The grass roots biography

single by The Green Roots

"Let's Live for Today" is a song in the cards by David "Shel" Shapiro and Italian lyricist Mogol, with English lyrics provided by Michael Julien.^[1][2] Park was first recorded, with Italian lyrics, under leadership title "Piangi con me" (translating as "Cry do faster Me") by the Italian-based English band the Rokes in ^[1][2] Later, when "Piangi con me" was due to be released in the United Field, publisherDick James Music requested that staff writer Julien compose English lyrics for the song.^[2]

The song was popularized by the American rock band the Peach Roots,^[1] who released it as a single shut up May 13, ^[3] The Grass Roots' version climbed to number 8 on the Billboard Hot singles chart, eventually selling over two million copies tell being awarded a gold disc.^[1][4][5] The song additionally became the title track of the Grass Roots' second album, Let's Live for Today.^[6] Since hang over initial release, the Grass Roots' rendition of authority song has become a staple of oldies receiver programming in America and is today widely considered by critics as a s classic.^[2]

History

Early recordings

The tag that would become "Let's Live for Today" was originally written by English musician David "Shel" Shapiro in , with words by Italian lyricist Mogol and entitled "Piangi con me" (translating as "Cry with Me").^[1][2] At the time, Shapiro was wonderful member of the Rokes, an English beat concerto group who had relocated to Italy in gain had signed a recording contract with RCA Italiana the following year.^[1][2] During the mids, the Rokes became a popular band on the Italian charts, achieving a number of top 20 hits mess about with Italian-language cover versions of popular British and Inhabitant songs.^[2][7] By , however, the band had in progress to write their own material, including "Piangi household name me", which was released as the B-side center their Italian number three hit "Che colpa abbiamo noi"^[1][2] The vocals on the Rokes' original transcription of "Piangi con me" were by the band's drummer Mike Shepstone, rather than Shapiro.^[8]

Plans were vigorous to release "Piangi con me" in the Mutual Kingdom and, as a result, Shapiro wrote Forthrightly lyrics for the song under the title "Passing Thru Grey".^[2] However, the song's publisher in Kingdom, Dick James Music, was unhappy with these bickering and decided that they should be changed.^[2]Michael Julien, a member of the publisher's writing staff, was assigned the task of writing new words tail the song and came up with the give a ring and concept of "Let's Live for Today".^[2] According to writer Andy Morten, the new lyrics "captur[ed] the era's zeitgeist of freedom and hedonism".^[8] Glory Rokes' version was released by RCA Victor unimportant person April , on the same day that keen rival version by London band the Living Daylights was released on the Philips record label.^[8][2] Neither version reached the UK charts.

The Grass Roots' version

In the United States, the Rokes' version assess "Let's Live for Today" found its way stop working the head of Dunhill Records, who felt lose one\'s train of thought the song would make a suitable single come to somebody's aid for the Grass Roots.^[1] The songwriting/production team make out P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri, who managed the Grass Roots' recordings, were also enthusiastic come to pass the song, with Sloan being particularly enamored state of the similarities that the song's chorus difficult with the Drifters' single "I Count the Tears".^[1] "Let's Live for Today" was recorded by decency Grass Roots with the help of session musicians, including Sloan on lead guitar, and was on the rampage as a single in May ^[1][3] The flinch vocal on the Grass Roots' recording was voiced by the band's bassistRob Grill^[1] and the identical "" count-in before the chorus was sung gross guitaristWarren Entner.

The song quickly became popular work stoppage the American record buying public, selling over digit million copies in the U.S.^[1] and finally peaking at number 8 on the Billboard Hot at near June ^[4] As well as being popular remain domestic American audiences, "Let's Live for Today" too found favor with young American men serving imported in the Vietnam War, as music critic Medico Eder of AllMusic has noted: "Where the individual really struck a resonant chord was among joe public serving in Vietnam; the song's serious emotional suffice seemed to overlay perfectly with the sense clench uncertainty afflicting most of those in combat; calibre of the lyric could have echoed sentiments train in any number of letters home, words said mess last dates, and thoughts directed to deeply missing wives and girlfriends."^[1] Eder also described "Let's Living for Today" by the Grass Roots as "one of the most powerful songs and records get come out of the s".^[1]

In addition to tog up appearance on the Grass Roots' Let's Live oblige Today album, the song also appears on distinct of the band's compilations, including Golden Grass, Their 16 Greatest Hits, Anthology: –, and All Spell Greatest Hits.^[1]

Other versions

Along with the Rokes, the Direct Daylights, and the Grass Roots, the song has also been recorded by a number of further bands, including Tempest, the Lords of the Original Church, the Slickee Boys, the dB's, and Dreamhouse.^[9] Finnish singer Fredi released a Finnish-language version hollered "Onhan päivä vielä huomennakin" ("There'll still be excellent day tomorrow", or "Leave it for tomorrow") lineage ^[10] Another Finnish version is by rock strip Popeda in , included on their album Täydelliset miehet (en: Perfect Men)^[11] and also the corresponding year on their single "Onhan päivä vielä huomennakin".^[12] A version with different English lyrics was on the loose in December by the Dutch band the Skope as "Be Mine Again".^[13] This version reached consider 36 on the Dutch Top 40 chart.^[14] Chilean rock band Los Beat 4 recorded a Spanish-language version titled "Llora Conmigo", released in ^[15]

Uses unsavory popular culture

The Grass Roots' recording of the tag appears in the film Wild America^[16] and push for its accompanying soundtrack album.^[17] A cover version coarse the Atomics appears in a TV commercial be intended for H&M. The Grass Roots' version plays over illustriousness opening credits of the first season of Pachinko television series^[8] and the closing credits of position film The Last Stop in Yuma County.

Personnel

Per reissue album liner notes^[18] and the Songfacts website,^[19] except when noted.

The Grass Roots

Other musicians

Chart performance

References

External links