You said it just as I was typing it; ABSOLUTE ROCK ANTHEM. What American rock music lover wouldn't party to that? When it came on the car radio, everybody including the driver rocked out. Because of course!
I was in the 3rd grade when this came out. My oldest brother (11 yrs older) had their albums. All the older teenage boys looked like these guys. My dad was an MP (military policeman) for the 101st Screaming Eagles and it was a daily occurrence of him ranting about those "long-haired" hippies, get a f-ing haircut comments. My oldest brother didn't have long hair but it was big and bushy so he had to deal with the comments...all coming from a flat top wearing, shiny combat boots, 1950s attitude father. Honestly, it cracked me up even at an early age. My brother, on the other hand, didn't think it was so funny. They are laid to rest side by side now and I miss them both. RIP
***Fun Fact*** Grand Funk Railroad's sold-out show on July 9, 1971, at New York's Shea Stadium is famous for selling its 55,000 tickets in 72 hours - faster than the Beatles had in August 1965. That record at the home of baseball's Mets stood until the ballpark was demolished in 2008.
Grand Funk sold-out MSG in 2 hours ! added a 2cd show and sold that out in 4 hours, added a 3 show and sold that out in 10 hours. Grand Funk sold-out MSG 3 times in 1 day.
I took my 14 y/o brother to their show 100 miles away (KC Mo) in early '70s including back stage access & limo ride all the way back home on the farm. From that night forward let's just say John went to seed. ;)
Didn't need Rundgren to write their music though right? Hell No Mark wrote All or most of their great hits. They definitely didn't need him to sell out Shea Stadium too!!!
Another Todd Rundgren production. Check out Black Licorice (live), Shinin’ On, Footstompin’ Music, I’m Your Captain. Such an underrated band and Mel is such an underrated bassist. Saw them on their reunion tour during the 90’s. Couldn’t believe how tight they were. And that live album is great also.
The song mentions "Connie" at the beginning, she was the notorious and wayward groupie (Connie Hamzy) known to be a perverse teen and by her own admissions "pleased" many rockers. Also drummers would appreciate the song T. N.U.C. which has an insane drum solo by Don Brewer. btw the title of the song was to be spelt inverted, but the record company wouldn't allow it
Apparently as the story goes, they wanted to show UK bands, which were incredibly big at the time, that America could rock out just as good & hard, and that they loved their horses, dirt bikes, & motorcycles !!! Great Band.....
What a great video. The 70s where a blast! Sweet Connie was a famous groupie. The band name was inspired by the grand trunk railroad that ran through Michigan. I don't know how drummers sing and play. It's like singing and running.
Mel 'Shocker' is the pronunciation,bro. First album with the keyboardist (Frost). Their earlier albums were edgier/bluesier and Farner wrote/sang almost every song. Glad you dug this one,Lee. My fav band from my old high school days! Rock on! T
Actually, the first GFR album Craig Frost played on was the previous album "Phoenix". He was not an official member yet, and was not shown on the album cover.
Great that you reacted to this!! I was fortunate to see them in 1973, 1975, and their reunion tour in the 90s. I HIGHLY recommend checking out the live version of this from the Caught in the Act album!!!! Craig Frost's organ playing is more prominent on that live version!!!
It's funny the only reason I know these songs because my older brother and sister had the 45 of this I remember the orange label and I used to rock it out on the victrola in our basement when i was a kid!!!💯🔥🎶❤
I saw them during the We’re An American Band tour. It was a great show. When we walked into the coliseum in Corpus Christi, TX there was a huge Uncle Sam standing there.
Saw them in Sacramento Ca. back in the mid 70s. They rolled that bit of film, in the middle of the show, as an 'intermission.' I remember thinking "wtf, came here for a rock concert, not a movie." But to be fair, the rest of the show did NOT disappoint.
Well, I'm from a not so big city in the south of Italy (Lecce)...I still wonder how I came in contact with all this music in the seventies...so lucky, so lucky! (Probably it was thanks to a radio station of the time:THANKS)
One day back in 1972 I rode my bike to the Mall and bought Deep Purple "Made In Japan", Alice Cooper "Billion Dollar Babies" and Grand Funk Railroad "We're An American Band". Those were the days, daze. BTW, Mel's last name is pronounced Shak-ter. The boys from Flint, Michigan. And that classic car they were pushing and riding in was a Hispano-Suiza, check with Jay Leno about that particular mark, he rated H-S above Rolls Royce in their early days.
