful, and feeling-provoking combo ever.
The wonderful brilliant Fifth Dimension singing, “Aquarius/Let the Sun shine in”….from that amazing musical “Hair”….if you’ve never seen it…go watch it🤩
Conservative radio talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, used to use that song as his intro bumper music for his, "condom news update," before he mentioned said news article. It really irked the Left when played it on his show.
The Fifth Dimension had Quite a Few Number One Hit's. The Main Female Voice was the Sister on the Right, Marilyn McCoo and the Man in the Center was Billy Davis jr.. Last July, they Celebrated their FIFTY SECOND Wedding Anniversary! They also Did a duet in the 70's called "You don't have to be a Star".
@@lawrencepsteele AND they also had at least a couple of decent size hits in the 70s as a duo - "You Don't Have to be a Star (To Be In My Show)" and "Your Love".
Jimmy Webb wrote Up Up and Away. He also penned "MacArthur Park" which Richard Harris made popular, and "Highwayman" for Cash, Jennings, Kristofferson, and Nelson. Strangely enough, Webb hadn't originally intended to have The 5th Dimension record Up Up and Away, but Billy and Marilyn talked him into it.
They combined two songs from the hit stage musical "Hair" and produced one of the biggest hits of 1969. A #1 track and a "Record of the Year" Grammy winner. They had similar success a year or two earlier with the soft pop track "Up, Up and Away." Many more hits followed.
Saw "Hair" in New Haven in college. That's where I first heard theses songs. I probably saw the stage version in 1971. Making a medley of the two songs that were in "Hair" the play.
Actually, "let the sunshine in" was not in the original stage musical. The new version of "Age of Aquarius" combined with "let the sunshine in" was not used until after the 5th dimension rraleased their version.
Actually it WAS in the original musical, which is why it was thought of to be combined with "Aquarius" in the first place. Only the song wasn't called "Let the Sunshine In." That was actually just the chorus to the climactic song "The Flesh Failures."
A whole lot of us kids and teens from the sixties thought it was going to be an amazing and loving world coming soon. Watching this brought it back and made me tear up a bit. I’ve not given up. Peace.
As someone who grew up in the 70's, everyone back then had heard this song at least once, if not hundred of times, as it was played on AM radio quite a bit.
My mum and nan took me to see hair in the UK when I was little and we sat next to a lady whos daughter was in the play. Within ten minutes the cast, including the daughter, all took their clothes off!
I always found it amusing that the recorded the first song of the show and the finale. Got to leave some songs for everyone else (3 Dog Night, Donovan... even The Cowsills!)
The 5th Dimension were HUGE during the 60s! HUGE! Other hits include Up, Up and Away, One Less Bell to Answer, (Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All, Stone Soul Picnic, Wedding Bell Blues! Do more on them Jamal, you won't be sorry!!😀
Laura Nyro wrote sooo many songs for so many groups(Eli's Coming=Three Dog Night/Sweet Blindness,Wedding Bell Blues,Stone Soul Picnic=5th Dimension/And When I Die=Blood,Sweat and Tears/Stoney End=Barbra Streisand/ more that I forgot and I won't cheat and look it up....yet! Laura was THE BEST!!! Still miss Her...died of ovarian cancer before hitting 50!🥰💞💕♥
@@buckleysdead Yep/PLEASE check out Laura's version on the ALbum,"Laura Nyro/The First Songs"/Not at all the same! Please let me know what You think!!!
All of the brothas (Billy Davis, Jr., Ron Townsend, Lamont McLemore) are from St. Louis, Missouri. They are graduates of the illustrious Summer High School - the same high school as Tina Turner and famed opera singer, Grace Bumbry. The 5th won 6 Grammy Awards mostly for their album "Up, Up and Away".
Marilyn McCoo did the original version of "Saving All My Love For You", which was later a hit for Whitney Houston. Marilyn's version wasn't a single though, just an album track. The guy with the all yellow shirt is Lamonte McLemore. He took a lot of those Jet Magazine swimsuit photos. They're all still alive except Ron Townson. You might want to check out a recent documentary called "Summer Of Soul" (made by Questlove) about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. The 5th Dimension is one of the performers.
"Summer Of Soul" is FANTASTIC. As many great acts as there were at that festival that are featured in the film, The Fifth Dimension struck me the most, visually - not only because of their amazing stage costumes, but because Marilyn McCoo in 1969 is one of the most excruciatingly beautiful women that has ever lived.
In 2008, Florence LaRue led that version of the Fifth Dimension to my home area in Flint, Michigan, and she was looking for someone from the audience to dance with onstage. She picked me. And it was so fun. It was a July 4th event. I now live in West Virginia, but will never forget that day. Florence was so nice to me. My friends were teasing me for a while, calling me Larry of the Fifth Dimension. It was not the same version of the Fifth Dimension that everyone loves and remembers. But it was so fun!
When this beauty hit the airwaves, there was nothing more popular throughout the whole world. We never tired of it, even though, it was playing everywhere all the time. It's like whenever it played wherever it played we all started dancing and singing along. That was pure 70's life. It was contagious.
Oh boy you really nailed it. This song was everywhere and everything to all of us at that time. I'm so happy that you wrote this. I thought I was the only one
Listen to One Less Bell to Answer, Marilyn McCoo of the 5th DIMENSION is a must. Her voice is amazing. She is the tall one on the right. She's married to the guy standing in the middle Billy Davis. Has been for 50 plus years. This is the opening song of the play Hair and 5he second song is the last song of the play
@@Siansonea This song came out when I was 8 years old. My father brought home their Age of Aquarius album, and from that moment on I had the biggest crush on Marilyn - I genuinely thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I'm 60 years old now, and I saw a recent interview interview with her and Billy. She's still drop dead gorgeous, and I gotta admit it brought back that crush bigtime. Sometimes the kid never grows up, I guess...
I grew up with the great music of The 5th Dimension in the 60's-70's. They had so many great hits such as "Go Where You Wanna Go", "Up, Up & Away", "Medley: Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Sweet Blindness", "Wedding Bell Blues", "California Soul", "Workin' On A Groovy Thing", "One Less Bell To Answer", "Never My Love", "(Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep at All", "If I Could Reach You", "Love's Lines, Angles & Rhymes", "Living Together, Growing Together" etc.
Yeah, it's a two-part song. It's a medley turned into one song. The 5th Dimension have a lot of great singles. Stoned Soul Picnic, Wedding Bell Blues, One Less Bell to Answer, Up Up and Away, Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All. Great group.
I didn't know who they were until I heard "Wouldn't You Like To Ride In My Beautiful Balloon-Up Up & Away." I remember the song being played on TWA Airlines commercials in the late 60's early 70's. They were really big, especially after being on the Ed Sullivan Show. They had quite a few crossover hits.
