1) The Rascals (initially … Read Full Bio ↴There are two bands called 'The Rascals'.
1) The Rascals (initially known as The Young Rascals) were an American soul and rock group of the 1960s. Eddie Brigati (vocals), Felix Cavaliere (keyboard, vocals), Gene Cornish (guitar) and Dino Danelli (drums) started the band in Brigati and Danelli's native state New Jersey. Their first public performance took place at the Choo Choo Club in Garfield on Saturday, February 27th, 1965. Three-quarters of the group - Brigati, Cavaliere and Cornish - had previously been members of Joey Dee and the Starliters. Eddie's brother, David Brigati, an original Starliter, helped arrange the vocal harmonies and sang backgrounds on many of the group's recordings (informally earning the designation as the Fifth Rascal). When Atlantic Records signed them, they discovered that another group (Borrah Minevitch's and Johnny Puleo's Harmonica Rascals) objected to the release of records under the name Rascals. To avoid conflict, manager Sid Bernstein decided to rename the group the Young Rascals.
The Young Rascals had a minor hit with "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" (1965), followed by the #1 single "Good Lovin'" (1966, originally by The Olympics). Then the band's songwriting team of Brigati and Cavaliere began providing most of their songs, and the hits kept coming for the next two years, including "I've Been Lonely Too Long", "You Better Run", "Groovin'" (#1, 1967), "It's Wonderful", "A Girl Like You", "How Can I Be Sure?" (which David Cassidy would record in 1972 for a #1 hit in the United Kingdom) and "A Beautiful Morning" (1968).
Guitarist Gene Cornish provided several songs of his own, such as "I'm Gonna Love You" and "No Love To Give."
In early 1968, the group dropped the "Young" from their name.
The Rascals' best work arguably came from their 1968 album Once Upon A Dream, which featured several leads each from Brigati and Cavaliere. Though the only success for a single on the album was "It's Wonderful" (#20 on the US charts), the album utilized frequent instrumentals, and peaked at #9 on the album charts. The album was praised by some critics for such songs as "Rainy Day", "My World" and the title track. Understandably, the song "My Hawaii" became a top of the charts hit in Hawaii.
Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits, released in mid-1968, topped the album chart and became the group's best-selling album. The same year, "People Got to Be Free", a horn-punctuated plea for racial tolerance (the band was known for refusing to tour on segregated bills) and their third U.S. #1 single, was also their final Top Ten hit.
Later singles and albums were not as popular, with only two top-40 releases in 1969, and none afterward.
In 1970, Brigati left the group, followed by Cornish in 1971. The last album with them as active members was Search & Nearness (hitting #198 in the U.S.), which featured Brigati's last performances as a member singing lead on the Cornish-penned "You Don't Know" and their cover of The Box Tops hit "The Letter". The only single release from the album was the spiritually-themed "Glory, Glory" (#58 in the US), with backing vocals by The Sweet Inspirations.
Cavaliere shifted toward more jazz and gospel influenced writing; he and Danelli released two more albums on Columbia Records as The Rascals, Peaceful World (U.S. #122) and The Island Of Real (U.S. #180), using other musicians and singers. These albums didn't sell as well as their earlier work and the group finally disbanded in 1972.
Cavaliere released several solo albums throughout the 1970s. Brigati, with his brother David, released Lost in the Wilderness in 1976. Cornish and Danelli worked together in other groups, including Bulldog and Fotomaker. In 1982, Cavaliere and Danelli joined Steve Van Zandt in Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul for the group's first two albums.
2) The Rascals were a three-piece indie rock band made of Miles Kane (guitar/vocals), Joe Edwards (bass), and Greg Mighall (drums). Hailing from the Wirral, on Merseyside, these three 21 year olds spent years learning their craft as part of The Little Flames, touring with bands like The Coral, The Zutons, and, most notably, the Arctic Monkeys. It was during this time supporting the Arctic Monkeys, inspired by their maverick, DIY spirit and refusal to comprise, the three youngest Flames decided it was time to trust their hearts and their instincts and go it alone.
