Fun band & like most of the singles with "Daydream" being my fav. And being a big fan of Welcome Back Kotter I also love John's theme song
There are scant images of the couple, but here is a great article about this esteemed Actor, the late Jackie Burroughs, from spacing toronto dot c'eh: The story of Jackie Burroughs, a Yorkville laundromat, and two of the biggest drug-addled bands of the 1960s.
You get three early 1967 live Ed Sullivan Lovin’ Spoonful performances (and a cover photo) on this CD:
I’m just sittin’ back, sittin’ here lovin’ this thread… thanks for starting it. It’s nice to hear these stories and join some dots.
I’m thinking about the lyrics from “Creeque Alley”: … Zal, Denny and Sebastian sat (at the Night Owl) And after every number they'd pass the hat … Would that be their collective pay for the night, or was that tip money? Re: Menu prices. “Hey, waddayawant… Ambiance ain’t cheap y’know”.
Really enjoying this thread. As a fan of sixties pop, I always enjoyed the Spoonful stuff I grew up hearing on oldies radio, but somehow it wasn't until a few years back that I finally heard their records, and they blew me away. This is perhaps heretical, but those first three Spoonful lps are as good to me as early Beach Boys records, maybe even better, because they don't have the dorky novelty tracks. Putting on the Lovin' Spoonful is a guaranteed mood elevator for me, and what's more, they always makes me wanna pick up my guitar and play. Love 'em. Edited to add: I only bring up the Beach Boys because their greatness is pretty much universally accepted nowadays, but you never hear the Spoonful mentioned in those kinds of terms. IMO, they absolutely belong in the pantheon, with the Byrds/Beach Boys etc, of great American sixties bands.
i really enjoyed them as a kid and remember well their first single "do you believe". but really love still to this day "darlin be home soon" and "nashville cats" even more! I just heard the del mccoury band cover it and they killed it. they can play more notes than ants on a tennessee ant hill and play em faster than i will. they were always a NYC band even when in LA and i remember john and zal vaguely as a kid as i used to hang out a lot at butchie's house ( immortalized in butchie's tune ) a few doors away from my childhood laurel canyon home. she was living there at the time with bob denver ( gilligan or maynard g krebs if you will..) and that house was chock full of fun. plus butchie's had two gorgeous young daughters - jana and dewy and we played dr and nurse(s) ha ( dewey was named after dewey martin of the b springfield ) i think bob d was a bit jealous of all butchie's rock star paramours. they had amazing screaming fights. bob was one cool cat. then the infamous artie ripp ( buddha/kamasutra records ) was trying to establish himself in the canyon as a former nyc impresario and he brought them all around. there was a very strange period for sebastian after that pot bust where some not so nice things were said about his "involvement" but they dissipated over time. by the time of "welcome back" well. who knows what. i wasn't a fan of that at all. but they were a terrific and prolificly talented band in those first couple stellar years 65/67 ish.
From Best Classic Bands dot com: John Sebastian on the ‘Magic’ of the Lovin’ Spoonful. From Goldmine Magazine dot calm: John Sebastian revisits Lovin' Spoonful songbook with Arlen Roth. From The Star Tribune, Minneapolis MN: 50 years later, tie-dyed Woodstock star John Sebastian still believes in magic.
Re: “Younger Girl”. Has Mr. Sebastian ever indicated whether this great song being… 1) autobiographical in nature or 2) just a “reflection” on the times then or 3) other? Wikipedia says that both the melody and lyrics are based on this song: “Prison Wall Blues” - (Gus) Cannon’s Jug Stompers 1930.
I saw Sebastian in concert four times during his solo career, twice in his post Woodstock prime and twice later. He played Manley Field House, Syracuse U. just before releaseof his Cheapo Cheapo Live LP and then again at Kleinhan’s Music Hall in Buffalo on his tour in support of The Four of Us. Later saw him in the early 80s at the Tralfamadore Cafe in Buffalo. Finally ( I couldn’t believe this), he gave an advertised but sparsely attended performance in the music section of a Barnes and Nobles store in a Syracuse mall with a then-local former member of Brownsville Station in support. Why? Seemed so random. Each time he was totallly friendlyand professional, even at the BN which he could easilt have blown off
This is from memory of the liner notes of the very first LS CD comp I bought, but AFAIR the jist of the inspiration for this song according to JBS was the first time he saw a younger teenybop age girl attending an early Spoonful show, and how it showed that their sound (which was rooted in older forms of music typically appreciated by an older beatnik/folky style set) was beginning to get through to the youth as pop music. I guess 'Do You Believe In Magic' plays on a similar theme. In retrospect some commentators have lazily attempted to peg the song alongside the likes of 'Young Girl' et al as somewhat creepy and unsavory (often attempting to tie it into Mk 2 member Jerry Yesters later transgressions ) but I truly beleive the song is innocent and pure in intention. I couldn't imagine Sebastian could writing a song that wasn't tbh!
I love it because of the simplicity of it’s theme. I don’t think they hammered that particular theme as much as the other group you cite and properly make your observation of.
I saw John open for Steve Miller at the Tower Theater back in 1972. I really didn't expect much, not being much of fan but he came out with a full band, strapped on his Les Paul and kicked butt. I left after 3 or 4 songs into Miller's set, he just couldn't match his opening act.
Here’s the Sullivan ‘She’s Still A Mystery’ I missed the other day. Not on the official channel yet, but still out there:
Thanks for reminding me! JB and The Spoonful are the perfect Spring band! This will inspire me to finally set up a second headshell for used records.
