Once Upon a Dream (The Rascals album)
Encyclopedia
Once Upon A Dream is the fourth studio album by rock
band The Rascals
, released in February 1968. The album rose to number 9 on the Billboard Top LPs chart
and number 7 on the R&B
chart.
Once Upon A Dream was received differently by fans and critics. Many consider this album to be the band's best work, while others insist that it was too different from their traditionally rhythm and blues
influenced music. Lead vocals came from both Eddie Brigati
and Felix Cavaliere
, as well as from Eddie's brother and unofficial band member David Brigati
(on "Finale: Once Upon a Dream") and Gene Cornish on his own number, "I'm Gonna Love You."
In an interview with Melody Maker in 1967, Cavaliere stated, "Our new album, and I say this in a humble way, will be Sgt. Pepperish." The album uses frequent sound effects and spoken words between the songs.
A single of "It's Wonderful" (credited to "The Young Rascals," the band's last recording to be so billed) was issued concurrently with the album in early 1968. The single ends with a coda of "Mardi Gras
"-style special effects and party sounds that were not included in the album version.
The album was reissued on August 28, 2007 by Collectors' Choice Music.
and wrote they "put their own spin on it by adding their trademark blue-eyed soul and jazz influences to the mix of psychedelia... All details aside, though, a listen to this platter is startling. Its sophisticated orchestral and vocal arrangements are remarkable even in the 21st century... It's an under-celebrated masterpiece of the psychedelic era and belongs next to Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper's on the shelf because it is easily as sophisticated, and once heard in its entirety, can never be forgotten."
and Eddie Brigati
, except where otherwise indicated.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band The Rascals
The Rascals
The Rascals were an American blue-eyed soul group initially active during the years 1965–72. The band released numerous top ten singles in North America during the mid- and late-1960s, including the U.S. #1 hits "Good Lovin'" , "Groovin'" , and "People Got to Be Free"...
, released in February 1968. The album rose to number 9 on the Billboard Top LPs chart
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and number 7 on the R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart.
History
It was the band's first album billed to "The Rascals"; they had, for legal reasons, been known as The Young Rascals until this time. It was also the last Rascals album to be available in both mono and stereo mixes.Once Upon A Dream was received differently by fans and critics. Many consider this album to be the band's best work, while others insist that it was too different from their traditionally rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
influenced music. Lead vocals came from both Eddie Brigati
Eddie Brigati
Eddie Brigati is an American singer and songwriter.Most memorably, Brigati shared vocals, and played tambourine, in the pop group The Young Rascals from 1965 to 1970...
and Felix Cavaliere
Felix Cavaliere
Felix Cavaliere is an American songwriter, singer, music producer, and musician.Although he was a member of Joey Dee and His Starlighters best known for their hit "Peppermint Twist", he is best known for his association with The Young Rascals during the 1960s. The other members of The Rascals...
, as well as from Eddie's brother and unofficial band member David Brigati
David Brigati
David Brigati is an American singer.-Hi-Fives:David got his musical start as the lead singer of a doo-wop group known as the Hi-Fives. In 1958, the group recorded a number of songs on the Decca label. One of those recordings was entitled "Dorothy" and became a regional hit in the New York...
(on "Finale: Once Upon a Dream") and Gene Cornish on his own number, "I'm Gonna Love You."
In an interview with Melody Maker in 1967, Cavaliere stated, "Our new album, and I say this in a humble way, will be Sgt. Pepperish." The album uses frequent sound effects and spoken words between the songs.
A single of "It's Wonderful" (credited to "The Young Rascals," the band's last recording to be so billed) was issued concurrently with the album in early 1968. The single ends with a coda of "Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras
The terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
"-style special effects and party sounds that were not included in the album version.
The album was reissued on August 28, 2007 by Collectors' Choice Music.
Reception
In his review for Allmusic, music critic Thom Jurek, who highly praised the album, noted the influence of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
and wrote they "put their own spin on it by adding their trademark blue-eyed soul and jazz influences to the mix of psychedelia... All details aside, though, a listen to this platter is startling. Its sophisticated orchestral and vocal arrangements are remarkable even in the 21st century... It's an under-celebrated masterpiece of the psychedelic era and belongs next to Pet Sounds and Sgt. Pepper's on the shelf because it is easily as sophisticated, and once heard in its entirety, can never be forgotten."
Track listing
All songs are written by Felix CavaliereFelix Cavaliere
Felix Cavaliere is an American songwriter, singer, music producer, and musician.Although he was a member of Joey Dee and His Starlighters best known for their hit "Peppermint Twist", he is best known for his association with The Young Rascals during the 1960s. The other members of The Rascals...
and Eddie Brigati
Eddie Brigati
Eddie Brigati is an American singer and songwriter.Most memorably, Brigati shared vocals, and played tambourine, in the pop group The Young Rascals from 1965 to 1970...
