Grazin / Highly Distinct [Import, Original recording remastered]

Friends Of Distinction | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 4, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Rev-Ola
• ASIN: B000P46PNC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #199,413 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Grazing in the Grass

2. I've Never Found a Girl (Who Loves Me Like You Do)

3. I Really Hope You Do

4. (A) Sweet Young Thing Like You

5. Going in Circles

6. Eli's Comin'

7. Help Yourself (To All of My Lovin')

8. Baby I Could Be So Good at Loving You

9. And I Love Him

10. Peaceful

11. Lonesome Mood

12. Impressions (Dialogue)

13. It's a Just a Game Love

14. We Got a Good Thing Goin'

15. Workin' on a Groovy Thing

16. It's a Wonderful World

17. It's Sunday

18. Why Did I Lose You

19. Light My Fire

20. This Generation

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

2007 digitally remastered two-fer featuring two albums by this Soul/Jazz/Softpop band on one disc. Both their debut, Grazin' and it's follow-up, Highly Distinct, were released in 1969. The Friends of Distinction were formed in 1968, by Floyd Butler, Harry Elston, Jessica Cleaves, and Barbara Love. Their first major hit, 'Grazin' in the Grass', was a radical vocal reworking of the hit by Hugh Masekela with lyrics written by Elston. Released in June 1969, this gold record zoomed into the Top 5 on both the Pop and Soul charts in the US, peaking at #3. The Friends were very prolific between 1969 and 1971, releasing five albums, and enjoying numerous Pop and Soul hits. Rev-Ola.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I produced both of these LP's for RCA Records., July 15, 2006

By 

John Florez (Scottsdale, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grazin / Higly Distinct (Audio CD)

I produced these LP's for RCA Records in 1968 & 1969.

The Friends' "Grazin'" album is still my all-time favorite production from the 15 years that I was in the record business.

Each "Grazin'" song was hand-picked and "majority rule" voted upon by the group, our talented arranger, Ray Cork, and me - just like the 5th Dimension selected their material. Even the choice of a lead singer for each tune was first individually auditioned and then voted on - an amazing, ego-free democracy.

No one ever mentions it in their reviews, but listen to "Eli's Comin'" to witness an incredible performance by Jessica Cleaves and the group. They recorded this intricate vocal arrangment in an unbelievable one vocal "take". Ditto for a one take performace of "Grazin' in the Grass".

On the other hand, "Highly Distinct" was always, and still is, highly unlistenable. My favorite cut is "It's Just A Game". At this point in their career, the group had enjoyed back-to-back million selling singles and RCA asked (correction: DEMANDED) that a new album be produced immediately.

Well ... truth be told (as Harry Elston would say), the Friends had been on the road for months, headlined LA's Greek Theater with Tom Jones, and simply didn't have the time to put something special together for a follow-up LP. And most of the cuts had to be recorded live with a full orchestra because RCA didn't want us to spend time cutting individual sets of tracks as we had done for "Grazin'".

Thus, in a perfect world, RCA could have/should have released "I Really Hope You Do" (the "B" side of "Grazin' in the Grass") as the Friends' follow-up single to "Going in Circles" and allowed the group MUCH more time to put a sensational new album together. However, as it turned out, this wish was granted a year later (though I was no longer affiliated with the group), when Ray Cork produced the "Real Friends" LP. THAT album should have been the followup to our "Grazin'" LP - not "Highly Distinct". (And, had RCA released "It Don't Matter To Me" instead of "Time Waits for No One", I believe the Friends' string of monster hits would have been extended.)

Friends of Distinction fans: I recommend the "Grazin'" and "Real Friends" collections as the very best of this talented group's performances.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Underrated vocal group in a bargain two-fer, June 1, 2002

By 

R. Riis "rriis" (NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grazin / Higly Distinct (Audio CD)

Sort of a jazzy-funky mix of the 5th Dimension and elements of the Manhattan Transfer with comparable chops and slightly lesser material. This set, though, is a treat, with 2 1969 LPs on one CD. "Grazin'" includes two hit singles, "Grazin' in the Grass" and "Going in Circles", and some fine performances on the Beatles "And I Love Him [Her]", Kenny Rankin's "Peaceful" (later a hit for Helen Reddy), and Cole Porter's "Lonesome Mood". "Highly Distinct" had no big hits but includes a nice take on "Workin' on a Groovy Thing" (though not as good as the 5D's), "It's Just a Game Love" (from the film "The Split"), and "We Got a Good Thing Goin'". "Impressions" is a psychedlic throwaway, though : a few minutes of effects-distorted dialogue and vocalese (in the loosest sense), that doen't bear repeated listening. Fans of the 5D, Manhattan Transfer, or just good vocal arrangements and harmonies will find this CD a delight and a bargain to boot.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WHAT A BARGAIN!, October 3, 2006

By 

LEE T. (CANTON,MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grazin / Higly Distinct (Audio CD)

I GAVE THIS CD FIVE STARS BECAUSE OF THE GREAT VALUE OF GETTING TWO FOR ONE. I AGREE TOTALLY WITH JOHN FLOREZ THAT "REAL FRIENDS" SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE FOLLOW-UP ALBUM FOR "GRAZIN'". IF YOU WANT TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THIS GROUP THIS CD IS A GOOD START.