GRAND FUNK RAILROAD DISCOGRAPHY AND RATINGS (1969 -1976) 

I've always been a fan of GRAND FUNK (Grand Funk Railroad) I think they're one of the iconic bands of the 70s really. Might not be the best, but they were very good, and a big part of that golden era of ROCK. Never a critic's fave, but critics were usually a big pompous pain in the ass anyway. GFR was an important part of the music scene. I always say a good band has to have a good name. And GRAND FUNK (with or without the 🚂) is a great name! I first discovered them through the song "CLOSER TO HOME". This was probably 1973 when I was just 7 years old, but already well into music. My older sister had that album on 8-track. Lotta good cuts on that record! Soon after I bought the then new "WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND" LP. I was pretty taken with the powerful Don Brewer vocal on the title track. Excellent hit single anyway, but that vocal really drives it! I remember thinking (in that way with the powerful voice), how it reminded me of the great Rare Earth single, "I Just Want To Celebrate" (coincidentally also sung by the drummer!) I then got hold of the badass double LP, "MARK, DON & MEL," a very good comp which helped me cover those great early years (hey, back then you couldn't buy every album you wanted so easily...I mean, I was using my allowance, man!) Moving forward, I have very distinct memories of buying "ALL THE GIRLS IN THE WORLD BEWARE" in 1974. I really wasn't put off by the album cover. Sure it was ridiculous, but it seemed like a bit of tongue-in-cheek fun too, what with that exclamation pointed title. I recall liking the center label of the album, which aped the back cover (I always appreciated "custom" center labels anyway) Oh, and then you got that cool pull out poster. It was a cartoon effort, featuring the band running through a horde of screaming, wanton girls, insanely clutching at the boys' (all of them smiling of course) limbs and clothes for dear life! Haha. Like they were the Beatles or something. But I liked the poster cuz it was that over the top *Mad Magazine* type artwork I loved anyway, from being a major young fan of Wacky Packages and Mad Magazine. Anyway, I guess the whole aesthetic package of the album worked fine for me. It was weird and confusing thinking, "what, did these guys suddenly take up weight lifting to an extreme level or something??" -- one of those bodies is "Ahhnold" btw. I think there was a cool insert or inner sleeve as well, which supplied the '75 tour dates w/the big Uncle Sam GFR pointing finger. So, hey, I was getting a lot for my money (and GFR always seemed to put out cool packaging/specialized album covers) But to the content of the "ALL THE GIRLS..." record itself. Look, I know it's not some "great" album, and the Jimmy Ienner production is a bit thin, but I liked it okay then, and still do now. Sometimes I think people are so put off by an album cover, they might not even give the record itself an honest chance. For me, ATGITWB (while certainly not a top tier entry) does supply some very good numbers (eg, "RESPONSIBILITY," "RUNNIN'," the epic, spooky "GOOD & EVIL," the intense and catchy "TITLE TRACK" (albeit including one of the most stunningly gross opening lines in rock history), plus the two big hits, "BAD TIME" and "SOME KINDA WONDERFUL," both strangely sequenced as the *last two songs* on the LP?!? * Could this be the only instance in pop history when an album's two major hits are the final two songs on the album? Also, and maybe due to my age at the time, I even liked the catchy, quasi novelty song, "Look at Granny Run Run" (which thinking about it, might be the great pre cursor tune to Viagara). Back in those days, my Dad would call them "rooster pills" 🐓 Anyway, I didn't intend on getting so focused on ATGITWB here, but I always feel slightly defensive about it. Again, not their best by a long shot, but to me it's better than the long going insult fest would suggest. My personal fave GFR albums would be "THE RED ALBUM," "CLOSER TO HOME" and "SURVIVAL". But I will say that I like ATGITWB better than both "Born To Die" and GS'GP'. I even listen to it more than Shinin' On. * I also kinda dig the smoother, warm analog qualities of PHOENIX. "Rock 'n Roll Soul" is a great hit single, and "Flight of the Phoenix" is a very good instrumental. side note: The original TRUNK OF FUNK box (which facilitated all of the albums through BTD) featured "Jewel Case" edition CDs. I guess the two volume version of TRUNK, that was released much later, must've featured mini cardboard sleeves. *One last GFR tidbit from childhood: In 1974, or possibly the early part of '75, my parents took us to Atlanta. Not sure if it was for my Dad's business or not (as we visited Houston and San Diego for that reason). Either way, while in Atlanta '74/'75 we obviously checked out "The Underground" which is that very cool, festive sort of "city underneath the city" in Atlanta. I was very young, but I have this distinct memory of us walking into some kind of bar/venue, where a loud band was playing GRAND FUNK songs. In my mind, it WAS Grand Funk, but it's such a vague memory. All I know is that it looked like them and sure sounded like them. I like to at least pretend it was. Heh! Like maybe they decided to play this cool, more intimate venue down there, kind of surreptitiously while on that Girls! tour. Maybe after an Omni gig or whatever. ⚡

