Good Singin', Good Playin'

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Good Singin' Good Playin'
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 9, 1976[1]
Recorded1976
GenreHard rock[2]
LabelMCA
ProducerFrank Zappa
Grand Funk Railroad chronology
Born to Die
(1976)
Good Singin' Good Playin'
(1976)
Grand Funk Lives
(1981)
Singles from Good Singin', Good Playin'
  1. "Can You Do It"/"1976"
    Released: July 1976
  2. "Just Couldn't Wait"/"Out to Get You"
    Released: October 1976
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

Good Singin' Good Playin' is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Grand Funk Railroad. The album was released on August 2, 1976, by MCA Records.

The band had actually broken up, but after Frank Zappa expressed interest in producing an album for them, they reassembled for one more attempt at success. Recorded in 1976 for MCA Records, this album included a guest performance by Zappa, playing lead guitar on the song "Out to Get You". Although the pairing seemed bizarre, Grand Funk drummer Don Brewer said, "His whole viewpoint on what rock and roll is all about is basically the same as ours.... Keep it as simple as possible and really bring the balls out of this thing."[3] Zappa said, "All I did was, in a documentary way, make a record which tells you exactly what they really sound like. For the first time on record you can hear Grand Funk Railroad ... and they're fantastic, fan-tastic with an F three times taller than you!"[3] Grand Funk decided on the first day of overdubs to split up again, although Zappa stayed until 4 a.m. trying to talk them out of it.[3]

The album peaked at No. 52 on the Billboard Top 200.[4] The album was the final release to feature both bassist Mel Schacher and keyboardist Craig Frost.

Track listing[edit]

All songs written and composed by Mark Farner, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Just Couldn't Wait" 3:28
2."Can You Do It"Richard Street, T. Gordy3:17
3."Pass It Around"Farner, Don Brewer4:59
4."Don't Let 'Em Take Your Gun" 3:40
5."Miss My Baby" 7:20
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Big Buns" 0:30
7."Out to Get You"Brewer, Craig Frost4:44
8."Crossfire" 4:19
9."1976" 4:20
10."Release Your Love" 3:52
11."Goin' for the Pastor" 5:24
CD release bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Rubberneck"Brewer5:15

Personnel[edit]

  • Mark Farner – guitar, vocals; piano on “Just Couldn’t Wait” & "Don't Let 'Em Take Your Gun"
  • Craig Frost – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mel Schacher – bass, backing vocals
  • Don Brewer – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Frank Zappa – guitar on "Out to Get You", backing vocals on "Rubberneck", producer

Charts[edit]

Album

Chart (1976) Peak
position
US Top LPs & Tape (Billboard)[5] 52
Canada (RPM)[6] 48

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1976 "Can You Do It" Billboard Hot 100 45[7]
Canada 75

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Grand Funk Railroad discography".
  2. ^ a b Donald A. Guarisco. "Good Singin', Good Playin' - Grand Funk Railroad". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-06-02.
  3. ^ a b c Barry Miles, Zappa: A Biography, Grove Press, 2004, p. 254. ISBN 0-8021-1783-X.
  4. ^ Grand Funk Railroad, Good Singin, Good Playing Chart Position Retrieved March 25, 2015
  5. ^ Grand Funk Railroad, Good Singin, Good Playin US Chart Position Retrieved March 25, 2015
  6. ^ Grand Funk Railroad, Good Singin, Good Playin Canadian Chart Position Retrieved March 25, 2015
  7. ^ Grand Funk Railroad, "Can You Do It" Chart Positions Retrieved March 25, 2015