“A Girl Like You” (The Young Rascals)

Today’s classic song of the day is “A Girl Like You” by the Young Rascals. Released in 1967, it peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“A Girl Like You” is an upbeat, feel good shuffle. The first part of each verse (‘I don’t know what it’s all about…”) is more subdued, with just piano accompanying the vocals, then the guitar and drums (with rim clicks) slide in softly on the second half of the verse (“It’s nothin’ like I ever thought it would be…”). It really goes into high gear when the whole band, augmented by horns, kicks in on the exuberant choruses (“I’m in love with…”), with Dino Danelli accenting the syncopated hits like he was driving a big band. It’s joyous.

This song, written by Felix Cavaliere, was the opening track (side one, track one) of the group’s 1967 album Groovin’. Not surprisingly, the album contained the band’s #1 hit “Groovin’” (side two, track one), along with “How Can I Be Sure,” another top ten single. The album sold more than 500,000 copies (RIAA Gold) and charted at #5 on the Billboard Top LPs chart. It was also the last album on which the group was credited as the Young Rascals; on their next album, Once Upon a Dream, released in February of 1968, the group was known simply as the Rascals.

The Rascals, young or otherwise, were a really grooving R&B-influenced group. Drummer Dino Danelli was a particular standout, his energetic jazz-influenced style influencing a generation of hip drummers. That’s particularly evident when you catch them live, as in the following live, not lip synched performance of “A Girl Like You” from The Ed Sullivan Show on June 4, 1967. Dino just tears it up; it’s really something.