The 10 Best Grass Roots Songs of All-Time

The Grass Roots are one of the more notable American rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. After all, few acts can sell more than 20 million records, even if they have been around for most of a century. Interested individuals should know there are multiple incarnations of the Grass Roots. It isn’t uncommon for bands to see lineup changes.

However, few acts can match the frequency of the Grass Roots in this regard. The most iconic incarnation would be the one with Rob Grill and the rest of the 13th Floor. Indeed, he went on to provide vocals for the band from 1967 to 2011, other than for a short interval in the late 1970s. Still, interested individuals should know this when they look into the Grass Roots’ body of work.

Here is our opinion of the ten best Grass Roots songs ever released:

10. “Where Were You When I Needed You”

“Where Were You When I Needed You” came from the earliest part of the Grass Roots’ existence. After all, it was one of the songs that P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri penned to capitalize on the then-surging folk rock movement. Regardless, “Where Were You When I Needed You” has a vindictiveness that appeals to people who have ever been hurt because of a painful breakup. The narrator isn’t 100 percent over his ex. Even so, he is strong enough to reject the idea of getting back together without too much regret.

9. “The Runway”

In contrast, “The Runway” was released later in the Grass Roots’ existence. Specifically, it reached the number 39 position in the United States in 1972, thus making it the band’s last Top 40 hit. This is a love song in which the narrator’s overwhelming longing for his significant other is expressed as a desperation to return home.

8. “Love Is What You Make It”

“Love Is What You Make It” climbed to the number 55 position on the Billboard Hot 100. As such, it is another love song interested individuals should check out from the Grass Roots’ repertoire. It isn’t the most sophisticated piece ever recorded and released, but it has a surprising amount of heart.

7. “Two Divided By Love”

“Two Divided By Love” is famous for being one of those songs with a strong opening. Fittingly, it was chosen to represent Move Along as its first single in 1971. The song did well enough to make it into the Top 20, thus providing a reminder that the Grass Roots were a formidable name in their heyday.

6. “Temptation Eyes”

“Temptation Eyes” was separated from “Two Divided By Love” by one single. Funny enough, it bested the latter by a single spot on the Billboard Hot 100, finishing at number 15 rather than 16. Besides this, “Temptation Eyes” is notable for its sheer longevity. It spent 18 weeks on the chart, meaning it was the band’s longest-lasting hit by a considerable margin. Something that is extra surprising because it isn’t their most successful song. Subject-wise, “Temptation Eyes” is what one would expect based on the name. The narrator is being drawn in by a woman he’s attracted to. He wouldn’t resist even if he still could.

5. “Things I Should Have Said”

People aren’t always honest with themselves. Never mind with others. As such, it is easy to imagine the scene of the song’s narrator failing to speak up as his significant other departed from his life. It isn’t clear whether there was anything he could’ve done to save the relationship. The worst part is that he didn’t even manage to try. It seems safe to say that relatability did much to boost “Things I Should Have Said” to the number 23 position in 1967.

4. “I’d Wait a Million Years”

There is a difference between numbers we understand on an intuitive level and an intellectual level. One million is far beyond the former. Thanks to that, it is an easy way to express grand emotions, as shown by this song from 1969. The lyrics’ numbers are nonsensical. Despite that, they work superbly in conveying the extent of what the narrator feels.

3. “Sooner or Later”

“Sooner or Later” became a Top 10 hit by reaching the number nine position in 1971. It is one of the Grass Roots’ most famous songs. On top of that, it is no exaggeration to say that it is one of the most memorable singles from the early 1970s, helped by its extraordinarily catchy chorus.

2. “Let’s Live For Today”

Speaking of which, “Let’s Live For Today” went even higher by hitting the number eight rather than nine spot. The song celebrates how the narrator can focus on his lover. Something he specifically contrasts with people pursuing either the impossible or the meaningless. “Let’s Live For Today” encourages the listener to treasure the present, which isn’t necessarily a bad idea because one can lose track of what’s important by focusing too much on more distant considerations.

1. “Midnight Confessions”

Of course, “Midnight Confessions” is another of the Grass Roots’ crowning achievements. The band never released a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. “Midnight Confessions” came closest by reaching the number five position on it. We don’t see very well at night, thus explaining its strong association with hidden things. As such, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that “Midnight Confessions” is about something secret and shameful. To be exact, the narrator is in love with someone inappropriate because she is already married to someone else.

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