In September 2006, they began jamming and writing new material as a three piece, and there was born The Rascals. Impressed by the raw energy and virtuosity of Miles’ playing, singer-songwriter Alex Turner approached him and suggested that he play lead guitar on a new Arctic Monkeys’ tune called "505". The Rascals were immediately signed to Deltasonic Records and played their first gig supporting Turner's band at Cardiff International Arena in June 2007.
August 2009, frontman Miles Kane confirmed that he left the band to pursue a solo career. The band was discontinued. Although receiving some commercial success by himself, fans of the group have kept the flame burning for reunions.
America The Beautiful
The Rascals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Who more than self the country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!
O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America ! America !
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
Wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!
O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
For man's avail
Men lavished precious life !
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!
The song "America the Beautiful" by The Rascals is a patriotic tribute to the beauty and virtues of America. The first verse is an ode to the natural beauty of the country, with "spacious skies", "amber waves of grain", and "purple mountain majesties". The second verse highlights the pilgrims who paved the way for freedom in America, with their "stern, impassioned stress" creating a "thoroughfare for freedom" across the wilderness. The third verse honors the heroes who have fought for America's liberty, loving their country more than themselves and exhibiting mercy over their own lives. The fourth verse is a dream for America's future, where its cities will shine clear and bright, untainted by the tears of the human experience.
The lyrics of "America the Beautiful" express a deep love and admiration for America and its inhabitants. The song has become one of the most iconic patriotic anthems in the United States, having been performed and recorded by countless artists since its original composition in the 19th century. The song is often played at sporting events, political rallies, and military ceremonies, and it has been used in films, television shows, and advertisements. The song's lyrics have been debated and analyzed by scholars and American citizens alike, who view the song's message in different ways.
Line by Line Meaning
O beautiful for spacious skies,
Oh, how lovely is the sight of the wide-open skies,
For amber waves of grain,
And the fields of golden grains swaying in the breeze,
For purple mountain majesties
And the magnificent purple-hued mountains in the distance,
Above the fruited plain!
Over the fertile land with fruit trees and bountiful crops!
America! America!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
May God bless America,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
And bring kindness and unity to the nation,
From sea to shining sea!
From the Atlantic to the Pacific coast!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Oh, how beautiful are the footsteps of the pilgrims,
Whose stern, impassioned stress
Enduring through difficult conditions with resilience and passion,
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
To pave the way for freedom through their determined actions,
Across the wilderness!
Crossing the desolate and challenging land!
God mend thine every flaw,
May God fix all the flaws in America,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
And strengthen the country's resolve to exercise self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
To safeguard freedom through law!
O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Oh, how beautiful are the heroes who fought for freedom in difficult times.
Who more than self the country loved And mercy more than life!
Who loved their country more than themselves and valued mercy more than their life!
May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine!
May God help America refine its riches to attain a noble success and divine gain!
O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years
Oh, how beautiful is the Patriot dream that looks beyond the present time,
Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears!
Where the shining white cities remain unbroken by human sorrows.
Till souls wax fair as earth and air And music-hearted sea!
Until American hearts are pure as the earth, the air, and the music-filled sea!
Till paths be wrought through Wilds of thought By pilgrim foot and knee!
Until we create paths of knowledge and discovery through the challenges of human thought and exploration!
O beautiful for glory-tale Of liberating strife
Oh, how beautiful is the tale of glory and liberation!
When once and twice, For man's avail Men lavished precious life!
When men sacrificed their precious lives once and twice for the good of humanity!
Till selfish gain no longer stain The banner of the free!
Until there is no longer any trace of selfishness in the banner of the free!
Till nobler men keep once again Thy whiter jubilee!
Until America regains its nobility and celebrates its brighter jubilee!
Contributed by Aiden L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.