A Groovy Kind Of Love
by The Mindbenders

Album: A Groovy Kind Of Love (1966)
Charted: 2 2

Songfacts®:

  • This was written by New York songwriters Carole Bayer Sager and Toni Wine; Sager was 22 when they wrote it, Wine was 17. They wrote the song for Screen Gems publishing, and Jack McGraw, who worked at Screen Gems' London office, thought the song would be perfect for the British group The Mindbenders. The song became a huge hit in England, and was released in America a year later, where it was also very successful.
  • Sager was still teaching high school when she wrote this, and Wine was still in high school. Both went on to very successful careers in the music industry, with Sager writing popular songs for stage productions and movies (including "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"), and Wine writing the hit "Candida" and singing on many famous songs, including Willie Nelson's version of "Always On My Mind" and "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies. They wrote this in Sager's apartment.
  • In our interview with Toni Wine, she explained: "We were talking about 'Groovy' being the new word. The only song we knew of was 59th Street Bridge Song, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. You know, 'Feelin' groovy.' And we knew we wanted to write a song with that word in it. Because we knew it was the happening word, and we wanted to jump on that. Carole came up with 'Groovy kinda... groovy kinda... groovy...' and we're all just saying, 'Kinda groovy, kinda groovy, kinda...' I don't exactly know who came up with 'Love,' but it was 'Groovy kind of love.' And we did it. We wrote it in 20 minutes. It was amazing. Just flew out of our mouths, and at the piano, it was a real quick and easy song to write. Those are incredible things when those songs can get written. Like some you can just be hung on for so long, and then others just happen very quickly. And that was one of them. And it's been so good to us."
  • In 1966, this was also recorded by Patti LaBelle And The Bluebelles, but the version recorded by The Mindbenders, who released it as their first single without lead singer Wayne Fontana, became the hit.
  • Wayne Fontana left the Mindbenders after numerous singles failed to chart after their hit "Game of Love." To quote an angry Eric Stewart after Wayne just walked off the stage while they were playing: "All we lost was our tambourine player. Wayne had been threatening to leave the band for some time and drummer Ric Rothwell had reached the end of patience with his groaning an moaning. Ric was urging him to take his ego trip and p--s off." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Shiloh Noone - author of Seekers Guide To The Rhythm Of Yesteryear
  • This was a #1 UK and US hit for Phil Collins in 1988. His version was used in the movie Buster, where Collins plays the title role of Buster Edwards. Collins put together the soundtrack using various '60s songs because that's when the movie was set (he enlisted Motown hitmaker Lamont Dozier to co-write "Two Hearts," another US #1 hit used in the film). According to Toni Wine, "Separate Lives" composer Stephen Bishop wanted to record a cover and brought a demo to his pal Collins, hoping he would produce it. Instead, Collins convinced Bishop to let him record it for the movie.

    A child actor, Collins was wary about taking a movie role after becoming famous as a musician, and he made sure the song didn't appear until the end of the film so musical perceptions wouldn't taint his performance. The film was a box office flop, but Collins stood by it, saying it was an excellent film.
  • The music is based on the Rondo from "Sonatina in G Major" by Muzio Clementi.
  • Collins' version was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 1989 Grammy Awards, but lost to Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy."
  • Sonny & Cher recorded this for their 1967 album, In Case You're In Love.
  • In the Friends episode "The One With Monica And Chandler's Wedding: Part 2" (2001), a violinist plays this while Chandler is escorted down the aisle by his parents.
  • Phil Collins' version was used on the sitcom New Girl in the 2011 episode "Wedding."
  • Actor/singer Dan Finnerty sang this in the 2001 romantic comedy The Wedding Planner.

