For being so popular the band didn’t get a lot of critical acclaim in its day, and yet one couldn’t talk about rock and roll in the 1970’s without at least mentioning Grand Funk Railroad. They sometimes just announced themselves as Grand Funk to keep the name nice and short but everyone knew who they were right away before they hit the stage. Their arena-style music would pack the crowds in from miles around and keep them entertained throughout the entire show. Grand Funk was actually a play on words and was taken from the Grand Trunk Western Railroad that ran through their home of Flint, Michigan. When they were on stage it didn’t matter if they were following another band or warming up, they WERE the show.
If you were a fan then you might recognize the songs listed below.
5. Law Abiding Citizen-Sin’s A Good Man’s Brother
This was an absolutely brutal movie with a killer soundtrack. It kind of makes a person wonder just what they would do if their family was taken from them and the justice department did nothing except let one man go and put the other on death row despite the fact that he didn’t commit the crime. How many people would really just lay back and pray that something was done in due course?
4. The Simpsons-Shinin On
I’ve got to side with Homer on this one since it seems like too many kids these days have no idea of what classic music is all about, or even who half of the bands are that paved the way for their favorites of the modern era. Forgetting the pioneers of music is almost as bad as forgetting the pioneers that built our society. The severity is a lot less but it’s still just as lamentable.
3. Invincible-Feelin’ Alright
Vince Papale didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of making the team is what a lot of people, aside from Vince and his closest buddies, though on the day the Eagles held open tryouts. But with a losing record that had gone on for longer than even diehard fans could stomach it was time to try something. Lucky for the Eagles he was there, at least for a little while.
2. Heavy Metal-Queen Bee
Heavy Metal was an anthology of animated science fiction and fantasy stories designed primarily for adults and as movies go it was probably one of the more edgy of its time. It was actually kind of ahead of its time as well, way, way ahead of its time. Even by today’s standards a lot of it is pretty racy and in some ways a little disturbing, but it featured one of the best soundtracks ever produced.
1. Grand Funk Railroad-We’re An American Band
It would have been awesome to go see this band in concert while they were in their prime. The chance to see their effect on the crowd and the feeling in the place when they really got going would have been spectacular.
Of course it’s up to those that remember them to let the next generations know just how great they really were.
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