, except where otherwise indicated.
Side One
- "Intro: Easy Rollin'" – 3:14
- "Rainy Day" – 3:39
- "Please Love Me" – 2:03
- "Sound Effect"
- "It's WonderfulIt's Wonderful"It's Wonderful" is a popular song by The Young Rascals, and their last single under that name. Written by group members Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati and with a dual lead vocal from them, it was included on the group's 1968 album Once Upon A Dream...
" – 3:24 - "I'm Gonna Love You" (Gene Cornish) – 2:33
- "Dave & Eddie"
- "My Hawaii" – 4:13
Side Two
- "My World" – 2:54
- "Silly Girl" – 2:42
- "Singin' The Blues Too Long" – 5:10
- "Bells"
- "Sattva" – 4:23
- "(Finale): Once Upon a Dream" – 3:53
The Rascals
- Felix CavaliereFelix CavaliereFelix Cavaliere is an American songwriter, singer, music producer, and musician.Although he was a member of Joey Dee and His Starlighters best known for their hit "Peppermint Twist", he is best known for his association with The Young Rascals during the 1960s. The other members of The Rascals...
– vocals, keyboards, sitar - Eddie BrigatiEddie BrigatiEddie Brigati is an American singer and songwriter.Most memorably, Brigati shared vocals, and played tambourine, in the pop group The Young Rascals from 1965 to 1970...
– vocals, percussion, tamboura - Gene CornishGene CornishGene Cornish is an American guitarist and harmonica player. He is an original member of the popular 1960s blue-eyed soul band the Rascals. From 1965–70, the band recorded eight albums and had thirteen singles that reached Billboard's Top 40 chart...
– vocals, guitar - Dino DanelliDino DanelliDino Danelli is best known as an original member and the drummer in the rock group, The Rascals. He has been called "one of the great unappreciated rock drummers in history."...
– drums, tabla
Additional musicians
- David BrigatiDavid BrigatiDavid Brigati is an American singer.-Hi-Fives:David got his musical start as the lead singer of a doo-wop group known as the Hi-Fives. In 1958, the group recorded a number of songs on the Decca label. One of those recordings was entitled "Dorothy" and became a regional hit in the New York...
– vocals - Chuck RaineyChuck RaineyChuck Rainey, is an American bass guitar session musician, known for playing with many well-known American musicians and acts, including Donald Byrd, Steely Dan, Quincy Jones, and Aretha Franklin.-Biography:Rainey's youthful pursuits included violin, piano and trumpet...
– bass - Ron CarterRon CarterRon Carter is an American jazz double-bassist. His appearances on over 2,500 albums make him one of the most-recorded bassists in jazz history, along with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar. Carter is also an acclaimed cellist who has recorded numerous times on that...
– bass - Richard Davis – bass
- King CurtisKing CurtisCurtis Ousley , who performed under the stage name King Curtis, was an American saxophone virtuoso known for rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, funk and soul jazz. Variously a bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musical director and record producer...
– tenor saxophone - Hubert LawsHubert LawsHubert Laws is an American flutist and saxophonist with a 40+ year career in jazz, classical, and other music genres. Alongside Herbie Mann, Laws is probably the most recognized and respected jazz flutist...
– flute - Melvin Lastie – trumpet
- Buddy Lucas – harmonica
- Steve MarcusSteve MarcusSteve Marcus was an American jazz saxophonist....
– soprano saxophone
Production
- Arif MardinArif MardinArif Mardin was a Turkish-American music producer, who worked with hundreds of artists across many different styles of music, including jazz, rock, soul, disco, and country...
– producer, arranger, conductor - Gene Orloff – strings
- Tom DowdTom DowdTom Dowd was an American recording engineer and producer for Atlantic Records. He was credited with innovating the multi-track recording method. Dowd worked on a virtual "who's who" of recordings that encompassed blues, jazz, pop, rock and soul records.- Early years :Born in Manhattan, Dowd grew...
– engineer - Joe Atkinson – mastering
- Phil Iehle – mastering
- Bill Inglot – mastering
- Dave Schultz – mastering
- Jean Ristori – mastering
- Adrian BarberAdrian BarberAdrian Barber is a musician / producer who is responsible for recording the Beatles "Gray Zone" Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962.-Musician / electronics:...
– sound effects - Andree Buchler – coordination
- Thierry Amsallem – coordination
- Dino Danelli – cover sculpture, design
- Mark Roth – photography
- Urs Tschuppert – design
- Richie UnterbergerRichie UnterbergerRichie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
– reissue liner notes