All the great bands you react to I've either seen live or was buying their music as soon as it came out as the 60's and 70's was my stomping ground. In the case of GFR, I've seen them live in 1969. I have to laugh when people nowadays have never heard of all the bands that I grew up with. I can understand Mountain as one of them as they were really not mainstream. I met a 16 year old girl yesterday who never even heard of The Beatles...too funny. Thanks Lee for the great reactions.
That video gives you some interesting glimpses into that time for sure, but to me it's mostly a distraction, and there is another version where it just shows the session where they are all doing it. I had this single in later grade school and I fell in love also with side B, their cover of Do the Locomotion, an older hit from the 60s. It's so cool how the bass comes in so incredibly heavy when it does, and the whole thing is just cranked up to the maximum density, and so fun to dance to. It's really raw in a lot of ways, especially for a pop cover, and I love it.
I really enjoy your videos man, it's nice to see young people paying attention to what happened in the 60's and 70's. This album was produced by Todd Rundgren, he gave them a new sound, and it propelled the band into superstardom.
I saw them in Oct. of 1969 at the old University of Oklahoma Field House (couldn't hear for two days afterwards} ,in1970 at Pirate World in Miami and in 1972 in Frankfurt Germany while I was a draftee in the army. They always put on a kick ass rock show and were the loudest band working at the time. Farner was a ball of fire on stage. He'd go from one side of the stage to the other in three downbeats, climb on and jump off the stacks and absolutely owned the stage.
I watched this because I was trying to look for musicians reacting to this song to see how much they liked the various aspects of it and to hear what they noticed. I really enjoyed this. I appreciate you bud. Just found your channel and just subbed. I like some of those albums I see in the background btw. I was originally looking this song up to add it to a Feel Good Playlist I'm making.
You should react to Freddy King's "Palace of the King." One of the three "Kings" of the blues: BB, Albert, and Freddy. Eric Clapton practically idolized Freddy. Left us too soon.
I saw Don Brewers version of Grand Funk Railroad just last summer in Concord NC! They were outstanding! I can wait until you get to America's greatest band LYNYRD SKYNYRD!
Someday the Rock n Roll hall of fame may be ever so kind to put this iconic rock and roll band into their library, or whatever it's supposed to be. A museum? Or, is it just some money laundering place for rock critics?
Graduated highschool, rolled fatty and went to Shea Stadium in N.Y. to see and hear Humble Pie with Peter Framton and Grand Funk Railroad The concert sold out faster than the Beatles. We were in the top tier and thought it was going to fall down. Check out tunes from GFR's first red album. There's some great stuff there and Humble Pie's Rock On album is great in it's entirety
It wasn't their choice to drop "Railroad" from their name. Grand Trunk Railroad sued them for copyright infringement. GTR runs through Flint, MI, their hometown.
