The group formed in 1961 as The Sunliners, and, after changing their name to "Rare Earth" were signed to Motown in 1969. The band was the first act signed to a new Motown imprint that would be dedicated to white rock acts. The record company didn't have a name for the new label yet, and the band jokingly suggested Motown call the label "Rare Earth." To the band's surprise, Motown decided to do just that.
The main personnel in the group included Gil Bridges (saxophone and vocals ), Pete Rivera a.k.a. Peter Hoorelbeke (lead vocals and drums), John Parrish a.k.a. John Persh (bass guitar, trombone and vocals), Rod Richards (born Rod Cox, guitar), Edward "Eddie" Guzman (congas and assorted percussive instruments) and Kenny James (born Ken Folcik, keyboards). The personnel lineup changed considerably over the years, with three members of the group dying during the 1980s and 1990s, and the only original member currently left in the group is Bridges.
Rare Earth had a number of Top Ten hits in the 1970-1971 period, including covers of The Temptations' "(I Know) I'm Losing You" (which was used in the documentary video It's Time) and "Get Ready". The cover of "Get Ready" was their biggest hit, peaking at #4 on the US pop charts, a better performance than the original. They did not chart significantly after 1971, although they continued to record into the 1980s. Their 1973 album Ma, written and produced by Norman Whitfield, is considered their best overall work, and features their version of "Hum Along and Dance".
The group gained a bit of notoriety when it was mentioned dismissively in the lyrics to Gil Scott-Heron's landmark 1970 poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," which included the line, "The theme song [to the revolution] will not be written by Jim Webb, Francis Scott Key, nor sung by Glen Campbell, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, Engelbert Humperdinck, or the Rare Earth."
Rare Earth, which continues to perform at corporate events and on the oldies circuit, appears to have had the last word, however; bits from their recordings have been used as samples on recordings as diverse as Beck's "Derelict", Black Sheep's "Try Counting Sheep", Peanut Butter Wolf's "Tale of Five Cities", Scarface's "Faith", NWA's "Real N****z Don't Die" and Eric B. and Rakim's "What's Going On". Their hit "I Just Want to Celebrate" was also used in a major national advertising campaign by Ford Motor Company. "Get Ready" was used on the soundtrack to EA Games Battlefield Vietnam.
There is another band with the same name:
2. Rare Earth began as an R&B band called the Sunliners in Detroit in 1961. Of the musicians who would be part of the band dubbed Rare Earth, only sax player Gil Bridges and drummer Pete Rivera were present. John Parrish joined on bass in 1962. Rod Richards became a guitarist with the group in 1966. Keyboardist Kenny James came into the fold the same year. After years of doing the club circuit, the group changed their name to Rare Earth and released Dreams/Answers on Verve. The album received little reaction and the group was picked up by Motown Records as the first act on their yet-to-be-named new label. Rare Earth suggested to Motown that the label name their new subsidiary after the band and Rare Earth Records was born.
When they set out to record their first album, they essentially ran out of material and did a 21-minute rendition of the Temptation's "Get Ready" to fill out the space. The album was making no headway on the charts for a long period of time. So they took the first three minutes of "Get Ready," released it as a single and it made its way into the U.S. Top Ten list, peaking at number four. Pulled along by the success of the single, the album also began to sell, breaking the Top 20, and Rare Earth's career was officially on its way. The second album, Ecology, was released in June of 1970, a couple months short of a year after "Get Ready" had been put out. Interestingly enough, Ecology was not really the group's second album, but their third. An album entitled Generation was recorded as the soundtrack to the film of the same name. When the film stalled at the box office, the album was shelved. Still, Ecology would yield not one, but two hit singles. The first was "(I Know) I'm Losing You" (another Temptations cover), which also broke the Top Ten. The second single, "Born to Wander," did not fare quite so well, but did make the Top 20. The album was catapulted to number 15.
Not wanting to lose momentum, One World followed almost exactly a year after Ecology, and yielded another hit single in a longtime classic, "I Just Want to Celebrate." The song peaked on the pop charts at number seven and the album broke the Top 50. They released a live album in December of the same year. For the next album, Willie Remembers, the group insisted on doing all originals, a move that was not common around the Motown camp. Unfortunately, for a band trying to prove a point, the album never reached the type of sales of previous records. Indeed, it stalled out at number 90, and the single "Good Time Sally" didn't even break the Top 50.
Motown tightened the creative grip on the group and original producer Norman Whitfield, who had worked with the group on earlier albums, was brought in to save the day. The resulting album, Ma, was released in May of 1973 and fared just a little better than Willie Remembers, peaking at number 65. The label was not pleased and sent the group into the studio to record with Stevie Wonder. That pairing did not really gel, though, and only two tracks were recorded, neither of which were released. Instead, the label sought to release another live album, trying to regain the spark that Rare Earth had had. That project also fell by the wayside, though.
