In contrast to other albums by Colosseum,
The Grass Is Greener was released only in the
United States and
Canada, on the Dunhill label, distributed by ABC. It was conceived as a North American alternative to November 1969's
Valentyne Suite,
complete with a muted, blue-green variation of the aforementioned
album's cover. It features four tracks recorded with then-new
guitarist/vocalist Dave "Clem" Clempson in the winter of 1969 ("Jumping
Off The Sun," "Lost Angeles," "Rope Ladder To The Moon," "Bolero");
three tracks from the 1969 Vertigo LP
Valentyne Suite but with
vocal and guitar parts provided by Clempson ("Butty's Blues," "The
Machine Demands A Sacrifice," "The Grass Is Greener") instead of James
Litherland; and one track, "Elegy," that appears to be the same as the
original from
Valentyne Suite, including Litherland's vocal. The
record was remastered and released as a bonus disc in Sanctuary Records'
2003 deluxe CD edition of
Valentyne Suite.
Los Angeles - bonustrack
John Hiseman - drums,Dick Hestall-Smith - soprano/tenor,woodwind.Dave"Clem"Clemson - guitar.
Tony Reeves - bass.Dave Greenslade - organ/piano/tuner percussion.