“I Just Want To Celebrate” (D. Fekaris, N. Zesses) – Rare Earth; Rare Earth label, # 7 Billboard Hot 100 – 1971. Inducted in 2013.
Rare Earth was not the first all-white act to be signed to Motown, but they were the first to enjoy major hits. 1970 and 1971 were the two biggest years in the band’s recording career as they placed five recordings on the Billboard Hot 100. “I Just Want To Celebrate” was the band’s third, and final, Top Ten single in 1971.
The single was edited down to 2 minutes 52 seconds from the longer track on the band’s “One World” album to increase the song’s chances for radio play. “I Just Want To Celebrate was also the opening track on the band’s "Rare Earth In Concert" LP, issued later in 1971.
That year also saw the start of several personnel changes in Rare Earth. The new line-up was only able to produce one more Top 20 hit, “Hey Big Brother in early 1972. Things were never quite the same for Rare Earth after they followed Motown to Los Angeles later in the year, and they lost the most identifiable member of the band when lead singer/drummer Peter Rivera left the band in 1974.
