The Youngbloods - Get Together

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The Youngbloods could not be considered a major '60s band, but they were capable of offering some mighty pleasurable folk-rock in the late '60s, and produced a few great tunes along the way. One of the better groups to emerge from the East Coast in the mid-'60s, they would temper their blues and jug band influences with gentle California psychedelia, particularly after they moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. For most listeners, they're identified almost exclusively with their Top Ten hit "Get Together," but they managed several respectable albums as well, all under the leadership of singer/songwriter Jesse Colin Young.

Young got his start on the folk circuits of Boston and New York, and had already cut a couple of solo albums before forming the Youngbloods. John Sebastian was one of the supporting musicians on Young's second LP, and comparisons between the two -- and between the Youngbloods and the Lovin' Spoonful -- are inevitable. Both groups offered good-timey folk-rock with much stronger jug band influences than West Coast rivals like the Byrds, though the Youngbloods made greater use of electric keyboards than the Spoonful, courtesy of the enigmatically named Lowell "Banana" Levinger. The Youngbloods didn't craft nearly as many brilliant singles as the Lovin' Spoonful, but (unlike the Spoonful) endured well into the hippie/psychedelic era.

While Young was always the focal point of the band, their first two albums also had songwriting contributions from guitarist Jerry Corbitt. Produced by Felix Pappalardi (who also worked with Cream), these records (The Youngbloods and Earth Music) were engaging and mature, if inconsistent, folk-rock. Corbitt's "Grizzly Bear" was a small hit, as was "Get Together," a Dino Valenti song that had previously been recorded by Jefferson Airplane. The Youngbloods' slow, soulful interpretation of "Get Together" was definitive, but it wouldn't reach the Top Ten until it was re-released in 1969, after the song had been used in a television public service ad.

By that time, Corbitt had left, and the Youngbloods, reduced to a trio, were living in Marin County, CA. 1969's Elephant Mountain was produced by, of all people, Charlie Daniels. Reflecting the mellowing influence of San Francisco psychedelia, it was their best effort, featuring some of Young's best songs. They released a few more albums in the early '70s (some live), but on these the mellow California rock sound that had served them well on Elephant Mountain had begun to turn limpid and wimpy. The group broke up in 1972, and Jesse Colin Young had a long and moderately successful career as a solo singer/songwriter.

~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

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  Education

[popoahi99]

wish I cud go back those were the righteous days....

revolution in the best sense......

we changed the world

[John1948ThirteenB]

But looking at the changes I would have to say we really screwed it up.

[malika732]

essa musica tocou em meu coração no filme que pra mim não teve melhor forrest gump,eu estava sozinha e deprimida,e quando ouço lembro-me que sempre podemos da a volta por cima,recomeçar

[John1948ThirteenB]

É uma história bonita Malika. Sei que a música também me ajudou muitas vezes.

[verybadsuzy]

one of my all time favorites!

PEACE!

[th3g1vr]

My very favorite song from the sixties. It was what I thought the 60's were all about. I still love this

song. This rendition of it that is.

I never even knew it was used as a commercial for the national conferance of christians and jews, I found that interesting.

I don't care what your religion this would

be a good song for our times.

[hugosalarm]

Captures the essence of five or six of the greatest years to have been alive and exploring, and does so in 4 and half minutes. Can't think of another song off hand that can do that.

[bushwickgirl347]

It's a song for all people. 

[Chris Mulwee]

Between the original version by The Kingston Trio and this hit version by The Youngbloods, this song was also recorded by Petticoat Junction star Lori Saunders who played Bobbie Jo.

Her version was only recently released on The Girls From Petticoat Junction: Sixties Sounds

BTW is this a re-recording? it doesn't sound like the version I've always heard, or maybe it's a longer cut.

Yes Lori's recording preceded this one, but by how long I don't know.

[iamriversong]

- i'm with ya here. they were awesome. and we did change the world - it's just that others came behind us afraid of what we brought to peoples' consciousness and did their best to overcome the beauty and freedom and all that was so good

[SkatoholicVideo]

lololol

[Alison Meeks]

Amazing song - brutal audio on this recording

[dawn grasso]

i love this song i was born 1977 but i really love this song it rocks