Comments: 23

  • Robert from UsaThis song is one of my most cherished memories. Hearing was failing in 1962 and by 1975 I became profoundly deaf with sensorineural hearing loss. These beautiful songs are part of my "auditory memory" and I replay them in my mind the way I remember them to enlighten my spirit and keep me sane. I may be deaf, but hold deep appreciation for the songwriters, singers, musicians, bands -- all! Your words, voices and music transcend time and touch the human spirit in ways that can never really be described. Thanks to all of you so very, very much!!!
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 10th 1966, "A Groovy Kind of Love" by the Mindbenders entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #78; six weeks later on May 22nd, 1966 it would peak at #2* {for 2 weeks} and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100...
    As stated above, it also peaked at #2 {for 1 week} in the United Kingdom, the week it was at #2, the #1 record was "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra...
    As the Mindbenders they had one other Top 100 record, "Ashes to Ashes", it reached #55 in 1966; and with Wayne Fontana they had two Top 100 hits, "Game of Love" {#1 in 1965} and "It's Just A Little Bit Too Late" {#45 in 1965}...
    * The 2 weeks it was at #2 on the Top 100 chart, the #1 record for both those weeks was "When a Man Love a Woman" by Percy Sledge.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn November 23rd 1988, the movie 'Buster', starring Phil Collins, opened in theaters across the U.S.A and Canada...
    The film had its world premiere two months earlier on September 16th, 1988 in London, England...
    The day the movie opened in American Phil Collins' covered version of "A Groovy Kind of Love", which was featured in the movie, was at #23 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; thirty-seven days earlier on October 16th, 1988 it peaked at #1 {for 2 weeks}...
    Another song featured in the movie, "Two Hearts", was at #35 when the movie opened; and two months later on January 15th, 1989 it also peaked at #1 and also for two weeks...
    Philip David Charles Collins will celebrate his 64th birthday in two months on January 30th {2015}.
  • Martin from Fresno, CaI love the Mindbenders version of it.The melody of it is uptempo which make the great lyrics even better.
  • David from Barnsley, United KingdomWhen I was learning the piano I borrowed a library book of Clementi's sonatinas, and guess what - upon playing one of them I recognised the tune of A Groovy Kind of Love!
  • Steve from Hazel Crest, IlWayne Fontana (born Glyn Ellis on 28 October 1945, Manchester, Lancashire) changed his name to Fontana after Elvis Presley's drummer: D.J. Fontana.
  • Ted from Phoenix, AzToni Wine's memory must be tricking her. "Groovy Kind of Love" was a British hit in February 1966--at least 5 months before Simon and Garfunkel's Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme album (with "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feeling Groovy)" on it) was released.
  • Saff from Melbourne, AustraliaIt's actually the other way around. It was Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders until Wayne walked off stage in the middle of a concert. After that they changed it just to the Mindbenders and A Groovy Kind of Love was their first hit under this name. And Eric Stewart was the lead singer on the song.
  • Nady from Adelaide, Australiathis song is on my baby video when my dad was holding me:) aw
  • Francis from Long Island, NyI'm a 6 year old kid in NY City in 1966. Had my little transistor radio with me ALWAYS!!! Other kids played with toys-I had music! This song by The Mindbenders to this day reminds me of playing in the sandboxes on Staten Island playgrounds watching the ships of the world go by and being near the waters of NY Harbor!!! Not that I am living in the past though...Years later it also became the song of a lady frined and me. Man do I miss her!!!
    But still absolutley love this song. I wrote Toni Wine several years ago to say I thought this version was one of the most "perfect" songs ever.

    Fran-Long Island,NY
  • Nady from Adelaide, AustraliaThis is me and my dad's song! Its on the video of when I was born.
  • Gabriela from Woodbridge, NjThis is my husband's and my "song", too! I called a radio station on Valentine's Day in 1987 and annnounced that it was for him from me...he loved the idea. Fact: It actually was "Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders" before it was just "The Mindbenders", that's usually how they announce it on the oldies stations.
  • Bernard from Salford, EnglandEric Stewart did sing lead on this song. It was the bands first single after Wayne Fontana left the band.
  • John from Isle Of Wight, EnglandSorry to disagree with the guy who thinks Eric Stewart was the lead singer on the Mindbenders cover. Although Eric was in the band the singer was in fact Wayne Fontana and the name of the band at that time was Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders.
  • Lis from London, EnglandNot to be too picky, but this song is playing as Chandler walks down the aisle. When Monica starts walking, the music changes to an instrumental adaptation of Paul McCartney's My Love.
  • Jenn from Warsaw, United StatesThis is mine and my husband's "song". I didn't realize that it was used for Monica and Chandler's wedding. Too funny.
  • Clarke from Pittsburgh, PaI remember this fondly for the time of my life it represents, but it doesn't hold a candle to the Mindbenders' version.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScWas the Mindbenders' version a hit here in the States. I have heard it on some oldies stations.
  • Alan from Grande Prairie, Alberta, CanadaLead singer on the Mindbenders cover was Eric Stewart who went on to form the great 70's band 10cc.
  • Jesus from Bethlahem, IsraelThis song is groovy. I've only heard the live version of this, and you know what? It had me groovin'.
  • Kevin from Cincinnati, OhI like the Mindbenders version much better.
  • Daryl from SaskatoonThe music for this song was based on a classical piece, Rondo from Sonatina in G Opus 36 No. 5, by Muzio Clementi.
  • Shannon from Pittsburgh, PaThe instrumental version of this song was played as Monica walked down the isle of her and Chandler's wedding on FRIENDS.
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