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.
temptation
The Rascals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gotta stay head-strong, keep rolling on
No point getting caught in the hype is long
Like I don't know right from wrong
So I gotta be real
Nothing to prove, I'm still
Big in the hood, I feel
So in control, I'm chill
So I stay top on the bill
I'm the main event, the headliner
Went from jungle DJ to rhymer
Never thought I would be the big timer
But I still par it like, yo, it's a minor
Cause I still rep my ends, still check my friends
Can I keep it up? I guess it all depends
If I can keep my mind right
Don't get tempted by the limelight
I think I'll be alright
Temptation leads like your naughty mate
The one that used to get you in bother
The one you can never bring yourself to hate
Can't avoid the temptation
But I know I gotta change my ways
And keep my nose clean, gotta fix up
Take a look at my life cause I ain't sixteen
And I ain't no boy, ain't no kid
The world ain't flat and the picture's big
Certain things that I gotta get rid
And a whole lot more that I gotta get with
So I gotta stay and roam on my own
Gotta move on, I can't stay at home
Cause I know what's there is all the same
Crack, cocaine and ghetto fame
Cold hard cash and a bit of a name
And I've see it all, so I need a change
Lost too many bredrens to the game
And you could say temptation's to blame
Temptation leads like your naughty mate
The one that used to get you in bother
The one you can never bring yourself to hate
Temptation leads like your naughty mate
The one that used to get you in bother
The one you can never bring yourself to hate
We used to be tight
Me and my naughty friends
Caused pure madness in the ends
I mean day and night
We robbed, we stole, we loved to fight
Smoking, drinking, joyriding
Drugs, thugs, not law-abiding
Reckless youngsters, no direction
No sign of correction
But then I switched it up, changed my ways
Got in the area like, "Oh my days"
But not my naughty friends, they're not fazed
Can't believe that this music pays
See no reason why we can't do
All the things that we've always done
Still in my heart I know that's just wrong
But it's hard to fight the temptation, son
Temptation leads like your naughty mate
The one that used to get you in bother
The one you can never bring yourself to hate
In this song, The Rascals address the topic of temptation and the struggle to resist it. They discuss the importance of staying true to oneself and staying grounded in reality while being in the limelight. They acknowledge that while temptation can be difficult to resist, it is essential to avoid straying from one's path and succumbing to negative influences. The lyrics also talk about the consequences of falling into temptation, such as loss of direction and negative associations, and the importance of change and growth.
The chorus of the song repeats the idea that temptation is like a "naughty mate," someone who may cause trouble and chaos but whom one cannot help but care about. This highlights the struggle between the desire to do what is right and the temptation to do what is wrong.
Overall, the lyrics of "Temptation" convey a message of self-awareness and resilience in the face of temptation. The Rascals emphasize the importance of staying true to oneself and avoiding negative influences, even when it may be challenging to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
Gotta keep my head above water
I need to stay afloat and not drown in the fast-moving world around me.
Gotta stay head-strong, keep rolling on
I need to stay focused and keep pushing myself forward despite the challenges that may come my way.
No point getting caught in the hype is long
There's no benefit in getting caught up in the buzz and excitement of the moment if it's short-lived.
Like I don't know right from wrong
I'm not ignorant to what's right or wrong, but sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.
So I gotta be real
I need to be genuine and authentic in everything I do.
Nothing to prove, I'm still
I don't need to prove myself to anyone; I'm fine just the way I am.
Big in the hood, I feel
I feel important and respected in my community.
So in control, I'm chill
I'm in charge of my life and not letting anything stress me out.
No one ain't knocking off Dill
No one is trying to bring me down or take away my success.
So I stay top on the bill
I continue to be the best and maintain my status on the top of the list.
I'm the main event, the headliner
I'm the star of the show and everyone is here to see me.
Went from jungle DJ to rhymer
I've transitioned from a DJ in the jungle to a lyricist.
Never thought I would be the big timer
I never thought I would achieve this level of success.
But I still par it like, yo, it's a minor
But I still act like it's no big deal.
Cause I still rep my ends, still check my friends
I still represent my community and make sure my friends are doing well.
Can I keep it up? I guess it all depends
I'm not sure if I can maintain this level of success and fame. It's uncertain.
If I can keep my mind right
If I can stay focused and grounded in reality.
Don't get tempted by the limelight
Don't let my desire for fame and attention steer me down the wrong path.
I think I'll be alright
I have faith that everything will work out okay in the end.
Can't avoid the temptation
It's difficult to avoid temptation and the allure of a certain lifestyle.
But I know I gotta change my ways
I'm aware that I need to make some adjustments to my behavior.
And keep my nose clean, gotta fix up
I need to stay out of trouble and improve myself.
Take a look at my life cause I ain't sixteen
I need to reassess my life and priorities because I'm not a teenager anymore.
And I ain't no boy, ain't no kid
I'm not a child or immature. I need to act like an adult.
The world ain't flat and the picture's big
The world is complex and vast, and I need to broaden my perspective.
Certain things that I gotta get rid
There are certain things in my life that I need to eliminate or let go of.
And a whole lot more that I gotta get with
There are many more things that I need to embrace or start doing.
So I gotta stay and roam on my own
I need to stay independent and make my own choices.
Gotta move on, I can't stay at home
I need to keep progressing and can't stay stagnant in one place.
Cause I know what's there is all the same
If I stay where I am, nothing will change and everything will remain the same.
Crack, cocaine and ghetto fame
The things I want to avoid - drugs and negative attention in my neighborhood.
Cold hard cash and a bit of a name
The things that can be alluring, but can also lead to destruction and harm.
And I've see it all, so I need a change
I've witnessed the negative consequences of these things and need to make a positive change in my life.
Lost too many bredrens to the game
I've lost many friends to violence, drugs, and crime.
And you could say temptation's to blame
You could argue that their desire for temptation and quick success contributed to their downfall.
We used to be tight
We used to be very close and inseparable.
Me and my naughty friends
My mischievous and trouble-making group of friends.
Caused pure madness in the ends
We caused chaos and disruption in the community.
I mean day and night
We were constantly causing trouble, no matter the time of day.
We robbed, we stole, we loved to fight
We engaged in criminal activity and enjoyed getting into physical altercations.
Smoking, drinking, joyriding
We indulged in various vices like smoking, drinking, and reckless driving.
Drugs, thugs, not law-abiding
We associated with dangerous people and participated in illegal activities.
Reckless youngsters, no direction
We were young and foolish, lacking guidance and purpose.
No sign of correction
We didn't show any signs of improvement or growth.
But then I switched it up, changed my ways
I eventually realized the error of my ways and made positive changes in my life.
Got in the area like, "Oh my days"
I was amazed at the opportunities that opened up for me in my new environment.
But not my naughty friends, they're not fazed
My old friends didn't share my enthusiasm for a new life and didn't want to change their ways.
Can't believe that this music pays
I'm grateful and surprised that my career in music is successful and profitable.
See no reason why we can't do
I don't see why my old friends couldn't also make positive changes in their lives like I did.
All the things that we've always done
I don't see why we couldn't still have fun and enjoy life together without engaging in negative behavior.
Still in my heart I know that's just wrong
Despite my desire to still be friends, I know that engaging in negative behavior is still wrong and damaging.
But it's hard to fight the temptation, son
It's difficult to resist the allure of old habits and friends, especially when they were such a big part of my life and history.
Lyrics © DistroKid, ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Fintage House Publishing
Written by: ARTHUR FREED, NACIO BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind