“The Railroad”

As David Fricke of Rolling Stone magazine once said, “You cannot talk about rock in the 1970’s without talking about “Grand Funk Railroad” With classics hits, some written by them and others written and preformed by other artists but when done by Grand Funk Railroad they were given a heavy dose “American Rock and Roll” sound to them:

1. We’re an American Band
2. I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)
3. Black Licorice
4. Inside-Looking Out (written by The Animals)
5. The Loco Motion (written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King)
6. Some Kind of Wonderful (written by John Ellison)
7. Gimme Shelter (written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards)

We have chosen The Railroad for this week since it is our favorite Grand Funk Railroad lost classic song. Not the one off of the studio album We’re an American Band but the live version on side three of Caught in the Act. Sandwiched between hard rocking Black Licorice and the bands signature song We’re an American Band. The live version is so much better then the studio version plus it gives us the great intro to We’re an American Band which might be one of the best ever intros to a song on a live album. It has a couple kids talking about what they want to be when they grow:
“When I grow up I want to be a cowboy.
I want to be a uh dentist.
When I grow up maybe a want to be a mechanic.
I want to be a ROCK and ROLL Star”.
Then it kicks in to the song. But to have such a great intro to a song it needs to be set up by another great song.
Enter The Railroad. For those of you how might have forgotten what a great album Caught in the Act and how great side three is maybe it’s time to dust off that old record player and enjoy the greatness of Grand Funk Railroad again.

                                                                 
Video courtesy of ClevelandBrowns13