The Rationals were an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan.
History The Rationals formed in 1964 and first recorded a single for a local label, A2 Records, in 1965. After scoring a local hit with the tune "Gave My Love",Richie Unterberger, [ The Rationals] at Allmusic they recorded a remake of Otis Redding's "Respect". This won them a contract for national distribution by Cameo/Parkway, and the single ended up reaching #92 on the Billboard Hot 100.[ Billboard], AllmusicJoel Whitburn, Top Pop Singles. 12, edn, 2009. The record didn't break everywhere in the U.S. at the same time, so it had a tough time making a decent showing on the national charts. Several further singles, including "I Need You" and "Hold On Baby", were successes in Michigan but didn't catch on nationally. Lead singer Scott Morgan was asked to join Blood, Sweat & Tears, but he declined the offer. The group's only full-length, a self-titled effort, arrived on Crewe Records at the beginning of 1970, and the group split up soon after; Morgan went on to play with several other Detroit-area groups over the next three decades, including Sonic's Rendezvous Band (with Fred Smith of MC5) and several of his own bands.
The lyrics of Iggy Pop's track "Get Up And Get Out" from his 1980 album "Soldier" are mostly lifted from the band's 1967 single "Leavin' Here", (written & first recorded by Eddie Holland on Motown in 1963) which was included on Goldenlane Records' 2009 compilation, "60s Garage Nuggets".
In 1995, John Sinclair released a live recording of a 1968 Rationals benefit concert entitled Temptation 'bout to Get Me. Sinclair also named his book Guitar Army after the Rationals song of the same name.
The band's version of The Kinks' "I Need You" was also featured on the compilation Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968.
The Big Beat record label released Think Rational!, a two-CD anthology of the mid-1960s phase of the Rationals' career, in July 2009.Old Ann Arbor band The Rationals gets some long-overdue exposure with new anthology, AnnArbor.com, September 4, 2009
In 2010, The Rationals were voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends online Hall of Fame.
Members Steve Correll – lead guitar, vocals Bill Figg – drums Scott Morgan – guitar, vocals Terry Trabandt – bass, vocals
Discography Albums
The Rationals, 1970 Temptation 'bout to Get Me, 1995 Think Rational!, 2009 The Rationals (Deluxe Edition), 2018
Singles
Release dateTitleUS releaseBillboard 1965 "Look What You're Doing (To Me Baby)"/"Gave My Love" A² 101 1966 "Feelin' Lost"/"Little Girls Cry" A² 103 1966 "Respect"/"Leavin' Here" [Version 1] A² 104 1966 "Respect"/"Feelin' Lost" Cameo 437 1967 "Hold On Baby"/"Sing" A² 105 1967 "Hold On Baby"/"Sing" Cameo 455 1967 "I Need You"/"Get The Picture" A² 402 'B'-side by SRC 1967 "Turn On"/"Irrational" Danby's 125850/1 Danby's Men's Shops promotional copy 1967 "Leavin' Here" [Version 2]/"Not Like It Is" A² 106 1967 "Leavin' Here" [Version 2]/"Not Like It Is" Cameo 481 1967 "Leavin' Here" [Version 2]/"Leavin' Here" [Version 2] Cameo 481DJ copy 1968 "I Need You"/"Out In The Streets" A² 107 1968 "I Need You"/"Out In The Streets" Capitol 2124 1969 "Guitar Army"/"Sunset" Genesis No. 1 1969 "Handbags And Gladrags"/"Guitar Army" Crewe 340 1969 "Handbags And Gladrags"/"Handbags And Gladrags" Crewe 340 promotional copy
References
External links Official Rationals website A Brief History of the Rationals The Rationals