Song of the Day 4/17: The Rascals, “Good Lovin'”

Yesterday I mentioned songwriter Rudy Clark, whose “Got My Mind Set on You” became a No. 1 hit for George Harrison in 1988, 25 years after its first release. It was Clark’s second No. 1 record. The first one also failed to connect until a white band covered it, but it didn’t take nearly so long.

Clark wrote a lot of hit records, from “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)” to “Everybody Plays the Fool.” He co-wrote “Good Lovin'” with Artie Resnick (“Under the Boardwalk”) in 1965. The first to record it was Limmie Snell, stage name Lemmie B. Good. You’ll notice that Resnick is not credited on this version; these are Clark’s original lyrics. You have to admit, without that “doctor, doctor” line, it’s just not as catchy.

A month later the Olympics, a veteran doo-wop group, did a version with a new set of lyrics by Resnick. Fuller production gave the song more energy, but it stalled out at No. 81. This clip from “Shindig” appears to be live in the studio; check out the young Billy Preston on the organ.

For a non-hit, the song certainly got around in a hurry. The Tremeloes, Mary Wells and Tommy James were all quick to record it; the Who did it live for radio. Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals was the one who nailed it, though, aided by production that made it sound like a live track and a memorable false stop in the middle. The Young Rascals, as they were then known, had released one previous single as the first white group signed to Atlantic Records. This one reached No. 1 in April 1966.