With his great appreciation for blues, soul, and R&B, Mike Bloomfield wanted to create a group of his own that would feature what he called "American music." He was inspired not only by the big band blues of B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, and Guitar Slim (Eddie Jones), but also by the contemporary soul sounds of Otis Redding, Steve Cropper, Booker T & the MGs, and other Stax recording artists. He also drew inspiration from traditional country, gospel, and blues forms. He organized the Electric Flag, initially called the American Music Band, in the spring of 1967, not long after he produced a session with Chicago harp player James Cotton that featured a horn section. Bloomfield decided that his new band would also have horns and would play an amalgam of those American musics he loved. He and Goldberg assembled the group, under Albert Grossman's management, in San Francisco and immediately began working on its first project -- the soundtrack for the film The Trip.
The band made its debut appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival, the first of the '60s rock music extravaganzas. Now called the Electric Flag, the group was well received by the audience of 55,000, though its performance fell short of Bloomfield's high standards. Following Monterey, the Flag proceeded to tour the Northeast and perform in the San Francisco area while working on a recording for Columbia Records. Though a critical success, the Flag remained largely unknown to the general public due in part to the band's inability to complete its initial record.
By early 1968, drummer Buddy Miles had become a dominant force in the Flag's aesthetic direction. The group's repertoire by then included numerous contemporary soul covers which featured Miles and many classic blues tunes. The band produced fewer than a dozen original pieces, mostly written by vocalist Nick Gravenites, and Bloomfield's original "American music" concept appeared to have narrowed considerably. By May 1968, only a month after the release of the aptly-titled A Long Time Comin', Mike Bloomfield quit the group, and though they strove to carry on under the direction of Buddy Miles, the Electric Flag was effectively finished. Personality conflicts, differing esthetics, and a series of drug problems hastened the band's downfall.
Though the Electric Flag was together in its original configuration less than a year, the band did make a strong impression on critics and musicians, primarily in the San Francisco area where they were based. One of the first rock groups to include horns, the Electric Flag was contemporaneous with the earliest edition of Blood, Sweat and Tears with Al Kooper.
Al Kooper left BS&T in April 1968, and was inspired by a jam recording with Moby Grape to the organize the similarly structured Super Session album. He included Bloomfield, Barry Goldberg and, after Bloomfield left the session due to a bout of insomnia, Stephen Stills. Bloomfield and Kooper also toured together, while drummer and vocalist Buddy Miles went on to form the Buddy Miles Express and also play in Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys.
A reunion of sorts took place in 1974 with the Electric Flag releasing The Band Kept Playing, but the recording was not a commercial or critical success and the band quickly disbanded after several months of sporadic gigs.
On July 28 and 29, 2007, a concert took place at the Monterey County Fairgrounds commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Monterey Pop Festival. One of the acts featured was a one-time reunion of The Electric Flag, anchored by original members Gravenites, Goldberg, and Hunter, backed by members of the Tower of Power and The Blues Project. The one hour set featured material from the first album, as well as several blues covers.
Groovin' Is Easy
The Electric Flag Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Groovin's so easy, baby, if you know how.
You don't have to keep yourself forever, baby,
Go out and chase whatever you're cravin',
It doesn't have to be,
No, no, it doesn't have to be,
So hard on you.
And if you can't see that, baby, girl you need help.
I could teach you things, you never could learn,
Show you just exactly how you got burned.
It doesn't have to be,
No, no, it doesn't have to be,
So hard on you.
It's easy to see now, baby, you're nobody's fool,
But you won't gain nothing, baby, by staying cool.
Better leave all your troubles and worries behind,
Give in to something, well it crossed your mind.
It doesn't have to be,
No, no, it doesn't have to be,
So hard on you.
The Electric Flag's Groovin' Is Easy is a song that encourages one to let loose and enjoy life. The lyrics suggest that life can be easy if we know how to groove, and we shouldn't be too hard on ourselves. The song is about finding ways to enjoy life without putting too much pressure on ourselves. The singer suggests that we go out and chase whatever we are craven for, and leave our troubles and worries behind. The song also suggests that we don't have to keep ourselves forever, and we should give in to something that crossed our mind.