Imagine being 7 years old, getting ready for school. Mom is in the kitchen fixing breakfast and packing lunches, and this comes on. It literally played about once an hour when it was popular. Such a great song to start the day on a high note.
During the Vietnam War era. This song was every where. The US just needed hope during a very dark era in our history. This song opened up a lot of hearts and minds. I was just a child but we all loved this song. Feel good music was the anecdote for us. The country that had loss so many of our soldiers due to the war. Just the word Vietnam still hits different.
Man, their harmonies were so lush!!! I grew up with this music and sometimes I forget just how amazing the music of the 60s-70s was... thanks for reminding me.
I saw an interview somewhere, think it was one of the documentaries on The Wrecking Crew... they apparently recorded primary backing track for "Let the Sunshine" live and in only two takes. The producer told them to "kick it up a bit" for the 2nd take, which is where Osborn added his great bass fills... and that was the take they used.
@@ChristChickAutistic Blaine played on six consecutive Grammy Award Record of the Year winners, including "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In". Amazing!! Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in 1966 for "A Taste of Honey" Frank Sinatra in 1967 for "Strangers in the Night" The 5th Dimension in 1968 for "Up, Up and Away" Simon & Garfunkel in 1969 "Mrs. Robinson" The 5th Dimension in 1970 for "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" Simon & Garfunkel in 1971 for "Bridge over Troubled Water"
The guy with the soul voice is Billy Davis Jr, he is married to the woman on the right Marilyn McCoo, they had a hit in the 70's as a duo " you don't have to be a star " they still perform together today and have been married for over 50 years ❤️❤️❤️
Adam "Professor of Rock" Reader recently did an interview with Billy and Marilyn where they talked about "Up up and Away." Billy said he didn't think that one was going to be a hit, but they recorded it because they just liked what Jimmy Webb showed them. Same with Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine. They did music that they liked, and I think it really showed.
The Fifth Dimension had what was called "California Soul". "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "One Less Bell To Answer", "If I Could Reach You" - all great hits.
Joe Osborne... one of the great session players out of Los Angeles. Check out the movie doc, The Wrecking Crew for the stories behind many of these 60/70 songs.
I cry each time I hear this song. So much hope for the future when this song came out. And now, the reality of dreams still squashed by hatred and ignorance.
Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo tell a funny story on how the group ended up recording these two songs in an interview with the Professor of Rock. When they were recording their producer told Billy to go gospel in Let the Sun Shine In and he ad-libbed that part. This is a great group.
Both songs are from a 1967 Broadway musical, "Hair." It was made into a movie in 1979. The musical was quite controversial at the time. It explored themes of racism, pacifism, sexual freedom, drug use, religion, and literary symbolism in a deeply personal way.
Actually, "Let The Sunshine In" was not in the original Broadway musical. It was added in later iterations of the musical after the 5th Dimension made it a hit.
You crack me up Jamal! I loved your face when the “realization” set in that you knew this song. I’ve been a metal head since I was 12, but for some reason this song resonates with me. Love it! Thanks for the reaction 😀
Weren’t they marvelous? These two songs are from the musical, “ Hair”. That is the classic 60’s pop beat. Another vocal/ composer genius team to watch are Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick.
Yep I'm w/you I straight up think "Hair". Such a great musical an by the time it gets around to this song the emotion is deep an to this day to hear this song I still feel that same since of intense emotion felt at that part in that story. It about gives me the chills. An shoot TBH i didn't even recall it was in the film "40 ur old virgin" 😉 cause to me it's from Hair. Dang now I think I need to go listen to a few more times from that musical before I hit the hay 😉
This medley was written for the 1967 Broadway hit musical "Hair." It was absolutely huge and spent six weeks at number one on the charts in 1969 after the single release by the Fifth Dimension. The only bad part was all the hippie chorus teachers trying to force their students' 11 and 12 year old vocal chords to stretch around these notes at every concert for years to come.
I was a HUGE 5th Dimension fan when I was a kid. I am now 61 years "young", it's a medley from the Broadway musical "Hair", all of their songs were constantly on the radio. The message of the song is relevant today. "Harmony and understanding..." Stay Blessed.
Growing up this was one of my favorite songs. VietNam was raging, bussing riots, but they were singing a song about peace, hope, harmony, and love. They gave me a sense of hope for the future. “Let the Sun Shine “ taught me to ignore the darkness and evil and look for the light in the world and everybody . What a great song ! Thanks for covering this one. “Just be a good human” and Let your Sun Shine .
I was young at this time but was starting to understand the meaning of war. I vividly remember my older brother arguing with my dad over the draft and how it was pretty much a death sentence for many young men at this time. Even with the crazy things going on in the world many people dont understand the horror of the Vietnam war and how much worse things could be. This song was an inspiration for many people to keep the hope of peace.
@@cotadog4472 I remember being 10yrs old and up. I witness a teenager girl neighbor hugging her teenager boyfriend who was drafted to the Vienam war. She was crying! At that young age I understood their pain. Another neighbor teenagergirl's teenage boyfriend came back with a amputated leg. War is just evil.
@Sassymess! Oops, stand corrected. I thought she had done One Less Bell, it was Burt Bacharach! Haven't seen but maybe 1 Laura Nyro reaction. Sure would love one! Thanks for asking me, I'm not too proud to admit I made an error! Have a good one! ❤️🕯
I have said to myself that I wish you were my neighbor. We could sit for months listening to the songs from my time. This is just one of hundreds if not thousands of songs that run through my mind. Thank you for doing what you do.
Absolute goosebumps *every* time I hear this song. This is was one of my dad’s favorite songs. He loved The 5th Dimension, along with George Benson Quartet, Sergio Mendez & Brazil 66 (highly recommended!), and countless others. “One Less Bell to Answer” & “Stone Soul Picnic” are great songs to listen to next. Xo
Yes, my inner hippie comes out when I hear this song. This song is my childhood! I loved it so much and remembered this song when my daughter was born on February 12....not only an Aquarius but on Honest Abe's birthday! I felt so dazed and appreciative. This is what we all dream for the planet..peace and love and everyone loves each other. I was born in 1960 and these songs are the gems of my generation!
Both songs (Aquarius and Let the Sunshine) were written for the 1967 musical "Hair". As far as I remember, the 5th Dimension was the only group to combine the two and the combo was #1. The late 1960s were interesting and troubled times. As far as your green-screen is concerned, just keep Jimmy and Jerry visible and I'll be happy.
I'm always amazed when I realize that so many people haven't been exposed to music that I've heard.....and this was in my house when I was a kid. My mom loves this song.
Same here. In '69 it was always on the kitchen radio that summer. Munching on sandwiches my mom made for us for lunch while we were inching to get back out. Seems impossible to miss this song if you're a fan of pop music.
