From Grand Funk Railroad’s first album, I’ve been a fan.  After hearing “Time Machine” on FM radio, and the occasional playback of “T.N.U.C.”, and “Heartbreaker”, I was a solidly hooked fan of this three-piece powerhouse.  Then it got better.  Almost immediately, they released their second album.  I picked it and enjoyed the phenomenal cover of “Inside Looking Out”, and “Paranoid”, “Mr Limousine Driver”, and “In Need”.

With their creativity on fire, they issued their third, Closer To Home.  On that album, they introduced their classic track, “I’m Your Captain (Closer To Home)”, a song that I still listen to frequently.

I have to confess, however, that while I adore many of their albums up through We’re An American Band (I could never get into their later years singles tunes), it was Survival that I appreciated most…and still do.  There isn’t a bad song on this album, in my estimation.  It’s one that I can listen to in it’s entirety at almost any time.  And more than once.  In fact, I listened to it no less than three times today alone.  I may listen to it again tomorrow.

E Pluribus Funk, Phoenix, We’re An American Band, and their MCA debut produced by Frank Zappa, Good Singin’ Good Playin’, a sort of return to FM rock, round out my love for this band. While their three unmentioned albums find little play (I don’t even own them), I do enjoy “Bad Time”.

That’s my story.  I do recognize that many people do not enjoy Grand Funk as I do.  However, I find it too difficult to not put this out as a poll question in the hopes that I’ll be surprised.

As an aside, if Mark Farner were to reunite with his original bandmates, I have more than a few bucks to buy a ticket to that show.

So…surprise me.

By MARowe

16 thoughts on “Poll: Grand Funk Railroad – Which Album Is Best?”
  1. This may be cheating, but I feel that the 2-album compilation “Mark, Don and Mel” is GFR’s best album. It captures most of the best of their pre-“American Band” era.

    1. Just playing a m- 1st pressing of Mark Don & Me on my $200,000 analogue system and the production of this lp is excellent. Haven’t played this album in the last 10 yr. I always was a skeptic that the system makes a difference on how vinyl sounds but now that I have built my final system , every lp is amazing, jaw dropping sound.

  2. I was also a big fan of GF in the early years. Ditched them after Shinin’ On. But did see them a couple times when they regrouped 10-12 years back. My favorite album was also Survival.. great feel and sound throughout.

  3. I loved Live Album. Also All Of The Girls In The World Beware!!! One of the greatest American groups ever.

  4. Haven’t we done this poll before?
    Oh well, I feel it’s cheating to but I always thought “Live: Caught In The Act” was their best album. They had some great songs but they came off better live IMO.
    As for my favorite song, “Closer To Home/I’m Your Captain” without a doubt.

  5. Saw them in Detroit, think it was 1971. Black Oak Arkansas opened. Couldn’t hear for two days afterward. On Time is my choice as their best record. Mark, Don and Mel is superb if that counts being a compilation.

  6. I love the raw energy on “In Time” and “E. Pluibus Funk” is a great album to listen to in it’s entirety…………..great band…..I was too young to see them in thier heyday, but I was able to see Mark Farner on a bill with Rare Earth, Nazareth, and Bachman Turner Overdrive and the Guess Who 20 years ago……great artist and I certainly wish they can get together perhaps for the last time……

  7. I have always been fond of “Live” LPs. Grand Funk Railroad “Live” and “Caught in the Act” is perfection. As for the studio recording…. I will have to say “Survival”

  8. Survival is my favorite Grand Funk album as well, perhaps because it was my first bona-fide “hard rock” record I bought with my allowance, at about age 10.

  9. Well I came in like a lot of people with we’re an American band. So that would be my favorite. I remember in 5th grade my math Teacher came in all excited about Shinin on he actually brought it into class and played it for us. Ah the 70’s.

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