Great timing…you just listened to Todd Rundgren…who was the producer of this song. A little different sound to this song compared to their other work. Credit that to Todd
Ultimately, I agree that GFR is a better name, but the truth is that when they were very popular, we all called them Grand Funk, and the Railroad part became unnecessary I suppose. ✌🏼😎🇺🇸
Grand Funk - Loneliness th-cam.com/video/-HSKEGsq_G4/w-d-xo.html Grand Funk Railroad - Save The Land th-cam.com/video/Zz_fV-WKL3A/w-d-xo.html Into The Sun th-cam.com/video/x3uJJfgWXeA/w-d-xo.html Creepin' (Remastered) th-cam.com/video/it0Ouo_6AZk/w-d-xo.html Grand Funk Railroad Paranoid th-cam.com/video/PmGaLDSgHnI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=hQ7TiCio2oX7qm7E Grand Funk You Ready Grand Funk Railroad Feelin alright th-cam.com/video/HOcrRt8p2J4/w-d-xo.html Grand Funk Railroad - Aimless Lady th-cam.com/video/NlwQl814G2A/w-d-xo.html Grand Funk Railroad Mean Mistreater Grand Funk Shinin' On grand funk railroad to get back in grand funk railroad Little Johnny Hooker grand funk railroad Carry Me Through Grand Funk Railroad Mr. Limousine Driver Grand Funk Railroad - No Lies Grand Funk Railroad Winter And My Soul Grand Funk Railroad Mr. Pretty Boy Grand Funk Loneliest Rider th-cam.com/video/MDFLzrqVbG0/w-d-xo.html Grand Funk Railroad The Railroad th-cam.com/video/Ul0YG5ZolJM/w-d-xo.html Grand Funk Railroad Stop Lookin' Back th-cam.com/video/tWTAUJ38PNA/w-d-xo.html GRAND FUNK RAILROAD - People, Let's Stop the War th-cam.com/video/IDPsRca6Qt4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=gZzqFK7KMJ4CWwNp
Now that is American Rock and Roll! Kicks Major Ass...I think they had just little fun with Sweet sweet Connie and many others!...And they are not in the lamo R&R Hall of Fame (like the J Geils Band you just Did and your Jethro Tull!))..You want to check out another good tune by a singing drummer...Rare Earth and "Get Ready"..
You said it just as I was typing it; ABSOLUTE ROCK ANTHEM. What American rock music lover wouldn't party to that? When it came on the car radio, everybody including the driver rocked out. Because of course!
I was in the 3rd grade when this came out. My oldest brother (11 yrs older) had their albums. All the older teenage boys looked like these guys. My dad was an MP (military policeman) for the 101st Screaming Eagles and it was a daily occurrence of him ranting about those "long-haired" hippies, get a f-ing haircut comments. My oldest brother didn't have long hair but it was big and bushy so he had to deal with the comments...all coming from a flat top wearing, shiny combat boots, 1950s attitude father. Honestly, it cracked me up even at an early age. My brother, on the other hand, didn't think it was so funny. They are laid to rest side by side now and I miss them both. RIP
***Fun Fact***
Grand Funk Railroad's sold-out show on July 9, 1971, at New York's Shea Stadium is famous for selling its 55,000 tickets in 72 hours - faster than the Beatles had in August 1965. That record at the home of baseball's Mets stood until the ballpark was demolished in 2008.
Grand Funk sold-out MSG in 2 hours ! added a 2cd show and sold that out in 4 hours,
added a 3 show and sold that out in 10 hours.
Grand Funk sold-out MSG 3 times in 1 day.
I took my 14 y/o brother to their show 100 miles away (KC Mo) in early '70s including back stage access & limo ride all the way back home on the farm. From that night forward let's just say John went to seed. ;)
Doesn’t get more “kick-ass American rock n’ roll” than this.
one of the best "hold my beer" rockers! hell yea love these guys !
Probably the best band that somehow went under the radar here in the uk. I love them. Raw rock and roll!!!!!
Someone painted Grand Funk Railroad on a train overpass in Flint, MI (where they're from) like 50 years ago and it's still there. Lol
It was a real railroad.
@@harrypendergrass3983 Well I think the real railroad was called Grand Trunk Railroad (but I could be wrong).
I love stuff like that. Gives a town an identity. Unlike the homogenized suburban sprawl crap.
That is cool.
@@johnsilva9139 You are correct.
this just screams rock and roll, early 1970s. Heard it so many times
this band was circling the drain until Todd Rundgren showed up. This album and 'Shinin' On' gave them a new lease on life.
Didn't need Rundgren to write their music though right?
Hell No Mark wrote All or most of their great hits. They definitely didn't need him to sell out Shea Stadium too!!!
This came out a gold 45. On the flip side is a song called "Creepin" and it's freakin' awesome! I Still have that gold 45 in my collection.
Another Todd Rundgren production. Check out Black Licorice (live), Shinin’ On, Footstompin’ Music, I’m Your Captain. Such an underrated band and Mel is such an underrated bassist. Saw them on their reunion tour during the 90’s. Couldn’t believe how tight they were. And that live album is great also.