The lyrics can be interpreted to encourage positive thinking, self-belief, and making self-care a priority. The singer is suggesting that we should stop blaming external factors for our problems and start looking inward. The song is all about taking control of your life and not letting anyone or anything hold you back. The lyrics suggest that we need to learn how to enjoy our lives in the moment, and not worry too much about the consequences of our actions. In summary, the song is a reminder to enjoy the simple things in life and not take things too seriously.
Line by Line Meaning
Groovin' is easy, baby, if you know how.
Life can be easy and enjoyable if you know how to find your rhythm.
Groovin's so easy, baby, if you know how.
Reiterating the fact that life can be easy and enjoyable if you know how to find your rhythm.
You don't have to keep yourself forever, baby,
You don't have to hold yourself back or deny yourself the things you really want.
Go out and chase whatever you're cravin',
Don't be afraid to pursue your desires and follow your passions.
It doesn't have to be,
These goals and aspirations don't have to be difficult or unattainable.
No, no, it doesn't have to be,
Reiterating that these goals and aspirations don't have to be difficult or unattainable.
So hard on you.
Life doesn't have to be hard or stressful, and you don't have to be hard on yourself.
There's nobody stopping you, baby, there's just yourself,
You are the only one holding yourself back from achieving your dreams.
And if you can't see that, baby, girl you need help.
If you can't recognize the limitations you place on yourself, you may need assistance.
I could teach you things, you never could learn,
There are things that can be taught that you may not have discovered on your own.
Show you just exactly how you got burned.
Help you identify the mistakes you have made and what led to negative experiences.
It doesn't have to be,
Reiterating that life doesn't have to be difficult or unattainable.
No, no, it doesn't have to be,
Reiterating that life doesn't have to be difficult or unattainable.
So hard on you.
Life doesn't have to be hard or stressful, and you don't have to be hard on yourself.
It's easy to see now, baby, you're nobody's fool,
It's easy to recognize now that you are smart and capable.
But you won't gain nothing, baby, by staying cool.
You won't gain anything by staying complacent or not taking risks.
Better leave all your troubles and worries behind,
It's better to let go of your problems and concerns and focus on the present moment.
Give in to something, well it crossed your mind.
You should give in to the things that you have been thinking about but may have been hesitant or afraid to pursue.
It doesn't have to be,
Reiterating that life doesn't have to be difficult or unattainable.
No, no, it doesn't have to be,
Reiterating that life doesn't have to be difficult or unattainable.
So hard on you.
Life doesn't have to be hard or stressful, and you don't have to be hard on yourself.
Contributed by James R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dana Brinkmeier
I was in college when these guys released this album and being a trumpet player, had to buy it. Great sounds with chicago roots migrating west to form a frisco band.:long live the electrtic flag !
bradlove123
How in the hell did this not become a hit?This is an instant classic!!
Walt Fechter
Buddy Miles, Mike B. on guitar, a boss horn section that sounds as good as Tower of Power. Incredible talent all around. It's all here. This is king tone, baby.
leegenix
They were the launching point for Tower of Power. NO kidding.
Mary Ingolfsrud
Michael Fonfara on keyboards?
Joe Mink
Don't forget Nick Gravenites. Maybe he didn't look like a rock star, but he was a super talent.
Steven Minnerly
Holy crap this is a kick butt , powerful song. Bought this album from Caldor on route 7 in Danbury, Conn. in 1968. Paid $3.69. Half my album collection came from that Caldor. What an underrated insane band. Talk about " WALL OF SOUND "
Steve Zinser
What a great song! I was out running when I heard this on Sirius Radio a few months ago! WOW!!! It has been a long time! I miss this great music! We were blessed to grow up with all of this! Peace! Steve
Steve Hope
Very blessed to grow up in this era.
Richard Mason
Peace!!!