The instrumental track was set to tape at Wally Heider Recording in Los Angeles by the Wrecking Crew members including Hal Blaine on drums, Joe Osborn on bass, Larry Knechtel on keyboards, Tommy Tedesco and Dennis Budimir on guitars and Tony Terran on trumpet. It also featured strings, winds, and brass instrumentations.
Another great song from the Rock musical "Hair" is "Easy To Be Hard" by Three Dog Night. Lots of people requested that one way back when you did some Three Dog Night reactions.☮
Great song. I did a production of Godspell and we added easy to be hard to the beginning instead of the Tower Of Babel song. The director thought the song was perfect for the themes and he was right.
You said that same thing that the 5th Dimension had to contend with when they put out this song. In the documentary, Summer of Soul, they showed how they were so overjoyed to play the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and let people know that they were in fact black. Their performance is so, so, so good!!! The more I can see Florence LaRue, the better, thank you so much!!! Huge Florence LaRue fan.
Ditto! Florence is often overlooked due to the divine magnificence of Marilyn, but she is an absolute beauty in her own right and was lead vocal on some incredible 5D album tracks, including This Is Your Life (Portrait, 1970), He's A Runner (Loves Lines... 1971) and Magic In My Life (1975). But it's the Jimmy Webb-penned The Girls' Song (The Magic Garden, 1968) - a duet he wrote specially for Florence and Marilyn - that really showcases their vocal talents to perfection. And of course the ever radiant Florence LaRue still carries the flame as lead singer for The 5th Dimension to this day!
Found this blip online no source provided: "Formed as the Versatiles in late 1965, the group changed its name to "the 5th Dimension" by 1966. Between 1967 and 1973 they charted with 20 Top 40 hits on Billboard's Hot 100, two of which - "Up - Up and Away" (no. 7, 1967) and the 1969 number one "Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)" - won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Other big hits include "Stoned Soul Picnic" (no. 3), "Wedding Bell Blues" (no. 1), "One Less Bell to Answer" (no. 2), a cover of "Never My Love" (pop no. 12/Easy Listening no. 1), "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All" (no. 8) and "If I Could Reach You" (pop no. 10/Easy Listening no. 1). Three of their records reached the Top Ten of Billboard's Rhythm & Blues/Soul chart. Five of their 19 Top 20 hits on the Easy Listening chart reached number one."
Jamel, you would really enjoy the documentary “Summer of Soul” on Hulu. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. gave a great interview about how misunderstood the group was (by both Black and white people) when they first came on the scene. And there’s great music throughout the whole movie!
This song is from the Broadway musical Hair, the hippie musical. But really, nobody does it better than the 5th Dimension. By the way, we are currently in the Age of Aquarius….and it’s a transition period of time! Moving from fear and competition to love and cooperation! It was a prophetic song.
I LOVE telling this story as I approach 58 years old! I happened to be a toe-headed boy of 6 or 7 when my mother had taken me back stage at the dome in Idaho before a concert, where I was introduced to the nicest black ladies and a couple of the guys that were singing that night. I never gave it much thought until 30 or so years later when I realized I had met The 5th Dimension. They were so charming and happy to meet a little white boy "fan". I couldn't believe how gorgeous both these women were. Jamel, on the Soul Train video of "One Less Bell To Answer" around the two minute mark, take a close look at Florence LaRue's 6-pack. My oh my!!
My favorite part is when they come together to sing "when the moon" & just hit an absolutely pure & beautiful note. Blows me away every time I hear it!
Joe Osborn on Bass, Hal Blaine on Drums and Larry Knechtel on Keys. Epic musicianship and then you couple that with epic vocals and harmonies. This is such an underrated song.
Hal Blaine was from holyoke mass, just the other side of holyoke mountain from me, man, that guy was everywhere! He also did drums for the byrds and scott McKenzie for san Francisco, and many others as he was part of the wrecking crew professional studio musicians all the record companies used
Joe has such a steady treble heavy tone that I was questioning whether it was a keyboard bass or Fender bass. Has a bit of a similarity to Ray Manzarek’s keyboard bass tone.
Marilyn McCoo has an angelic voice! Still today…. The 5th Dimension is one of the greatest groups of the 60’s/70’s. This song was a “mistake” that they almost didn’t record. It’s a great story
Love the 5th Dimension. I was just a kid when they were doing their thing and I’m 60. But those women! Not only sing like angels but they were so gorgeous! I looked them up decades later and damn they were still absolutely stunning.
‘JUST BE A GOOD HUMAN’ Shirts and more, enter Promo Code ‘Jamel’ jamel-aka-jamal-youtube-store.creator-spring.com
You are the most solid somebody. Music is the heartbeat and soul of life. Colorblind and unapologetic. The last freedom of the human spirit.
to be fair marilyn 50/50 white black
th-cam.com/video/fdsCGm4bP3E/w-d-xo.html
You said the other day that you had to room to make a full album reaction to SMiLE. Since the album is split into three sections c can you do one of each, to make the videos shorter? Jamal, you don’t understand how great this album is. Brian Wilson presents SMiLE will make you change the way you see music forever
Jamel, you are sooooo young!!
😂
😈🌹😈
The sixties and 70s music brought everyone together. There was no skin color. We all just loved music. We would hear a song and just enjoy. If you really was curious if it was a black or white band you had to see an album cover, magizine article or on television. Times were great, we all love each other and music brought us all together as a country.
👏👏.im 66 years o,d a still rocking out to the music of my teen years.
You said it all! Thank you!
That's not true, and you know that it brought possible some together but definitely not all. The 60s were a terrible time like many other era in this country it was a ugly and turbulent decade, but it had no question some beautiful moments and this band and many others we're the ones that brought some beauty to it all
I am 64 years old and very privileged to have grown up with some of the finest music ever!
I am 65 yrs young. However I grew up with The 5th Dimension. ❤
Oh, my friend Jamal...you SERIOUSLY need to get acquainted with the Fifth Dimension! They were beloved by Black and White fans throughout the 60's and 70's. Their music was SO great!
Exactly
"Beloved by fans" (color didn't factor into it)
For real! I love Stoned Soul Picnic!
Kenny Rogers was in this group. Imagine that. ..
"What condition my condition was in".
@@shannyfrm1 No, his rock band was The First Edition this is the Fitth Dimension. Different groups.
Love the reaction. The reverse Bobby Caldwell effect. This group always gets mistaken for White but Black people didn`t make one type of music. During the 60`s & 70`s Black & White people made various types of music & it was accepted by all audiences. Just because it was good. Soul ain`t got no color.
It was an amazing time for music. I'm so thankful for the table top radio mom had when I was a little kid, in the early 70's. Those tubes got quite a workout!
Great music is _wherever_ you find it.