The song mentions "Connie" at the beginning, she was the notorious and wayward groupie (Connie Hamzy) known to be a perverse teen and by her own admissions "pleased" many rockers. Also drummers would appreciate the song T. N.U.C. which has an insane drum solo by Don Brewer. btw the title of the song was to be spelt inverted, but the record company wouldn't allow it
Probably my favorite drum solo.
And now you know why those of us who came of age back in the 70s still love "our music".
Give the live version, Inside looking out, a try. That is such powerful dope
Apparently as the story goes, they wanted to show UK bands, which were incredibly big at the time, that America could rock out just as good & hard, and that they loved their horses, dirt bikes, & motorcycles !!! Great Band.....
Brings me back to being a kid up at our camp, this was always playing on the pavilion juke box, my first introduction to this great band
As a teen I was fascinated that Mark Farner had such long hair.
THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS SONG... I GREW UP WITH THIS.. BEST MUSIC EVER!!!!
Can never go wrong with Grand Funk. lol
Another good basic rock and roll band from Michigan. They got almost prog with the song "I'm your Captain/Closer to Home".
Flint Michigan proud
I remember buying this when it was first released. It was pressed in gold vinyl, very cool. And thanks for brilliant Todd Rundgren for producing!
Oh yeah, and treat yourself to 'Some Kind Of Wonderful'!
Now these fine ladies they had a plan they were out to meet the boys in the band❤
It was a huge “Anthem” 🎸🔥❤️
Railroad. This such a satisfying song to rock out to
Insane song! The drums… cowbell… bass line… vocals. If this doesn’t fire you up nothing will.
On the road for 40 days last night in Little Rock left me in a haze....❤
YES , they have been one of my favorites since the late 70s ! I think the Live Album was my first one I bought , great album .
You should do a reaction to their song inside, looking out at a live performance and it’s awesome
Oh yes!! Amazing song!
Farner got screwed by the other two. It's not GFR without him. (Reminds me of Frey & Henley).
One of the best live bands ever.
What a great video. The 70s where a blast! Sweet Connie was a famous groupie. The band name was inspired by the grand trunk railroad that ran through Michigan. I don't know how drummers sing and play. It's like singing and running.
Sweet Connie and her girls did more Bands Members than U can imagine
SAW THEM LIVE...WE DID PARTY DOWN!!!!🎸🔥😎
That song has been stuck in my head since 1973 when I was 18!
One of those songs that makes you pumped and invincible.
Lol, Lee needed to hear this!
Mel 'Shocker' is the pronunciation,bro. First album with the keyboardist (Frost). Their earlier albums were edgier/bluesier and Farner wrote/sang almost every song. Glad you dug this one,Lee. My fav band from my old high school days! Rock on! T
Actually, the first GFR album Craig Frost played on was the previous album "Phoenix". He was not an official member yet, and was not shown on the album cover.
Great that you reacted to this!! I was fortunate to see them in 1973, 1975, and their reunion tour in the 90s. I HIGHLY recommend checking out the live version of this from the Caught in the Act album!!!! Craig Frost's organ playing is more prominent on that live version!!!
One of michigans power bands. They sold millions of records andvtheir concerts were sold out. Earlyer songs were harder. Great band.
It's funny the only reason I know these songs because my older brother and sister had the 45 of this I remember the orange label and I used to rock it out on the victrola in our basement when i was a kid!!!💯🔥🎶❤
I saw them during the We’re An American Band tour. It was a great show. When we walked into the coliseum in Corpus Christi, TX there was a huge Uncle Sam standing there.
Saw them in Sacramento Ca. back in the mid 70s. They rolled that bit of film, in the middle of the show, as an 'intermission.' I remember thinking "wtf, came here for a rock concert, not a movie." But to be fair, the rest of the show did NOT disappoint.
Well, I'm from a not so big city in the south of Italy (Lecce)...I still wonder how I came in contact with all this music in the seventies...so lucky, so lucky! (Probably it was thanks to a radio station of the time:THANKS)
That's what a great straight-up rock song sounds like.
One day back in 1972 I rode my bike to the Mall and bought Deep Purple "Made In Japan", Alice Cooper "Billion Dollar Babies" and Grand Funk Railroad "We're An American Band". Those were the days, daze. BTW, Mel's last name is pronounced Shak-ter. The boys from Flint, Michigan. And that classic car they were pushing and riding in was a Hispano-Suiza, check with Jay Leno about that particular mark, he rated H-S above Rolls Royce in their early days.
