Felix Cavaliere (keyboard, vocals), Gene Cornish (guitar), Dino Danelli (drums) and Eddie Brigati (vocals) formed the band in New York City. Three-quarters of the group - Felix, Gene, and Eddie - had previously been members of Joey Dee and the Starliters. Eddie's brother, David Brigati, another former Starliter, arranged 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 they already had another obscure group named the Rascals on the payroll. They decided to rename the group the Young Rascals.
Their first minor hit was "I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore" (1965), followed by the #1 single "Good Lovin'" (1966, originally by the Olympics). Soon the band began to mature as songwriters and released other hit songs written themselves, including the hit "Groovin'" (1967), "It's Wonderful", "How Can I Be Sure" (which got to #1 in the UK when covered by David Cassidy), and "A Beautiful Morning" (1968).
Their best-remembered song was "People Got to Be Free" (1968), a passionate plea for racial tolerance. Unusual for their time, the Rascals refused to tour on segregrated bills. After "People Got to Be Free", the Rascals never regained their former fame or had as large a hit.
In 1970, Eddie Brigati left the group, followed by Cornish in 1971. The last album with them as active members was Search & Nearness, which featured Eddie 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(#57 in the US), with backing vocals by The Sweet Inspirations. Cavaliere and Danelli released two more albums as The Rascals, Peaceful World and The Island Of Real, using other musicians and singers. They 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.
The (Young) Rascals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
Mustang Sally
The Young Rascals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Guess you better slow your Mustang down
Oh Lord what I said now
Mustang Sally now baby
Oh Lord guess you better
Slow your Mustang down huh-oh yeah
Oh I guess I have to put your flat feet
On the ground
Huh! what I said now
Listen!
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally ride)
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally ride)
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally ride) huh
All you wanna do is a ride around Sally
Alright (ride Sally ride)
Well listen to this
One of these early mornins'
Hey Wow! gonna be wipin' your weepin' eyes
Huh! what I said now-look-a-here
I bought you a brand new Mustang
A nineteen sixty-five huh!
Now you come around
Signifyin' a woman
That don't wanna let me ride
Mustang Sally now baby oh Lord!
Guess you better slow that Mustang down
Huh! oh Lord! Look here
You been runnin' all over town
Oow!
I got to put your flat feet on the ground
Huh! what I said now hey-a
Let me say it one more time y'all
Now all you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally) huh! (ride)
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
FADES-
(Ride Sally ride)
All you wanna
do is ride around Sally
The lyrics of The Young Rascals' song "Mustang Sally" are about a woman named Sally who loves and rides around in her Mustang too much to care about the man in her life. He warns her that she needs to slow down and stop running all over town. He bought her a new Mustang in 1965, but now she's acting like she doesn't want him to ride with her. The man is tired of being second choice, and he's ready to put his foot down and make her realize that she needs to be a better partner.
The lyrics are straightforward, but the song's upbeat melody and catchy phrasing make it a hit. The song is perfect for dancing, and the repetition of "Ride Sally ride" at the end of the song makes it easy for the listener to sing along. The Young Rascals' energetic performance of the song brings it to life, and the band's tight instrumentals complement the lead vocalist's soulful voice.
Line by Line Meaning
Mustang Sally uh-huh
The person called Sally is referred to as Mustang Sally.
Guess you better slow your Mustang down
Mustang Sally is asked to slow down the car she is driving.
Oh Lord what I said now
The singer repeats the previous line with a similar intent.
Mustang Sally now baby
The artist uses a term of endearment to communicate with Sally.
Oh Lord guess you better
Slow your Mustang down huh-oh yeah
The artist repeats that Sally should slow down the car she is driving.
You been runnin' all over town now
The singer observes that Sally has been driving around the town quite a lot.
Oh I guess I have to put your flat feet
On the ground
The singer intends to make Sally stop driving recklessly.
Listen!
The artist wants Sally to pay attention to what he is about to say.
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally ride)
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally ride)
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally ride) huh
All you wanna do is a ride around Sally
Alright (ride Sally ride)
The artist accuses Sally of only wanting to drive around aimlessly.
Well listen to this
One of these early mornins'
Hey Wow! gonna be wipin' your weepin' eyes
Huh! what I said now-look-a-here
The artist threatens to make Sally cry in the future for her current actions.
I bought you a brand new Mustang
A nineteen sixty-five huh!
Now you come around
Signifyin' a woman
That don't wanna let me ride
The singer accuses Sally of not letting him ride her car after he has bought her a new car.
Mustang Sally now baby oh Lord!
Guess you better slow that Mustang down
Huh! oh Lord! Look here
You been runnin' all over town
Oow!
I got to put your flat feet on the ground
Huh! what I said now hey-a
The artist repeats that Sally should drive slower and cautiously.
Let me say it one more time y'all
Now all you wanna do is ride around Sally
(Ride Sally) huh! (ride)
All you wanna do is ride around Sally
FADES-
(Ride Sally ride)
All you wanna
The singer reiterates Sally's behavior of indiscriminately driving around while riding her car.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, SPRINGTIME MUSIC INC
Written by: Bonny Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bobby Bob
Mustang Sally, think you better slow your mustang down
Mustang Sally, think you better slow your mustang down
running all over the town now
have to put your flat feet on the ground
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
One of these early mornings, oh, you gonna be wiping your weeping eyes
I bought you a brand new mustang 'bout nineteen sixty five
Now you come around signifying a woman, you don't want to let me ride
Mustang Sally, think you better slow your mustang down
You been running all over the town now
Oh! I guess I'll have to put your flat feet on the ground
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
All you want to do is ride around Sally, ride, Sally, ride
Songwriters: Bonny Rice
Kingscrib
The Rascals recorded Mustang Sally in '65, as the B-side of their Good Lovin' 45. I liked it better than their hit! Wilson Pickett's version came out the next year. I was already an R&B fan, so I dug his version. But The Rascals' still holds a place in my heart because it was the first version I heard, and the Rascals were a great band.
Ulrich Rohde
Hey, "Good loving" was a hell of a number, while "mustang sally" at most was a fill-in.
Gibson Juvenile
Rascals' version describes the Mustang as a 1966. Pickett's version is 1965.
Wil Robles
I heard the Rascals version first as well.
Robert Bihn
same here, 65 was the best year
Robert Sampson
Actually Mustang Sally actually was written and first recorded by a man by the name of Mack Rice.
louis azcasa2
Still one of the best groups of the baby boomers
Gary Gosser
I had a mono version of this album...one of my favorite oldies albums.
Ed Glassner
Lucky me. I still have my copy.
David Ellis48
The album had two other great covers - ‘In the Midnight Hour ’ and ‘ Like a Rolling Stone’