Think was an American studio group put together by producers and songwriters Lou Stallman and Bobby Susser in 1971.[1]

"Once You Understand"

The group released a single, "Once You Understand", on Laurie Records which consists mostly of a dialogue between teenagers and their parents over the growing culture change;[1] the teenagers have liberal viewpoints, while their parents are more conservative. Throughout the record, the words "things get a little easier/ once you understand" are repeated. The song ends abruptly as a policeman calls the father with the news that his 17-year-old son is dead from an overdose.[1]

"Once You Understand" started getting airplay in late 1971, hitting number one at stations KQV in Pittsburgh and WIXY in Cleveland; nationally, it made it to No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1972, even though some stations banned the song for its reference to drugs.[2] The flip side of the single, "Gather" is a poem sung about life being short. (In later decades, "Once You Understand" was often sampled by hip hop artists.) The song also peaked at number 76 in Australia.[3]

The record was re-released in early 1974, when the partial broadcast ban was lifted and peaked at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1]

Later releases

Laurie released another single from Think, "It's Not the World, It's the People" b/w "Who Are You to Tell Me What to Do", as well as an album, Encounter "Once You Understand", but neither was a hit.[1] Stallman later produced a series of educational albums (such as Pre-Drivers' Education Through Music) in the 1970s, while Susser, who had previously helmed recordings by such artists as Trini Lopez and Robert John, has had a fruitful career recording children's songs.

This group is not to be confused with a West Coast-based band of the same name, that recorded two singles for Columbia Records in 1968 and 1969.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 2475. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ↑ Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. 7th edn, 2000
  3. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 308. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.


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