We’ll said, “the reverse Bobby Caldwell effect”, love it! Great reaction Jamal!
Totally agree. This was a too 40 song in the early 70’s.
Ahhh...great song by B Caldwell...Turn Your Love Around...Don't You Turn Me Down...I Can Show You How... To Turn Your Love Around💛💚💙💜
If only we could go back to these times 🥲
It's strange how the #2 song on the charts was "Bad Moon Rising", which warned us about not taking care, and we didn't ...
The Fifth Dimension is great. "Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine in" " is probably their best song but "Up, up and Away" is another classic.
I respectfully disagree. One Less Bell to Answer is 🔥 🔥 🔥
I'd never heard that one before, and after looking it up I see why. It's just another sad 60's slow-dance song. "Aquarius" stands out and is unforgettable. "Band of Gold" covers tyhe same basic themes as that song but is more memorable, and "The Tracks of My Tears" is a gender-flipped version with a better groove.
Next for Jamel is Up, Up and Away, Last Night I Didn’t Get To Sleep At All, Wedding Bell Blues, Never My Love, and
Stoned Cold Picnic. Marilyn McCoo was the star voice of the group!
They had SO MUCH MORE than their most commercial hits. Their Declaration of Independence/Sam Cooke's "A Change is gonna come" was the most emotional, beautiful, and feeling-provoking combo ever.
@@surlechapeau Wedding Bell Blues -- with the super-relevant lyric "C'mon and marry me, Bill."
Marilyn McCoo had such an angelic voice...now try "One Less Bell To Answer"
Has. She still sounds great
And she is also a very beautiful woman.
So beautiful and such a beautiful voice.
One Less Bell to Answer is pure gold!
Oh yeah, great song.
The wonderful brilliant Fifth Dimension singing, “Aquarius/Let the Sun shine in”….from that amazing musical “Hair”….if you’ve never seen it…go watch it🤩
"Up, Up and Away" is one of their other big hits. "One Less Bell to Answer " shows off the beautiful voice of Marilyn McCoo. Great group!
"My Beautiful Balloon!"
Marilyn's voice is so beautiful, she owns the song "one less bell to answer" ❤️
She's right behind Karen Carpenter as my #2 all time favorite female singer.
YES !!! She has a STRONG , BEAUTIFUL VOICE !!!! 👍🎶💜
Conservative radio talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, used to use that song as his intro bumper music for his, "condom news update," before he mentioned said news article. It really irked the Left when played it on his show.
The Fifth Dimension had Quite a Few Number One Hit's. The Main Female Voice was the Sister on the Right, Marilyn McCoo and the Man in the Center was Billy Davis jr.. Last July, they Celebrated their FIFTY SECOND Wedding Anniversary!
They also Did a duet in the 70's called "You don't have to be a Star".
I was gonna mention Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. They both married in 69 and both still married.
@@lawrencepsteele AND they also had at least a couple of decent size hits in the 70s as a duo - "You Don't Have to be a Star (To Be In My Show)" and "Your Love".
@@Pixelologist I have a few childhood memories of their TV show, too. "You Don't Have to be a Star" was everywhere!
you need to react to Wedding Bell Blues by them.
@@lawrencepsteele Good to see some showbiz couples make it - I suppose not being headline media day in day out helps.
I love love love this song. It one-of-a-kind. Brings back memories of happier times - and they could sure sing!! Thank you, for sharing this.
"Up - Up and Away" was their breakout hit. It's a feel good song about flying in a balloon.
Yes. Love that song. Also, would add in "One Less Bell to Answer".
Jimmy Webb wrote Up Up and Away. He also penned "MacArthur Park" which Richard Harris made popular, and "Highwayman" for Cash, Jennings, Kristofferson, and Nelson. Strangely enough, Webb hadn't originally intended to have The 5th Dimension record Up Up and Away, but Billy and Marilyn talked him into it.
@@ryankelly369 I heard they thought the song was too pretty to be a hit.
@@elgonwilliams7624 yeah. That was about the size of it. But they liked it anyway.
I remember when Up Up and Away was used for the Nimble diet bread tv advert here in the UK.
It's actually a cover from the rock musical "Hair", but their voices are stunning, they sound like a whole church chorus while being 5..
Truth. Exactly what I was gonna say. You'll really understand it even more if you watch the movie "Hair". Sooo powerful
✌🏽☮️
@@sagecody6649 In the musical movie “Hair”, when this song starts, and they’re going into the plane, heading for war….. chills.
@@sagecody6649 once I saw the movie this song sounds so different, I always thought of it as a happy hippy song 😬
@@ralphlaguna6168 Composed in 1967 by Galt MacDermot for the musical "Hair", the album "Age Of Aquarius" is from 1969.
Them harmonies are so good!❤❤❤
This brings me back to my childhood. 59 now.
They combined two songs from the hit stage musical "Hair" and produced one of the biggest hits of 1969. A #1 track and a "Record of the Year" Grammy winner. They had similar success a year or two earlier with the soft pop track "Up, Up and Away." Many more hits followed.
Couldn't have put it better myself! Incredibly talented group!
The song was also used in the 80’s movie remake of Hair! Another film that should be watched.
Saw "Hair" in New Haven in college. That's where I first heard theses songs. I probably saw the stage version in 1971. Making a medley of the two songs that were in "Hair" the play.
Actually, "let the sunshine in" was not in the original stage musical. The new version of "Age of Aquarius" combined with "let the sunshine in" was not used until after the 5th dimension rraleased their version.
Actually it WAS in the original musical, which is why it was thought of to be combined with "Aquarius" in the first place. Only the song wasn't called "Let the Sunshine In." That was actually just the chorus to the climactic song "The Flesh Failures."
Aquarius was one of those songs as a kid back in the 60s that made me feel hopeful for humanity.
I had that same hope at one time
Same here! 😁💜
Too bad people had to ruin that feeling of hope as they continue their steady decline into madness.
A whole lot of us kids and teens from the sixties thought it was going to be an amazing and loving world coming soon. Watching this brought it back and made me tear up a bit. I’ve not given up. Peace.
Only Jesus is humanity's hope. We're getting very near the end of this old world.
The voice range of this group is amazing. Look no voice enhancing equipment. Just pure harmony.
No ugly sex acts or inverted crosses either!😮
This is one of my favorite songs when I was a little girl❤❤❤
Marilyn McCoo has such a Beautiful voice.
Very easy on the eye too. I saw her interviewed on Australian TV just a couple of months ago and she's still stunning.
As someone who grew up in the 70's, everyone back then had heard this song at least once, if not hundred of times, as it was played on AM radio quite a bit.
I loved this song growing up. Born in early 60's
@@lorilxn1597 Me too😊👍✌️
Dam right
me also. 1964
And it sucks we had no utube back then
Best bass line in all of music history.
