圖左二蓄鬍者為Rob Grill

寫歌二人組搭擋P.F. Sloan和Steve Barri，為了英國合唱團Hermans Hermits 1966的電影《Hold On》 ( 台譯：阿哥哥？ )，合寫了這首《Where Were You When I Needed You》，也收錄在Hermits與電影同名的專輯中。但Hermits決定不將這首歌另作單曲發行，故Sloan和Barri自薦說服了他們所屬Dunhill唱片公司的的老闆Lou Adler，讓他們錄製此曲的單曲版。與錄音室樂手合作將歌曲錄好後，以虛擬的「The Grass Roots」樂團名義將Demo帶分送到舊金山地區的幾個電台，並迭獲佳評。眼看情勢大好，唱片公司堅持要倆人組個「實質」的The Grass Roots樂隊，以便巡演及上電視節目。


Steve Barri & P.F. Sloan(右)


Hold On! 1966 movie poster

Sloan和Barri首先找到了在舊金山地區曾贏得「Battle of the Bands」比賽的樂團來掛名，也重錄了此首《Where Were You When I Needed You》，主唱為Willie Fulton，是為「第二版」，此版在1966打進了告示牌排行榜的第28名，不過，與此曲同名的專輯卻銷售狀況淒慘。之後，由於覺得唱片公司壓抑了他們的發展，樂團與唱片公司分道揚鑣。


The Grass Roots ( 圖最右為Willie Fulton )

再接著，Sloan和Barri又找了威斯康辛州的樂團The Robbs來更名取代，但遭到婉拒。最後，找到了洛杉磯地區名為「The 13th Floor」的樂團，才成為了一直延續迄今的The Grass Roots ( 當然，期間團員也更迭了不少 )。1967，The Grass Roots翻唱了原為義大利歌曲的《Let's Live For Today》，拿下了排行榜的第8名，也終於打開了樂團的知名度。後由貝士手Rob Grill擔任主唱再錄製了此首《Where Were You When I Needed You》，是為第三版。

此曲從最早的Demo版推出後，翻唱的歌手也不少，包含有Tommy Roe、Del Shannon及美國女子樂隊The Bangles等等。

當需要情人的時候常溜不見蛋，最後氣到欲將之「放生」，滿有趣的一首歌。

聽起來像是第三版Rob Grill主唱的版本

Don't bother cryin', don't bother crawlin'
It's all over now, no use in stallin'
The love I once felt, I don't feel anymore for you
This time I'll even open the door for you
You walked out when I was down
Well now I'm well off
And look who's comin' round
Where were you when I needed you
Where were you when I wanted you
Where were you when I needed you
Where..ere...ere
You're lookin' good, it's hard to fight it
But no use explainin', I've already decided
That livin' with you, it's worse than without you
I won't spend a lifetime a-worryin' about you
Oh, things got rough and you disappeared
Now I'm back on my feet
But look, look who's standing there
Where were you when I needed you
Where were you when I wanted you
Where were you when I needed you
Where..ere...ere
Oh, you were so young, and you were so wild
I knew you were nobody's innocent child
That first day I saw you, you really got to me
I thought I could change you, what good did it do me
Oh, things got rough and you wouldn't wait
Now you're tripping back
But babe, it's too late
Where were you when I needed you
Where were you when I wanted you
Where were you when I needed you
Where..ere...ere