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Grazing in the Grass

1968 composition by Philemon Hou

Field	Value
name	Grazing in the Grass
cover	GrazingInTheGrassMasekelaSingle.jpg
type	single
artist	Hugh Masekela
album	The Promise of a Future
B-side	Bajabula Bonke (Healing Song)
released	May 1968
recorded	March 12, 1968
genre	Jazz
length	2:40
label	Uni (55066)
writer	Philemon Hou
producer	Stewart Levine
prev_title	There Are Seeds to Sow
prev_year	1968
next_title	Puffin' on Down the Track
next_year	1968
misc

| B-side = Bajabula Bonke (Healing Song)

"Grazing in the Grass" is an instrumental composed by Philemon Hou and first recorded by the South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela. Released in the United States as a single in 1968, it followed United States trumpeter Herb Alpert's vocal performance of "This Guy's in Love with You" to the top spot on the Hot 100 chart, ranking it as the 18th biggest hit of the year. The song also reached No. 15 Adult Contemporary. Masekela included the song in his albums Grazing in the Grass: The Best of Hugh Masekela (2001), Still Grazing (2004), and Live at the Market Theatre (2006).

Masekela's recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2018.

A vocal version by American vocal group The Friends of Distinction, with lyrics by band member Harry Elston, was a US chart hit in 1969. "Grazing in the Grass" has been recorded by many other musicians.

Hugh Masekela recording

The music was inspired by an earlier novelty recording, "Mr. Bull No. 4", by Freddie Gumbi, which Masekela had heard in Zambia, that started with a cowbell. When Masekela was recording his debut album, the running order was short by three minutes and his record company suggested he add the tune. Philemon Hou, an actor and singer who was present in the studio, came up with a new melody while the backing track was already being recorded. The session was held at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood.

Personnel

Hugh Masekelatrumpet
Bruce Langhorneguitar
Al Abreualto sax
William Hendersonpiano
Henry Franklinbass
Chuck Carterdrums, cowbell{{cite web | access-date = August 12, 2009 }}

Charts

Chart (1968)	Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100	1

The Friends of Distinction version

| B-side = I Really Hope You Do

Philemon Hou
Harry Elston

The Friends of Distinction recorded a vocal remake of the tune in 1969 on RCA Victor, which was also a Top Ten pop and R&B hit, reaching No. 3 on the former and No. 5 on the latter. One of the group's members, Harry Elston, wrote lyrics for their version and sang lead vocals.

Personnel

The Friends of Distinctionvocals
Max Bennettelectric bass
Jim Gordondrums
Al Casey and Arthur Wrightguitars
Gene Ciprianopiccolo flute
John Audino, Anthony Terran, Bud Childers, Dalton Smithtrumpets
King Errissoncongas
Douglas Daviscello
Jim Horntenor saxophone
Garry Nuttycombeviola
Harry Bluestone, Jimmy Getzoffviolins
Jack Arnoldpercussion
Larry Knechtelpiano

Legacy

The Friends of Distinction performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show on December 27, 1970, and appeared in a cameo section of Season 17, Episode 8 of the adult animated sitcom Family Guy. Their version also used in a 2023 TV commercial for Airbnb. A cover by Raven-Symoné is featured in the end credits of the animated film The Lion King 1½.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1969)	Peak
position
Canada RPM Top Singles	5
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	3
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul/R&B Singles	5
U.S. Cash Box Top 100	6

Year-end charts

Chart (1969)	Rank
Canada	62
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	17
U.S. R&B (Billboard)	10
U.S. Cash Box Top 100	59

References

Whitburn, Joel. (2004). "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004". Record Research.
"Top 100 Hits of 1968/Top 100 Songs of 1968". musicoutfitters.com.
Whitburn, Joel. (1993). "Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993". Record Research.
(16 January 2018). "Meet The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Class Of 2018". grammys.com.
[https://curious.com/curios/14569#date "Grazing grooves"], ''Song Curio'', January 23, 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2021
Berman, Eric. (June 10, 2020). "The Friends Of Distinction: Grazing In The Grass & Going In Circles".
Bronson, Fred. (1993). "The Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits". Billboard Books.
(July 20, 1968). "Billboard Hot 100".
Whitburn, Joel. (2004). "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004". Record Research.
(December 27, 1970). "The Friends Of Distinction "Grazing In The Grass" on ''The Ed Sullivan Show''".
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feon0VVMeRw "Family Guy Grazin' In The Grass"], via YouTube.
(17 July 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly – Library and Archives Canada".
Whitburn, Joel. (2004). "Top 40 Hits: 1955–2009". Record Research.
Whitburn, Joel. (2006). "Friends of Distinction, The". Billboard Books.
"Top 100 1969-06-21". [[Cashbox (magazine).
"Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada".
"Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969".
(December 27, 1969). "Top Records of 1969".
"Top 100 Year End Charts: 1969". [[Cashbox (magazine).

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

1968-singles 1969-debut-singles 2004-singles billboard-hot-100-number-one-singles cashbox-number-one-singles the-friends-of-distinction-songs hugh-masekela-songs raven-symoné-songs 1968-songs rca-victor-singles uni-records-singles hollywood-records-singles 1960s-instrumentals

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