Once Upon a Time in the Top Spot: The Rascals, “People Got to Be Free”

47 years ago today, The Rascals hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the second time in the band’s existence, but this time it was with a song that would ultimately prove to be the biggest hit of their career.

This is quite an accomplishment when you consider that The Rascals’ first chart-topper, “Groovin’,” was in the top spot for four weeks, but in addition to the fact that “People Got to Be Free” beat its run by a week, it also did so over the course of five consecutive weeks. (The chart-topping run of “Groovin’” was broken up by Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” taking over the top spot after three weeks, after which “Groovin’” was still getting enough sales and airplay to make its way back to #1.

A musical plea for tolerance, “People Got to Be Free” was once described by famed rock critic Dave Marsh as being “dated but never out of date,” which sums it up handily. Yes, it’s an artifact of its time, as so many singles of the late ‘60s are, but that’s not a bad thing by any means: in a single song, The Rascals helped sum up what a lot of the battles of the era were all about.

After the release of “People Got to Be Free,” The Rascals reportedly would only perform shows where an African-American act was on the bill, which is a bold move but a powerful statement, one that doubtlessly earned them a great deal of respect in the process.