Closer to Home

Closer to Home
Studio album by Grand Funk Railroad
Released June 15, 1970
Genre Hard rock
Length 44:27
Label Capitol 471
Producer Terry Knight
Grand Funk Railroad chronology

Grand Funk
(1969)		 Closer to Home
(1970)		 Live Album
(1970)
Singles from Closer to Home
  1. "Sin's a Good Man's Brother"/"Nothing is the Same"
    Released: June 1970
  2. "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)"/"Aimless Lady"
    Released: July 1970
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic link
Robert Christgau C+ link
Rolling Stone
The Village Voice B[1]

Closer to Home is Grand Funk Railroad's third studio album and was released on June 15, 1970 by Capitol Records. It was produced by Terry Knight. This album reached RIAA gold record status in 1970, making it the group's third gold record in one year. The songs, "Sin's a Good Man's Brother" and "Aimless Lady", were later covered by South African group, Suck.[2] "Sin's a Good Man's Brother" was also covered by the band Monster Magnet on their first full length album Spine of God and by Gov't Mule on their album The Deep End, Volume 1. The album's inside artwork shows a live photo of the band performing at Madison Square Garden in February 1970.

In 2002 "Closer To Home" was remastered on compact disc with bonus tracks and also released in a limited edition box set "Trunk of Funk" that contained the band's first four albums. The "trunk" has slots for twelve CDs to house the future release of the remaining eight albums that were released by Capitol records. Also included is a pair of "Shinin' On" 3-D glasses, guitar pick and a sticker reproducing a concert ticket.

In the 2009 film Law Abiding Citizen, the song Sin's a Good Man's Brother is featured in the closing credits.

Track listing

All songs written by Mark Farner.

  1. "Sin's a Good Man's Brother" 4:35
  2. "Aimless Lady" 3:25
  3. "Nothing Is the Same" 5:10
  4. "Mean Mistreater" 4:25
  5. "Get It Together" 5:07
  6. "I Don't Have to Sing the Blues" 4:35
  7. "Hooked On Love" 7:10
  8. "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)" 10:09

2002 Reissue Bonus Tracks

  1. "Mean Mistreater" [Alternate Mix]
  2. "In Need" [Live]
  3. "Heartbreaker" [Live]
  4. "Mean Mistreater" [Live]

Personnel

Charts

Album

Year Chart Peak Position
1970 Billboard 200 6[3]
Australia 9[4]
Canada 6[5]

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1970 "Closer to Home" Billboard Hot 100 22[6]
Canada 21

References

  1. ↑ Christgau, Robert (July 30, 1970). "Consumer Guide (12)". The Village Voice (New York). Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  2. ↑ Suck, Time to Suck Retrieved March 23, 2015
  3. ↑ Grand Funk Railroad, Closer to Home US Chart Position Retrieved March 23, 2015
  4. ↑ Grand Funk Railroad, Closer to Home Australian Chart Position Retrieved March 23, 2015
  5. ↑ Grand Funk Railroad, Closer to Home Canadian Chart Position Retrieved March 23, 2015
  6. ↑ Grand Funk Railroad, "Close to Home" Chart Position Retrieved March 23, 2015