Joe Osborne of the wrecking crew played bass on so many hits.
Usually these statements are hyperbole and sound foolish but you may just be definitively right😀
The original was in the Broadway play “Hair”, their cover is also fantastic!
My mum and nan took me to see hair in the UK when I was little and we sat next to a lady whos daughter was in the play. Within ten minutes the cast, including the daughter, all took their clothes off!
It's one thing to do a cover and it's another to make it your own. That's exactly what they did.
apart of the show? Well it must've been. Otherwise that would be a little strange 🤔
Good morning Starshine!
I always found it amusing that the recorded the first song of the show and the finale. Got to leave some songs for everyone else (3 Dog Night, Donovan... even The Cowsills!)
The 5th Dimension were HUGE during the 60s! HUGE! Other hits include Up, Up and Away, One Less Bell to Answer, (Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All, Stone Soul Picnic, Wedding Bell Blues! Do more on them Jamal, you won't be sorry!!😀
(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All is one of the best "heartbroken" songs ever!
Laura Nyro wrote sooo many songs for so many groups(Eli's Coming=Three Dog Night/Sweet Blindness,Wedding Bell Blues,Stone Soul Picnic=5th Dimension/And When I Die=Blood,Sweat and Tears/Stoney End=Barbra Streisand/ more that I forgot and I won't cheat and look it up....yet! Laura was THE BEST!!! Still miss Her...died of ovarian cancer before hitting 50!🥰💞💕♥
@@susanpolice8465 I didn't know she wrote "And When I Die"! That's one of my favorite songs ever!
@@buckleysdead Yep/PLEASE check out Laura's version on the ALbum,"Laura Nyro/The First Songs"/Not at all the same! Please let me know what You think!!!
add me to Stone Soul Picnic choice!
All of the brothas (Billy Davis, Jr., Ron Townsend, Lamont McLemore) are from St. Louis, Missouri. They are graduates of the illustrious Summer High School - the same high school as Tina Turner and famed opera singer, Grace Bumbry.
The 5th won 6 Grammy Awards mostly for their album "Up, Up and Away".
Marilyn McCoo did the original version of "Saving All My Love For You", which was later a hit for Whitney Houston. Marilyn's version wasn't a single though, just an album track. The guy with the all yellow shirt is Lamonte McLemore. He took a lot of those Jet Magazine swimsuit photos. They're all still alive except Ron Townson. You might want to check out a recent documentary called "Summer Of Soul" (made by Questlove) about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. The 5th Dimension is one of the performers.
Oh, thank you very much for those leads, kind sir!
i came here to say exactly this!!! i see marilyn and billy around here and there - and they can STILL blow!
"Summer Of Soul" is FANTASTIC. As many great acts as there were at that festival that are featured in the film, The Fifth Dimension struck me the most, visually - not only because of their amazing stage costumes, but because Marilyn McCoo in 1969 is one of the most excruciatingly beautiful women that has ever lived.
I remember Marilyn McCoo from hosting Solid Gold.
I had no idea she did it. Before Whitney, thanks so much! I love Marilyn she's so beautiful ❤️
Such beauty in the lyrics. Everyone who grew up in the 70’s knew this song. 💓
One of my favorites as a child!!!!
@@greg2976 Mine too, but I thought it was called "The Age of Asparagus"
@@greg2976 Mine too! My mom and I would dance all through the house when this played.
@@africanfartingfrog Funny how we think words to songs went when we were children. I can name hundreds of examples. LOL
@@africanfartingfrog Did it get you to eat your vegetables??
Loved this group growing up in the 70s. The 60s70s and 80s had a lot of amazing music. The harmonies in this song are superb!!!!!
Oh yes! The best harmonies in the world. Out of this world actually! They made the most beautiful sound ever ♥️
Florence LaRue was wildly overlooked in this group, and I'm here to give her some props!
Well said! Viva LaRue!
Florence LaRue is gorgeous!!!!!
In 2008, Florence LaRue led that version of the Fifth Dimension to my home area in Flint, Michigan, and she was looking for someone from the audience to dance with onstage. She picked me. And it was so fun. It was a July 4th event. I now live in West Virginia, but will never forget that day. Florence was so nice to me. My friends were teasing me for a while, calling me Larry of the Fifth Dimension. It was not the same version of the Fifth Dimension that everyone loves and remembers. But it was so fun!
She was the only original left.
Yep amen
When this beauty hit the airwaves, there was nothing more popular throughout the whole world. We never tired of it, even though, it was playing everywhere all the time. It's like whenever it played wherever it played we all started dancing and singing along. That was pure 70's life. It was contagious.
Oh boy you really nailed it. This song was everywhere and everything to all of us at that time. I'm so happy that you wrote this. I thought I was the only one
It was a very dark time we were living in
Listen to One Less Bell to Answer, Marilyn McCoo of the 5th DIMENSION is a must. Her voice is amazing. She is the tall one on the right. She's married to the guy standing in the middle Billy Davis. Has been for 50 plus years. This is the opening song of the play Hair and 5he second song is the last song of the play
YES! That song gives me goosebumps every time! Thanks for reminding me of that version! Need to add to my Spotify playlist!
And she's drop-dead gorgeous. She won the genetic lottery, that's for sure.
@@Siansonea This song came out when I was 8 years old. My father brought home their Age of Aquarius album, and from that moment on I had the biggest crush on Marilyn - I genuinely thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I'm 60 years old now, and I saw a recent interview interview with her and Billy. She's still drop dead gorgeous, and I gotta admit it brought back that crush bigtime. Sometimes the kid never grows up, I guess...
Nothing wrong with stone soul picnic either.
@@MarkLindsayCNC same. What a knockout
I grew up with the great music of The 5th Dimension in the 60's-70's. They had so many great hits such as "Go Where You Wanna Go", "Up, Up & Away", "Medley: Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Sweet Blindness", "Wedding Bell Blues", "California Soul", "Workin' On A Groovy Thing", "One Less Bell To Answer", "Never My Love", "(Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep at All", "If I Could Reach You", "Love's Lines, Angles & Rhymes", "Living Together, Growing Together" etc.
working on a groovy thing!!! my 2nd favorite 5th tune
An amazing catalog of music.
I love up and away !
Stoned Soul Picnic was/is one of my favorites.
Go Where You Wanna Go! Forgot about that one! Gonna go listen to it now!
One of the beat songs ever recorded…. it’s pure love and positive energy.
That bass line in Let the Sunshine In is the juiciest! Straight fire.
Wrecking Crew
You are absolutely correct!!!
That would be Joe Osborn on bass. (RIP)
So much juice!
@@GE.1962 and the late great hal blaine on drums.
JAMAL! This group dominated the late 60's. One of America's singing band that we all fell in love with! Bring back this sound today please.
