Let's Live for Today (song)

"Let's Live for Today"
Single by The Grass Roots
from the album Let's Live for Today
B-side"Depressed Feeling"
ReleasedMay 13, 1967 (1967-05-13)
Recorded1967
Genre
Length2:35
LabelDunhill
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The Grass Roots singles chronology
"Tip of My Tongue"
(1967)
"Let's Live for Today"
(1967)
"Things I Should Have Said"
(1967)

"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]

  1. ^ a b c d "Let's Live for Today review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Everett, Todd (1996). All Time Greatest Hits (CD booklet). The Grass Roots. MCA Records. MCAMD-11467.
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel. (2008). Top Pop Singles 1955-2006. Record Research Inc. p. 353. ISBN 978-0-89820-172-7.
  5. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 222. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  6. ^ "Let's Live for Today album review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-05-03.