| "Let's Live for Today" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by The Grass Roots | ||||
| from the album Let's Live for Today | ||||
| B-side | "Depressed Feeling" | |||
| Released | May 13, 1967 | |||
| Recorded | 1967 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:35 | |||
| Label | Dunhill | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| The Grass Roots singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Let's Live for Today" is a song written by David "Shel" Shapiro and Italian lyricist Mogol, with additional English lyrics provided by Michael Julien.[1][2] It was first recorded, with Italian lyrics, under the title of "Piangi con me" (translation: "Cry with Me") by the English band the Rokes in 1966.[1][2] Later, when "Piangi con me" was to be released in the United Kingdom, publisher Dick James Music requested that staff writer Julien compose English lyrics for the song.[2] Julien composed new lyrics, rather than translating from the Italian, and it was his input that transformed "Piangi con me" into "Let's Live for Today".[2]
The song was popularized by the American rock band the Grass Roots,[1] who released it as a single on May 13, 1967.[3] The Grass Roots' version climbed to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, eventually selling over two million copies and being awarded a gold disc.[1][4][5] The song also became the title track of the Grass Roots' second album, Let's Live for Today.[6] Since its initial release, the Grass Roots' rendition of the song has become a staple of oldies radio programming in America and is today widely regarded by critics as a 1960s classic.[2]
- ^ a b c d "Let's Live for Today review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
- ^ a b c d e Clemens, Fred. "Let's Live for Today". Bob Shannon: Behind the Hits. Archived from the original on August 4, 2007. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
- ^ Everett, Todd (1996). All Time Greatest Hits (CD booklet). The Grass Roots. MCA Records. MCAMD-11467.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel. (2008). Top Pop Singles 1955-2006. Record Research Inc. p. 353. ISBN 978-0-89820-172-7.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 222. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ "Let's Live for Today album review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-05-03.