Dude, I got those same three albums for my 15th birthday. What a great time to be alive, eh!
All the great bands you react to I've either seen live or was buying their music as soon as it came out as the 60's and 70's was my stomping ground. In the case of GFR, I've seen them live in 1969. I have to laugh when people nowadays have never heard of all the bands that I grew up with. I can understand Mountain as one of them as they were really not mainstream. I met a 16 year old girl yesterday who never even heard of The Beatles...too funny. Thanks Lee for the great reactions.
That video gives you some interesting glimpses into that time for sure, but to me it's mostly a distraction, and there is another version where it just shows the session where they are all doing it.
I had this single in later grade school and I fell in love also with side B, their cover of Do the Locomotion, an older hit from the 60s. It's so cool how the bass comes in so incredibly heavy when it does, and the whole thing is just cranked up to the maximum density, and so fun to dance to. It's really raw in a lot of ways, especially for a pop cover, and I love it.
This is such a different world! We loved 🥰 our time! Best music ever!
I really enjoy your videos man, it's nice to see young people paying attention to what happened in the 60's and 70's. This album was produced by Todd Rundgren, he gave them a new sound, and it propelled the band into superstardom.
I saw them in Oct. of 1969 at the old University of Oklahoma Field House (couldn't hear for two days afterwards} ,in1970 at Pirate World in Miami and in 1972 in Frankfurt Germany while I was a draftee in the army. They always put on a kick ass rock show and were the loudest band working at the time. Farner was a ball of fire on stage. He'd go from one side of the stage to the other in three downbeats, climb on and jump off the stacks and absolutely owned the stage.
"....up all night, with Freddie King. I got to tell ya poker's his thing. Booze and ladies, keep me right...."
As long as we can make it to the show tonight
Just saw them playing tonight. Still rockin'!
One of the best rock-metal band🤘
This is definitely a F*** Yeah Band!!! Couldn't have stated it better myself LOL❤
Yeah, us high schoolers did too! The Grand Trunk Railroad sued them and made them change their name. My grandfather retired from Grand Trunk
Oh yeah , has been played at a lot of parties over the years , at least the parties I've been to !
I love that you dig this band so much! ❤️
Wow, I had forgotten the existence of this song...My gosh... how old am I?!😅
The record itself is a cool, translucent neon orange - probably the coolest vinyl I've ever seen!
I watched this because I was trying to look for musicians reacting to this song to see how much they liked the various aspects of it and to hear what they noticed. I really enjoyed this. I appreciate you bud. Just found your channel and just subbed. I like some of those albums I see in the background btw. I was originally looking this song up to add it to a Feel Good Playlist I'm making.
You should react to Freddy King's "Palace of the King." One of the three "Kings" of the blues: BB, Albert, and Freddy. Eric Clapton practically idolized Freddy. Left us too soon.
Song is in my Top 10!!🔥
Mel * Shakka * : A great bass player. GFR : Watta KILLA band and indeed still a favourite ! That LIVE album was and remains monumental ! 🤙🎵🎶🎸🥁💫💥
Great song
Great song, great band! Next, check out Footstompin’ Music (live version), the song was originally released in 71. ✌️
I saw Don Brewers version of Grand Funk Railroad just last summer in Concord NC! They were outstanding! I can wait until you get to America's greatest band LYNYRD SKYNYRD!
Oh boy, you’re in for a treat.❤
Someday the Rock n Roll hall of fame may be ever so kind to put this iconic rock and roll band into their library, or whatever it's supposed to be. A museum? Or, is it just some money laundering place for rock critics?
Saw GFR at Shea Stadium, early 70s.
Saw them 1981 I think that was the year. Wichita falls. Tx.
You're right about this song having the coolest sounding cowbell
That's some good 🐄 🔔
Great band! Probably just home movies because we never saw this video back in the day
Flint Michigan Bro
Graduated highschool, rolled fatty and went to Shea Stadium in N.Y. to see and hear Humble Pie with Peter Framton and Grand Funk Railroad The concert sold out faster than the Beatles. We were in the top tier and thought it was going to fall down. Check out tunes from GFR's first red album. There's some great stuff there and Humble Pie's Rock On album is great in it's entirety
Mark Farner also sang with him!