Love Grand Funk. They headlined our state fair in 2007 i believe and were fantastic. Hearing the stadium stomping their feet on the bleachers to Footstompin Music live was awesome. Them and Deep Purple are still my favorite bands I've seen live. Great stuff!

Seeing them live was always the best!

The Red Album will always be my fave!

I have all the CDs except their last 2. Grand Funk Lives and What’s Funk? Very under appreciated band. Love them.

Grand Funk Railroad Great Band ,My Favorites Are Closer to home And Survival 👍✌

That first Live album! Damn. I had it on cassette as a kid. It's smooth for that era. Peace, and Damn again.

Need to get into this band

I need to check out Grand Funk Railroad. They are an oversight in my classic rock collecting/listening. I know that you and Pete Pardo (Sea of Tranquility) love them so thats good enough for me.

Nice. I still have yet to get into them. I have a copy of that live album somewhere in my collection but I have never listened to it. I was actually looking for it recently but couldn't find it. It was a gift from a friend.

I'm guessing it's one of those songs considered too commercial, but I'm very attached to "Bad Time."

Hi Larry I bought the "We are an American band" album when it came out the cover was gold foil and the record had gold coloured vinyl. Maybe there was stickers. I remember being wearded out by the picture inside. The Allman Brothers and the Dooby Brothers also had similar pictures in their records those albums were good too. Maybe they were trying for that effect because they knew straight male teenagers were the most likely ones to buy those records.

So I went and bought both ‘trunks of funk’ and am slowly listening to all the albums. Thanks for promoting them on your channel. Other than about four radio hits, I never really listened to them.

I really enjoyed good singing good playing Zappa's solo on out to get you classic my favorite song on we're an American band black licorice another classic also inside looking out which was originally done by The Animals I believe closer to home I'm your captain and of course foot stomping music I still have the stickers from the American band album I also had a gold 45 of the song

I own every one of their studio albums and find them all enjoyable. Their last two aren’t as good but still not really bad. My personal favorites are E Pluribus Funk, Survival and Closer To Home

😃Yes, the live one is the first album I bought at 11 years old (thanks to my grandmother ✨I guess it was just a cheaper album at its special price- at the time “We’re A A B” gave us all the buzz

I love Grand Funk quite a bit, they´re ok. My favorite album also is "Survival" I found this one in a cut-out bin somewhen back in the late 70s. And I totally agree that their version of "Gimme Shelter" is far better than the original. I have most of their recordings and there are a number of songs that I absolutly adore.

You're right. After E Pluribus Funk they lost their sound. Especially that thunderous bass sound of Mel.

Here is Mine Most to Least Favorite On Time Grand Funk Closer to Home We're an American Band E Pluribus Funk Survival Phoenix Shinin' On Born to Die Good Singin' Good Playin' All the Girls In the World Beware Grand Funk Lives What's Funk?

Grand Funk Railroad is good. I don't own any of their stuff though. I know that the Shea Stadium show is great! I watched it recently.. Yeah Shea Stadium is actually where I saw my first baseball game in person.. And hey the Beatles played there! The Beatles couldn't hear themselves play and John is actually funny in that Shea Stadium show! That Shea Stadium show is on RU-vid just like Grand Funks' show at Shea Stadium.. Great rOcK 'n rOlL.. )^_-)/ Sadly there is no more Shea Stadium. The New York Mets have a new stadium now called Citi Field in the same spot where Shea Stadium once was. Paul McCartney played the first concert at Citi Field when it opened I believe. I think it's on RU-vid.. )^_-)/

Grand funk railroads downfall was very similar to that of CCR and the police, in that the members of the band were fighting with the frontman (in this case mark farner) plus like those other bands the frontman overtime started to have a bit of an ego issue.