OH ,YES !!! I remember this from the late 60's !! GROOVY SONG !!! 👍💜☮️
They DOMINATED!!
Jamal...two of the members of this group named Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis,Jr became husband and wife in 1969.Still together today.
This is one of the greatest "feel good" tunes ever recorded. I get chills every time it transitions over to "Let The Sun Shine In."
It really is such a great transition!
Same here, even after more than 50 years...
Well said.
I will belt the fuck out of the harmony on that part!
I loved the 5th Dimension when I was a kid ! So many hits and nobody in my world ever cared that they were black !!
Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo had a hit with "You Don't Have To Be A Star" and she also hosted the music show Solid Gold for a bit.
he almost hit it with "Soul Train"
LOVE THAT SONG!!!! Wonderful childhood memories...
Marilyn and Billy martied 50+ yrs now,Amazing
Yeah, it's a two-part song. It's a medley turned into one song. The 5th Dimension have a lot of great singles. Stoned Soul Picnic, Wedding Bell Blues, One Less Bell to Answer, Up Up and Away, Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All. Great group.
I loved Stone Soul Picnic back in the day. It really highlights the individual voices as well as their harmonies.
“If I Could Reach You” was a great song as well by them.
I loved the 5th Dimension when I was growing up. All those songs you listed are classics. 💜
Agree.
I didn't know who they were until I heard "Wouldn't You Like To Ride In My Beautiful Balloon-Up Up & Away." I remember the song being played on TWA Airlines commercials in the late 60's early 70's. They were really big, especially after being on the Ed Sullivan Show. They had quite a few crossover hits.
Imagine being 7 years old, getting ready for school. Mom is in the kitchen fixing breakfast and packing lunches, and this comes on. It literally played about once an hour when it was popular. Such a great song to start the day on a high note.
I remember❤️❤️❤️
It was a huge hit.
Amen.
That's a great memory..Thanks for sharing that..brought me right back !!!
1) you can't leave the house grumpy after listening to this song
2) everyone must have started dancing in the kitchen when the song played :D
During the Vietnam War era. This song was every where. The US just needed hope during a very dark era in our history. This song opened up a lot of hearts and minds. I was just a child but we all loved this song. Feel good music was the anecdote for us. The country that had loss so many of our soldiers due to the war. Just the word Vietnam still hits different.
"Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" were 2 songs from the musical "Hair" put together as a medley. Huge hit!
See the Cowsills for the title song.
Loved that musical. It was quite scandalous back in the day 🤣
How about Oliver covering "Good Morning Starshine". Everybody jumped on the Hair bandwagon back then. LOL
...and Three Dog Night with "Easy to be Hard". Chuck Negron's vocal is beautiful.
@@traceycombs3220 Also, how about Liza Minelli covering "Frank Mills" on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Man, their harmonies were so lush!!! I grew up with this music and sometimes I forget just how amazing the music of the 60s-70s was... thanks for reminding me.
You forgot? Oh no no no.
This was such a huge hit for them back then it was crazy ! Still one of my favorite all time songs !!
My mom was an Aquarius! She owned this song on a 45! The Fifth Dimension appeared often on the Ed Sullivan show, back in the 60’s!
The legendary Wrecking Crew at their finest. Joe Osborn’s bass absolutely rocks!
them and The Immediate Family were the cream of the LA recording musician scene. Lee Sklar played bass for them.
I saw an interview somewhere, think it was one of the documentaries on The Wrecking Crew... they apparently recorded primary backing track for "Let the Sunshine" live and in only two takes. The producer told them to "kick it up a bit" for the 2nd take, which is where Osborn added his great bass fills... and that was the take they used.
Yup, and good ol Hal Blaine on drums!
@@ChristChickAutistic Blaine played on six consecutive Grammy Award Record of the Year winners, including "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In". Amazing!!
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in 1966 for "A Taste of Honey"
Frank Sinatra in 1967 for "Strangers in the Night"
The 5th Dimension in 1968 for "Up, Up and Away"
Simon & Garfunkel in 1969 "Mrs. Robinson"
The 5th Dimension in 1970 for "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"
Simon & Garfunkel in 1971 for "Bridge over Troubled Water"
@@rickjend6667 most recorded drummer in history, too.
The guy with the soul voice is Billy Davis Jr, he is married to the woman on the right Marilyn McCoo, they had a hit in the 70's as a duo " you don't have to be a star " they still perform together today and have been married for over 50 years ❤️❤️❤️
Adam "Professor of Rock" Reader recently did an interview with Billy and Marilyn where they talked about "Up up and Away." Billy said he didn't think that one was going to be a hit, but they recorded it because they just liked what Jimmy Webb showed them. Same with Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine. They did music that they liked, and I think it really showed.
A most underrated group...multi-Grammy award winning group!! THIS has always been a GREAT inspirational song!! Terrific vocalists!!!!!
The relationship between Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis was legend.
They're still together, and still sound great!
Still is. They are still going strong. Still married, still touring.
The Professor of Rock just interviewed them recently m.
@@theplanetruth Yep - about the song "Up, Up and Away": th-cam.com/video/ssmBKLhxp20/w-d-xo.html
I seem to remember they had a television show at one time.
The Fifth Dimension had what was called "California Soul". "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "One Less Bell To Answer", "If I Could Reach You" - all great hits.
"If I Could Reach You"...brings tears to my eyes every time I hear Marilyn's voice in this!
not bad for a NYC girl~i loved Nyro-
They were so awesome, being born in 67, they were the music and happiness of my childhood ❤️
"Up, Up, and Away"
Yea and the "Gap Band" had that "Tulsa Soul"....
It’s so wonderful seeing millennials and Gen Zeders discovering the greatest musical era ever (the 60s & 70s). I’m a late 70s Gen Xer.
That bassline when Let the Sunshine in kicks off... The harmonies through are exquisite
Joe Osborne... one of the great session players out of Los Angeles. Check out the movie doc, The Wrecking Crew for the stories behind many of these 60/70 songs.
That bass is AMAZING!
That's the Wrecking Crew....on nearly every 60's 70's hit record
Phat ass bass line. The Wrecking Crew were genius musicians
@@TheOriginalRick Him and Carole Kaye are my two favorite bass players from WC
I cry each time I hear this song. So much hope for the future when this song came out. And now, the reality of dreams still squashed by hatred and ignorance.
Yep, because this was #1 on the charts ... and #2 was "Bad Moon Rising", which warned us of exactly the sad way things have become.
All amazing performers but ladies are stunningly beautiful ☺️
omg you didn't know the 5th Dimension????? I'm so happy we opened your eyes to them. Heavenly singing.
Billy Davis Jr. and Marilyn McCoo tell a funny story on how the group ended up recording these two songs in an interview with the Professor of Rock. When they were recording their producer told Billy to go gospel in Let the Sun Shine In and he ad-libbed that part. This is a great group.
