Released: February 1968
Before I get to what’s actually on this album, I would like to criticize those jackals at Atlantic Records. The company released Once Upon A Dream in February 1968 and just four months later put out a greatest hits album containing “A Beautiful Morning”.
Either you put “A Beautiful Morning” on the Once Upon A Dream album or on the ensuing Freedom Suite album from March 1969.
Instead those bastards just made it to where you either had to buy the single or buy the greatest hits album to get that great pop song (I rate it an 8.5/10). Well the gimmick worked. The song reached #3 on the pop charts and the greatest hits album hit #1.
I complain, but Atlantic did make money… anyways on to Once Upon A Dream!
Hey, we got name change. They’re no longer the Young Rascals. Just the Rascals.
Anyways, on Groovin’ the Rascals hit the perfect sweet spot of creativity, catchiness, and commercial success. They largely put aside their garage rock origins and dabbled in all kinds of sounds albeit grounded in a pervasive easy-going-ness
The experimentation continues further on Once Upon A Dream.
“Easy Rollin’” is the older, balder, fatter version of the song “Groovin’”.
I joke, but I still like the song even if it isn’t as good as “Groovin’”. Ain’t no shame in that, though.
Speaking of inspirations… since it was recorded before “A Beautiful Morning”, “Rainy Day” was the template for that massive hit. A look at the titles suggests the group may have been conscious of this. In fact, “A Beautiful Morning” was the A-side and “Rainy Day” the B-side on the eventual 45 single release.
But “Rainy Day” stands on its own merits. This was the Rascals’ second big orchestrated track (following “How Can I Be Sure” on the previous album). Copious woodwinds, strings, and even a harp.
They aren’t completely beholden to whimsical experimentation, though. “Please Love Me” is (mostly) straight forward R&B in the mold of stompin’ Sam & Dave Stax soul. It was 1968, though, so there are jazzy refrains with saxophone and buzzes of fuzz guitar.
Here’s a first… the Rascals sound vaguely funky on “My World”. The song is definitely not funk at all, but the drumming gives you thoughts of a funk workout. Thanks, Dino. The Rascals keep the track in an ephemeral place though, never putting flesh on the funky bones laid out by Dino.
Another first: the Rascals sound bluesy on “Singin' The Blues Too Long”.
Want bubbly psychedelic pop? Here’s “It's Wonderful”. Meanwhile, “I'm Gonna Love You” crosses their R&B leanings with some Sgt. Pepper’s pop.
I appreciate the ambition on “My Hawaii”, but it misses the mark as the song gets swallowed up at times by the strings. “Silly Girl” does a better job of being a sweeping ballad, but without getting lost amidst a storm. The woodwinds and harmonies on that song are gorgeous.
The LP concludes with the psychedelic double dose of “Sattva” and “Once Upon A Dream”. The former is completely draped in sitar. Groovy, man. The latter is yet more sweeping orchestration.
ALBUM GRADE: B
This album is enjoyably solid. It doesn’t ever hit a towering high but also doesn’t really dip into averageness or mediocrity. Just a bunch of really good songs. And they were all written by Eddie and Felix, except “I’m Gonna Love You”, which was courtesy of Gene.
Commercially, the album was a relative disappointment. The only single was “It’s Wonderful” (#20 US, #7 Canada) and the album was their first to not go gold. Would have gone gold if Atlantic had just waited a month or two and included “A Beautiful Morning.”
Song Scores
Easy Rollin’: 7.5/10
Rainy Day: 8/10
Please Love Me: 8/10
It's Wonderful: 8/10
I'm Gonna Love You: 7/10
My Hawaii: 5/10
My World: 7.5/10
Silly Girl: 7.5/10
Singin' The Blues Too Long: 7.5/10
Sattva: 7/10
Once Upon A Dream: 6/10