One of Grand Funk Railroad's biggest hits came to Mark Farner in a dream. Farner, who helped form the Flint, Michigan-based rock band in 1969, said "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)" was the first song in which he wrote the lyrics first. "I prayed for that song," Farner said. "I said my prayers that night, ?Now I lay me down to sleep.' I put a P.S. on it after. I said, ?Can you give me a song to reach the hearts of people I'd like to get to?' " He said he awoke that morning to write the lyrics for the 1970 song that became popular among Vietnam veterans. They included: "I've been lost now, days uncounted/and it's months since I've seen home/ Can you hear me, can you hear me, or am I all alone?" "I got up in the morning, got the coffee going, looking at horses in pasture, and a guitar riff started to come," he said. Farner went on to have other hits with Grand Funk Railroad, one of the most popular U.S. rock bands of the first half of the ?70s. They also included "The Loco-Motion" and "We're An American Band." As for "I'm Your Captain," Farner said the song ? any song ? means something different to everyone. "I don't define it or help anyone to define it," he said. "Each one of us needs to hear music and let it do to us what it means to do."
This is GFR at the height of the band's popularity - hated by the critics and loved by the fans. They sold out Shea Stadium in just 72 hours. It took the Beatles a few weeks to sell it out!
Mark Farner.... Bass guitar (early), drums (Black Brass song), keyboards (before Craig Frost joined), Lead Guitar, Incredible Lead vocals and writer of 90% of the GFR material. One of the most talented front men to ever walk onto a stage in the history of music. What a talent and still touring to this day...
They sold out Shea Stadium in just 72 hours with no internet. You had to go to the box office and buy the tickets... think about that for a minute. It took the Beatles weeks to do that at the same venue when they came to the US....such an all time under rated band.
1. My all time favorite GFR song!
2. Saw them at the Reno GSR on 10/22/22. 😎
3. I was in the US Navy for 24 years so there's somthin' there
One of Grand Funk Railroad's biggest hits came to Mark Farner in a dream.
Farner, who helped form the Flint, Michigan-based rock band in 1969, said "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)" was the first song in which he wrote the lyrics first.
"I prayed for that song," Farner said. "I said my prayers that night, ?Now I lay me down to sleep.' I put a P.S. on it after. I said, ?Can you give me a song to reach the hearts of people I'd like to get to?' "
He said he awoke that morning to write the lyrics for the 1970 song that became popular among Vietnam veterans. They included: "I've been lost now, days uncounted/and it's months since I've seen home/ Can you hear me, can you hear me, or am I all alone?"
"I got up in the morning, got the coffee going, looking at horses in pasture, and a guitar riff started to come," he said.
Farner went on to have other hits with Grand Funk Railroad, one of the most popular U.S. rock bands of the first half of the ?70s. They also included "The Loco-Motion" and "We're An American Band."
As for "I'm Your Captain," Farner said the song ? any song ? means something different to everyone.
"I don't define it or help anyone to define it," he said. "Each one of us needs to hear music and let it do to us what it means to do."
The beauty of music, it can hit all of us in our own way
This is GFR at the height of the band's popularity - hated by the critics and loved by the fans. They sold out Shea Stadium in just 72 hours. It took the Beatles a few weeks to sell it out!
Impressive 😎
Mark Farner.... Bass guitar (early), drums (Black Brass song), keyboards (before Craig Frost joined), Lead Guitar, Incredible Lead vocals and writer of 90% of the GFR material. One of the most talented front men to ever walk onto a stage in the history of music. What a talent and still touring to this day...
You still need to hit their "We're An American Band"! Don, the drummer has lead vocals on it.
They sold out Shea Stadium in just 72 hours with no internet. You had to go to the box office and buy the tickets... think about that for a minute. It took the Beatles weeks to do that at the same venue when they came to the US....such an all time under rated band.
the studio version is a completely different song (well, the same song, but different vibe- strings-the whole deal)
I couldn't agree more. Definitely do the Studio version. Peace ✌️
This stadium filled up Shea Stadium quicker than the Beatles!
Love GFR; Check out- Stealin’ by Uriah Heap 🔥
Recommend "We're An American Band," "Mean Mistreated," or "Aimless Lady."
The james gang. Funk 49
It's a disgrace and a crime they aren't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Joe Walsh, Life's Been Good