It wasn't their choice to drop "Railroad" from their name. Grand Trunk Railroad sued them for copyright infringement. GTR runs through Flint, MI, their hometown.
produce by a great producer and musician todd rundgren a no.1 hit !
Nothing like growing up in the 1970s and 80s. I feel badly for young people today with the shit that's passed off as music.
I remember this song
Great timing…you just listened to Todd Rundgren…who was the producer of this song. A little different sound to this song compared to their other work. Credit that to Todd
Yep, another phenomenal Todd Rundgren production - basically saving the band by producing both this album and the next - both huge.
Yes fortunately videos that you see have been saved as the custom back in the day was to erase or record over videos and TV shows-many have been lost.
Everybody was already just calling them "Grand Funk" anyway; full name was a mouthful...
I say Grand Funk Railroad too, but sometimes I might shorten it for convenience. A casual Grand Funk.😂 you might say, Grand Funk is awesome!
Grand Funk Railroad is heavy.
BLACK LICORICE IS ANOTHER GREAT TUNE OFF THAT ALBUM…
ROCK ON MAN 👊🖖
Need to check out Black Liquorice --LIVE
The original LP release was on clear gold vinyl.
Lead singer also sang lead🎤🎤🎤🎤🎸🎸🎸
one of the best songs of the day, just my opinion, but I love it
My pick my pick my pick... did I tell you this is my pic?!!!LOL 😅
Ultimately, I agree that GFR is a better name, but the truth is that when they were very popular, we all called them Grand Funk, and the Railroad part became unnecessary I suppose. ✌🏼😎🇺🇸
Grand Funk - Loneliness th-cam.com/video/-HSKEGsq_G4/w-d-xo.html
Grand Funk Railroad - Save The Land th-cam.com/video/Zz_fV-WKL3A/w-d-xo.html
Into The Sun th-cam.com/video/x3uJJfgWXeA/w-d-xo.html
Creepin' (Remastered) th-cam.com/video/it0Ouo_6AZk/w-d-xo.html
Grand Funk Railroad Paranoid th-cam.com/video/PmGaLDSgHnI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=hQ7TiCio2oX7qm7E
Grand Funk You Ready
Grand Funk Railroad Feelin alright th-cam.com/video/HOcrRt8p2J4/w-d-xo.html
Grand Funk Railroad - Aimless Lady th-cam.com/video/NlwQl814G2A/w-d-xo.html
Grand Funk Railroad Mean Mistreater
Grand Funk Shinin' On
grand funk railroad to get back in
grand funk railroad Little Johnny Hooker
grand funk railroad Carry Me Through
Grand Funk Railroad Mr. Limousine Driver
Grand Funk Railroad - No Lies
Grand Funk Railroad Winter And My Soul
Grand Funk Railroad Mr. Pretty Boy
Grand Funk Loneliest Rider th-cam.com/video/MDFLzrqVbG0/w-d-xo.html
Grand Funk Railroad The Railroad th-cam.com/video/Ul0YG5ZolJM/w-d-xo.html
Grand Funk Railroad Stop Lookin' Back th-cam.com/video/tWTAUJ38PNA/w-d-xo.html
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD - People, Let's Stop the War th-cam.com/video/IDPsRca6Qt4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=gZzqFK7KMJ4CWwNp
Sweet Connie was one of the preeminent groupies to get immortalized in a hit song
Now that is American Rock and Roll! Kicks Major Ass...I think they had just little fun with Sweet sweet Connie and many others!...And they are not in the lamo R&R Hall of Fame (like the J Geils Band you just Did and your Jethro Tull!))..You want to check out another good tune by a singing drummer...Rare Earth and "Get Ready"..
f'ing awesome track!
Too bad the other members of the band screwed Mark Farner over and threw him out of the band and have him sign over everything to them. They suck.
Lyrically, this seems self referential and obvious, but it's still good rock n roll
I agree with you on the name. It's sort of like ifCredence Clearwater Revival decided to change their name to just Credence Clearwater.