What followed was a series of lineup changes and legal battles, and the group stopped touring altogether in 1974. The following year Rare Earth, in a new lineup, released Back to Earth. The album did a bit better than the previous one, reaching number 59 on the charts. The single, appropriately entitled "It Makes You Happy (But It Ain't Gonna Last Too Long)" stalled just outside the Top 100. A disco-oriented excursion entitled Midnight Lady was released in 1976, but failed to really go anywhere. To make matters worse, Rare Earth Records was discontinued altogether. The band had broken up by this time.
As fate would have it, though, this was not the end of Rare Earth. Instead, Barney Ales, who had presided over Rare Earth Records, started his own label Prodigal Records. He talked the group into reuniting to record the label debut. The resulting album, Rare Earth, was released in 1977 and made no real waves in the music business. Rare Earth got things together again for a marathon recording session the following year. That session yielded not one, but two albums. The first was Band Together, released in April of 1978, with Grand Slam following in September. Neither of those albums every really took off, either. The group essentially broke up in 1978, although a version of the original lineup was touring all the way into 1983. A different incarnation of the group, with just two original members, still makes the circuits.
Dreamer
Rare Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a fool I've trough that it should be... but dreamer dreamer.
Show me someome could stan me.
What do I say what I now I stan too much.
I think that know I wasting time.
I'm going... I'am gone.
You're the ansence in my mind... dreamer. dreamer.
Like a fool I've trough that it could be... dreamer... dreamer...
Down a wrong way I'm on a one way street...
You think by now I've been learned.
But I saw little I'm gone even I've fail in love to regret.
Dreamer... dreamer...
Like a fool of love it could be.
Show me someone who understan me...
When I'm gone... I'm gone...
Dreamer... dreamer...
Like a fool of love it could be.
I think that know I wasting time...
Dreamer... dreamer...
The lyrics in Rare Earth's song "Dreamer" reveal the innermost emotions of a person who is desperately searching for someone to understand them. The singer is speaking from a place of pain and regret, wishing that they had found someone who truly gets them before it was too late. The repeated use of the word "dreamer" suggests that the singer's hopes and wishes have not yet been fulfilled, and they may be holding onto unrealistic expectations of finding love and acceptance.
The singer also seems to be filled with self-doubt and insecurity, wondering if they are standing too much or wasting their time. Despite these feelings, they continue on their search for understanding and love. However, the final lines of the song suggest that the singer may have given up hope, stating "when I'm gone, I'm gone." This could mean that they have accepted that they may never find what they are looking for and have resigned themselves to being alone.
Overall, "Dreamer" is a powerful and emotional song that delves into the complexity of human emotions and the search for love and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Dreamer... dreamer...
The singer is addressing the dreamer, emphasizing their common trait of being dreamers.
Like a fool I've trough that it should be... but dreamer dreamer.
The singer acknowledges that they have been foolishly holding onto a belief, but still remains a dreamer.
Show me someome could stan me.
The singer is looking for someone who can accept them for who they are.
What do I say what I now I stan too much.
The artist is struggling with expressing themselves, afraid of coming across as too invested or clingy.
I think that know I wasting time.
The artist is starting to realize that their dreams may not come to fruition and they may be wasting their time.
I'm going... I'am gone.
The singer is ready to move on and leave their dreams behind.
You're the ansence in my mind... dreamer. dreamer.
The dreamer has left an absence in the singer's mind, yet they still label them as a fellow dreamer.
Surely someone understand me...
The artist is hoping that someone can relate to them and understand their dreams.
Down a wrong way I'm on a one way street...
The artist realizes that they have made some mistakes in their path towards their dreams and feel stuck.
You think by now I've been learned.
The artist acknowledges that others may think they should have learned from their mistakes by now, but they still remain a dreamer.
But I saw little I'm gone even I've fail in love to regret.
The singer has not had much success in their love life and has some regrets, but they are still ready to let go of their dreams.
When I'm gone... I'm gone...
The artist is emphasizing that they are committed to moving on from their dreams and will not look back.
Like a fool of love it could be.
The singer acknowledges that they may have been foolish in their pursuit of love, but they still remain a dreamer.
I think that know I wasting time...
The singer is starting to realize that their dreams may not come to fruition and they may be wasting their time.
Dreamer... dreamer...
The singer concludes the song by addressing the dreamer once again.
Writer(s): J. ZAREMBA
Contributed by Leah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alex Talamilla
Amo esta canción con toda el alma <3
Charles Lassiter
Not only was this a really nice album but it also had what I think was one of the best album-covers of all time. I always thought they looked real cool in that photo.
Sharon Henderson
Some here RARE🌟EARTH looked mighty shape in their Galactic photo shoot: like their ready to be beamed up into Space.-✨
Sharon Henderson
Such an beautiful song - performed from deep within the Soul from Motown RARE✨EARTH: great album Band Together 1978 (a very special year to me : for Peter, Gil, Ed, Ray, Mark & Mike joined forces "Banded Together" and breath life into this "awesome" album. What a treasure. - 💖🌟👏
ONLY BOSS LION 🦁☀️
What a pretty song. Classic! ♥️
Gilson Nei
O Sonhador... Que cada um tem dentro de Si...
Blasterizes
Someone post the whole album