I LOVE the way they change partners to share mics based on the vocal/harmony requirements.
And they got moves with them grooves.
100% PRO's.
Both songs are from a 1967 Broadway musical, "Hair." It was made into a movie in 1979. The musical was quite controversial at the time. It explored themes of racism, pacifism, sexual freedom, drug use, religion, and literary symbolism in a deeply personal way.
Jamal....WATCH IT ❣️✌🏽
That last scene always gets me.
Actually, "Let The Sunshine In" was not in the original Broadway musical. It was added in later iterations of the musical after the 5th Dimension made it a hit.
That's partially true. It was not in the original play but it was added as the end of the song titled The Flesh Failures before this was released.
The original cast album of Hair was recorded in '68 and has "Let the Sunshine In" on it. The Fifth Dimension recorded it in '69.
Oh this is SUCH a good song!!
Aquarius is the first song at the beginning of 'Hair'. Let the sun shine is the last song. They go together so well.
You crack me up Jamal! I loved your face when the “realization” set in that you knew this song. I’ve been a metal head since I was 12, but for some reason this song resonates with me. Love it! Thanks for the reaction 😀
Weren’t they marvelous? These two songs are from the musical, “ Hair”.
That is the classic 60’s pop beat. Another vocal/ composer genius team to watch are Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick.
Yep I'm w/you I straight up think "Hair". Such a great musical an by the time it gets around to this song the emotion is deep an to this day to hear this song I still feel that same since of intense emotion felt at that part in that story.
It about gives me the chills. An shoot TBH i didn't even recall it was in the film "40 ur old virgin" 😉 cause to me it's from Hair.
Dang now I think I need to go listen to a few more times from that musical before I hit the hay 😉
@@theresamorris6206 the movie was really good too!
@@theresamorris6206 Now I need to go watch Hair. Wonder which streaming company has it? :D
Oh, Dionne Warwick. What a voice. I saw her a couple of times in concert.
@@Knight-of-Sarcasm I bet the great film is On Demand.
This medley was written for the 1967 Broadway hit musical "Hair." It was absolutely huge and spent six weeks at number one on the charts in 1969 after the single release by the Fifth Dimension. The only bad part was all the hippie chorus teachers trying to force their students' 11 and 12 year old vocal chords to stretch around these notes at every concert for years to come.
Always love the look on Jamel's face when the dawning is starting to set in. Bamboozled indeed! :)
Lori T👍🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
i was just waiting for that. the transition has been amazing for decades
I was a HUGE 5th Dimension fan when I was a kid. I am now 61 years "young", it's a medley from the Broadway musical "Hair", all of their songs were constantly on the radio. The message of the song is relevant today. "Harmony and understanding..." Stay Blessed.
it should be relevant today. the age came in in march of 20 23
I saw them live during my freshman year in college.
Such a great group and Billy Davis Jr. vamping out the end is incredible. So soulful.
Growing up this was one of my favorite songs. VietNam was raging, bussing riots, but they were singing a song about peace, hope, harmony, and love. They gave me a sense of hope for the future. “Let the Sun Shine “ taught me to ignore the darkness and evil and look for the light in the world and everybody . What a great song ! Thanks for covering this one. “Just be a good human” and Let your Sun Shine .
I was young at this time but was starting to understand the meaning of war. I vividly remember my older brother arguing with my dad over the draft and how it was pretty much a death sentence for many young men at this time. Even with the crazy things going on in the world many people dont understand the horror of the Vietnam war and how much worse things could be. This song was an inspiration for many people to keep the hope of peace.
Well said. ❤
Well said, Scott.
Grew up with this as well.
@@cotadog4472 I remember being 10yrs old and up. I witness a teenager girl neighbor hugging her teenager boyfriend who was drafted to the Vienam war. She was crying! At that young age I understood their pain. Another neighbor teenagergirl's teenage boyfriend came back with a amputated leg. War is just evil.
Well said........good advice
"LOVES LINES, ANGLES AND RYTHMS"
"ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER"
"WEDDING BELL BLUES"
"STONE SOUL PICNIC"
3 Laura Nyro songs...
@@emilyflotilla931
Stone Soul Picnic and Wedding Bell BLUES. What's the other one?
And, Requiem 820 Latham and I'll Be Loving You Forever.
@Sassymess! Oops, stand corrected. I thought she had done One Less Bell, it was Burt Bacharach! Haven't seen but maybe 1 Laura Nyro reaction. Sure would love one! Thanks for asking me, I'm not too proud to admit I made an error! Have a good one! ❤️🕯
@@emilyflotilla931
No worries ☺️ My favorite Laura Nyro song is "STONEY END"! She did a song for 3 Dog Night, "ELI'S COMING".
I have said to myself that I wish you were my neighbor. We could sit for months listening to the songs from my time. This is just one of hundreds if not thousands of songs that run through my mind. Thank you for doing what you do.
Absolute goosebumps *every* time I hear this song. This is was one of my dad’s favorite songs. He loved The 5th Dimension, along with George Benson Quartet, Sergio Mendez & Brazil 66 (highly recommended!), and countless others. “One Less Bell to Answer” & “Stone Soul Picnic” are great songs to listen to next. Xo
We have to get Jamal to react to Mas Que Nada from Brasil '66. I love their music.
@@fabrisseterbrugghe8567 yes! yes! yes!
Yes, my inner hippie comes out when I hear this song. This song is my childhood! I loved it so much and remembered this song when my daughter was born on February 12....not only an Aquarius but on Honest Abe's birthday! I felt so dazed and appreciative. This is what we all dream for the planet..peace and love and everyone loves each other. I was born in 1960 and these songs are the gems of my generation!
Both songs (Aquarius and Let the Sunshine) were written for the 1967 musical "Hair". As far as I remember, the 5th Dimension was the only group to combine the two and the combo was #1. The late 1960s were interesting and troubled times. As far as your green-screen is concerned, just keep Jimmy and Jerry visible and I'll be happy.
I can NEVER Hear the Second part without Playing along with an "Air Bass" and Singing Along at Top Volume!... SO FREAKIN GOOD!
I'm always amazed when I realize that so many people haven't been exposed to music that I've heard.....and this was in my house when I was a kid. My mom loves this song.
I grew up with this music. I feel so blessed to have been exposed to so much amazing music at such a young age through the late 60s and 70s. :-)
Same here. In '69 it was always on the kitchen radio that summer. Munching on sandwiches my mom made for us for lunch while we were inching to get back out. Seems impossible to miss this song if you're a fan of pop music.
