I remember this single because of the label…it was given to me when I was around 10. I love the artwork of many of these old singles. The music is not that bad either with this one.
Rare Earth began as a popular Detroit club band called The Sunliners in 1960. They couldn’t get anywhere for years. The band decided that part of the problem might lie in their name and that a more contemporary one was needed. The band came up with Rare Earth which seemed cool, back to nature, and more reflective of the times.
They were then introduced to Barney Ales the vice-president of Motown Records. Ales had come to see the band on the recommendation of Berry Gordy’s ex-wife Margaret who was acquainted with Rare Earth’s manager. Barney Ales was looking for white rock acts for a new Motown division that reflected the album rock that was growing on FM radio at that time.
This was Rare Earth’s follow-up to their hit Get Ready. Motown pressured Rare Earth to record another Temptations hit, this time with Norman Whitfield – who had co-written and produced the original version.
The result was another major success for Rare Earth. (I Know) I’m Losing You peaked at #7 on the Billboard 100, #15 in Canada, and 20 on the Billboard R&B Charts in 1970. The song was on the album Ecology, Rare Earth’s sophomore effort and it peaked at #15 in the Billboard Album Charts.
Members of the band started dropping out and being replaced beginning in 1971. The group stopped touring together in 1974 when a split happened. Two members, including original member Peter Hoorelbeke, left to form a short-lived group called HUB.
The remaining Rare Earth members continued with replacements and recorded Back to Earth in 1975. They produced seven more albums and continue to tour. A roster of band members from 1960 to the present contains over 30 different musicians, with founding member Gil Bridges being the only constant.
Lead singer Pete Rivera: What made it so interesting, was that he actually got on our case for trying to sound like the Temps the first time we did the song the way we thought it should be. Whitfield listened for a while and then he spoke up and said, ‘You guys sound great on this tune, but I think you should give it a different flavor and presentation.
“The song was originally about 45 minutes long, Norman cut it down to 12 minutes for the album [Ecology] and then down to 3 minutes for the single. He was a master at editing.”
(I Know) I’m Losing You
Your love is fadin’, I feel it fade
Ah, your love is fadin’, I feel it fade
Ah, your love is fadin’, woman I feel it fade
Ah, woman, woman your touch, your touch has gone cold
As if someone else controls your very soul
I’ve fooled myself long as I can
Can feel the presence of another man
It’s there when you speak my name
It’s just not the same
Ooh babe, I’m losing you
It’s in the air
It’s there everywhere
Baby, baby, babe, I’m losing you
When I look into your eyes
A reflection of a face, I see
I’m hurt, down-hearted and worried, girl
‘Cause that face doesn’t belong to me
It’s all over your face
Someone’s takin’ my place
Ooh, baby, I’m losing you
You try hard to hide
The emptiness you feel inside
Ooh, babe, I’m losing you
I can’t bear the thought of losing you
Ah, woman, can’t you see what I’m goin’ through
I’m losin’ my mind (losin’ my mind)
And it’s all because of you
I can’t bear the thought of losing you
I’m losin’ my mind (losin’ my mind)
And it’s all because of you
I can’t stand the thought of losing you
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I like the echo chamber effect that he gets with his voice on this song, as it is very distinctive. “It’s all over your face, Someone’s takin’ my place”, reminds me of the Simon and Garfunkel song Cecilia lyrics, “I got up to wash my face, When I come back to bed someone’s taken my place.”
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Yes it does… they had a great sound all together.
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That Ed Sullivan clip is wild. One of those songs which I easily remember, but not so much the name of the band who recorded it. Interesting background on this group. Didn’t know the song was that long on the album…the longer version works for me as well. And yes, great artwork on that single.
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I like a lot of those old singles artwork… They were drawn to the older Motown hits but it worked for them well…his voice certainly did them justice.
I think the Sullivan show stopped around the time I became aware of things…or at least remember.
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not a bad song and I guess yet one more for the list of ‘one hit wonders’. I agree on the single- cool art. Believe it or not, that’s another thing I miss in the digital age …not only the record packaging but the actual look of the discs! I can still picture in my head what almost every record company’s label looked like.
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I do miss that art work also… it’s a lot to miss. That smell of when you opened up a record, the music of course…and the artwork.
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I really like his voice!
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I do also…his voice is great!
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He sure doesn’t sound like a white man. That first video has to be one of the more interesting/creative choreographies that I’ve seen. It’s not a good dance tune, but it sounds really good. Rare Earth was pretty popular in this area and iirc the guy I used to babysit for may have had one of their albums. I cannot imagine paring a 45 min song down to 3!
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Yea it’s not a dance song but his voice just wails…it’s so full.
Yea it usually doesn’t work…I’ve heard paired down versions of Won’t Get Fooled Again and Stairway To Heaven…it’s not the same.
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Been years since I have heard this one. I remember it on the radio as a kid.
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Yea…I love his voice….he had a great voice for these types of songs
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Nice psychedelic soul. Almost sounds a bit like Jimi Hendrix meets Motown. I also dig Rare Earth’s rendition of “Get Ready”, both the single edit and the epic 20-minute-plus album version!
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Yes I like both of them! They made a career on Motown hits…but they didn’t copy them…they did them their own way for the most part.
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Cant listen to RE without thinking about one of my best friends. He loved this band. We used to groove to ‘Rare Earth Live’ (I still have the album. ‘Born To Wander’ ‘I Just want To Celebrate’ ‘Hey Big Brother’. I think I’ll go listen to the album. Thanks Max.
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His voice is just killer… he has a nice fat voice. Enjoy man!
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I loved both this song and “Get Ready”, of which I bought the 45 single. I like the Temptations’ versions too, but think the songs are better suited to a rock arrangement for a band like Rare Earth.
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And geez, those dancers on their Ed Sullivan Show performance are just awful and totally unnecessary. Who in the hell ever conceived of that?!
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I’ve laughing at your reply because I thought the same thing… RARE EARTH… On Ice!!!
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I agree Jeff… his voice just makes it for me also.
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They were a hell of a jam band.
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