Rare Earth is an American rock band affiliated with Motown’s Rare Earth record label (named after the band), which prospered from 1970–1972. Although not the first white band signed to Motown, Rare Earth was the first big hit-making act signed by Motown that consisted only of white members. (None of the previously signed all-white acts – The Rustix, The Dalton Boys, or The Underdogs – had any hits.)
Rare Earth had a number of Top 40 hits in 1970–71, including remakes of The Temptations’ “(I Know) I’m Losing You” (which was used in the documentary video It’s Time) and “Get Ready”. Each was more successful than The Temptations original, with “Get Ready” being their biggest hit, peaking at #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
This disc sold over one million copies and received a gold record awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America. The group gained a bit of notoriety when it was mentioned dismissively in Gil Scott-Heron’s 1970 poem, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, which included the line, “The theme song [to the revolution] will not be written by Jim Webb, Francis Scott Key, nor sung by Glen Campbell, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, Engelbert Humperdinck, or the Rare Earth.”
The group’s hits from late 1970 to early 1972 were “Born To Wander” (#17), “I Just Want to Celebrate” (#7), and “Hey, Big Brother” (#19). There were no significant hits thereafter. Nevertheless, the band continued to record into the 1990s.
Hey Big Brother (1972)
Hey big brother, as soon as you arrive
You better, get in touch with the people, big brother
Better get them on your side, big brother
And keep them satisfied
Welcome to the beat of the city street
Walk on now and don’t be shy
Take a closer look at the people you meet
And notice the fear in their eyes
Watching the time passing by…
Hey big brother, as soon as you arrive
You better, get in touch with the people, big brother
Better keep them on your side, big brother
Keep them satisfied
Focus your eye on the filthy sky
Just as far as you can see
Everybody’s getting kinda tired of waiting
Cause nobody wants to cry
And nobody wants to die…
Hey big brother, as soon as you arrive
You better, get in touch with the people, big brother
And get them on your side, big brother
And keep them satisfied
Now that you’ve got the picture
What you going to do?
Now that you’ve got the picture
What you going to do?
Hey big brother, I know you’re out there somewhere
If we don’t get our thing together, big brother will be watching us
He ain’t gonna get me, are you gonna let him get you?
He’ll never get me, he’ll never get me, no
Big brother’s coming
No he’ll never get me, no no no no…
Hey big brother
Hey big brother
Hey big brother
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