I loved that song and the 5th Dimension. I still have their cassette tape.😊
The instrumental track was set to tape at Wally Heider Recording in Los Angeles by the Wrecking Crew members including Hal Blaine on drums, Joe Osborn on bass, Larry Knechtel on keyboards, Tommy Tedesco and Dennis Budimir on guitars and Tony Terran on trumpet. It also featured strings, winds, and brass instrumentations.
Thanks 🙏🏻 Love your informative sharing🙌🏻
Always glad to see somebody acknowledge The wrecking Crew.
I forgot about Joe Osborn! I was just saying it could have been Carole Kaye.
@@ueno1 it's definitely Joe Osborne on that truck. It's in The wrecking Crew film.
Another great song from the Rock musical "Hair" is "Easy To Be Hard" by Three Dog Night. Lots of people requested that one way back when you did some Three Dog Night reactions.☮
Great song. I did a production of Godspell and we added easy to be hard to the beginning instead of the Tower Of Babel song. The director thought the song was perfect for the themes and he was right.
And the Cowsill's version of the title song "Hair." A fun track!
Billy Davis Jr. just kills it along with the bass. So heavenly!!!
My parents must have been so cool. They made sure we knew and heard so many songs like this. I remember it well.
You said that same thing that the 5th Dimension had to contend with when they put out this song. In the documentary, Summer of Soul, they showed how they were so overjoyed to play the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and let people know that they were in fact black. Their performance is so, so, so good!!! The more I can see Florence LaRue, the better, thank you so much!!! Huge Florence LaRue fan.
Ditto! Florence is often overlooked due to the divine magnificence of Marilyn, but she is an absolute beauty in her own right and was lead vocal on some incredible 5D album tracks, including This Is Your Life (Portrait, 1970), He's A Runner (Loves Lines... 1971) and Magic In My Life (1975).
But it's the Jimmy Webb-penned The Girls' Song (The Magic Garden, 1968) - a duet he wrote specially for Florence and Marilyn - that really showcases their vocal talents to perfection. And of course the ever radiant Florence LaRue still carries the flame as lead singer for The 5th Dimension to this day!
SPIRITUALITY ❤❤❤❤
Great memories! What voices they had! And dig those outfits! Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr were a married couple then! Psychedelic soul!
They’re still married!! Such a lovely and talented couple.
@@lynnerenee1634 I know! They are amazing! Loved their duets!
I remember their show , was it like 50 years ago? I'm too old to remember!
A song that we could use today to brighten the soul.
Found this blip online no source provided: "Formed as the Versatiles in late 1965, the group changed its name to "the 5th Dimension" by 1966. Between 1967 and 1973 they charted with 20 Top 40 hits on Billboard's Hot 100, two of which - "Up - Up and Away" (no. 7, 1967) and the 1969 number one "Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)" - won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Other big hits include "Stoned Soul Picnic" (no. 3), "Wedding Bell Blues" (no. 1), "One Less Bell to Answer" (no. 2), a cover of "Never My Love" (pop no. 12/Easy Listening no. 1), "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All" (no. 8) and "If I Could Reach You" (pop no. 10/Easy Listening no. 1). Three of their records reached the Top Ten of Billboard's Rhythm & Blues/Soul chart. Five of their 19 Top 20 hits on the Easy Listening chart reached number one."
Yes Jamal. You must do "Up, Up and Away" next. You've probably heard it before and will recognize it when it starts. Another great song by them!
I just watched an interview with Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. about that song. It's the 43rd most played song in the world.
Yes!!! Up, Up and Away!!
Jamel, you would really enjoy the documentary “Summer of Soul” on Hulu. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. gave a great interview about how misunderstood the group was (by both Black and white people) when they first came on the scene. And there’s great music throughout the whole movie!
Agree! 💝
Yes! Summer of Soul is amazing! Way more entertaining than Woodstock!
This song is from the Broadway musical Hair, the hippie musical. But really, nobody does it better than the 5th Dimension. By the way, we are currently in the Age of Aquarius….and it’s a transition period of time! Moving from fear and competition to love and cooperation! It was a prophetic song.
You’re right Becky! May love and light be with you ❤️
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Everything they did was excellent. One of my favorites they sang was Laura Nyro's "Stoned Soul Picnic".
The “let the sunshine in” part is my favorite groove/melody of all time! It just hits me right in the soul!
This song was a huge hit. Huge. Aquarius is the opening song of Hair and Let the Sun Shine In is the last.
A classic. They were one of the most popular groups in the late 60’s, early 70s. Incredible talent.
I can't even imagine what a rush they must have gotten by performing such an iconic piece of music! This is truly history!
Dang you hit it on the head! Such a free spirited song.
I LOVE telling this story as I approach 58 years old! I happened to be a toe-headed boy of 6 or 7 when my mother had taken me back stage at the dome in Idaho before a concert, where I was introduced to the nicest black ladies and a couple of the guys that were singing that night.
I never gave it much thought until 30 or so years later when I realized I had met The 5th Dimension. They were so charming and happy to meet a little white boy "fan". I couldn't believe how gorgeous both these women were.
Jamel, on the Soul Train video of "One Less Bell To Answer" around the two minute mark, take a close look at Florence LaRue's 6-pack. My oh my!!
We used to sing this in elementary school. I remember hearing them on AM radio as a kid. They were amazing.
My favorite part is when they come together to sing "when the moon" & just hit an absolutely pure & beautiful note. Blows me away every time I hear it!
For me, it's that harmonisation at 3.50 that just does it for me. What a song!
Whomever loves 60s, 70s, & a lil bit 80s tune into WTIX 94.3 its a N. O. radio station and it plays oldies all day everyday
Joe Osborn on Bass, Hal Blaine on Drums and Larry Knechtel on Keys. Epic musicianship and then you couple that with epic vocals and harmonies. This is such an underrated song.
Hal Blaine is a beast! They are top notch session guys but Hal Blaine is an industry of funky drumming.
Probably one of the greatest bass lines of all time.
Hal Blaine was from holyoke mass, just the other side of holyoke mountain from me, man, that guy was everywhere! He also did drums for the byrds and scott McKenzie for san Francisco, and many others as he was part of the wrecking crew professional studio musicians all the record companies used
Joe has such a steady treble heavy tone that I was questioning whether it was a keyboard bass or Fender bass. Has a bit of a similarity to Ray Manzarek’s keyboard bass tone.
Top 5 bass lines of all time
Marilyn McCoo has an angelic voice! Still today…. The 5th Dimension is one of the greatest groups of the 60’s/70’s. This song was a “mistake” that they almost didn’t record. It’s a great story
Wow, I have never heard this story!
Now I won't rest 'til I get the skinny on it!
She can dance too. OMG. I watch it all the time.
Love the 5th Dimension. I was just a kid when they were doing their thing and I’m 60.
But those women! Not only sing like angels but they were so gorgeous!
I looked them up decades later and damn they were still absolutely stunning.