tell me about the Lovin' Spoonful

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Are the albums worth getting, or does the greatest hits cover it?

― Sam J. (samjeff), Thursday, 24 April 2003 22:26 (twenty-two years ago)

They are my dad's favorite band (his favorite song being "Jug Band Music"). Rather inexplicably, he never noticed the blatant drug reference in their name. So the albums have some nostalgia value for me - I think they've got some gems hidden on the record, but all in all they are a pretty conservative and middle-of-the-road band. You get some nice pop ditties and little else. They do do a pretty good Phil Spector song tho.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 24 April 2003 22:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I have a few albums but your not really missing much if you get a greatest hits. Do you like twee pop?

― SplendidMullet (iamamonkey), Thursday, 24 April 2003 22:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I thought the reference in their name was to a load of semen (cf. "Coffee Blues" by Mississippi John Hurt).

Anyway, I love the Youngbloods but I could never get into the Lovin' Spoonful mainly 'cause I really don't even care for their hits.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 24 April 2003 22:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I just love "Do You Believe in Magic"! And I hear them mentioned from time to time, kind of in the context of "a really cool uncool band." But maybe even that's a "joke."

― Sam J. (samjeff), Thursday, 24 April 2003 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Whatever you do, get something with "Darling Be Home Soon."

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Thursday, 24 April 2003 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

And watch You're a Big Boy Now.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Thursday, 24 April 2003 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Lead singer went on to compose and perform the title song to "Welcome Back, Kotter."

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 24 April 2003 23:03 (twenty-two years ago)

They were good, close to great at least for a few records. Greatest Hits will get you by, but the first two albums are full of weird little pop marvels. Underestimated.

― JesseFox (JesseFox), Friday, 25 April 2003 05:20 (twenty-two years ago)

It's Alright Ma, Let The Boy Rock & Roll.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Friday, 25 April 2003 05:22 (twenty-two years ago)

"The EP Collection" is grebt- they may have been followers, but they were pretty good at following all sorts of diferent stuff. "Coconut Grove" fer crying out loud!

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Friday, 25 April 2003 11:58 (twenty-two years ago)

A really good and comprehensive Lovin' Spoonful collection would be worth anyone's money. John Sebastian is such an under-rated songwriter but being a 60s pop band they put about 5 albums a year, meaning some pretty patchy albums - at their best, they are superb.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 25 April 2003 12:06 (twenty-two years ago)

"Daydream" is a nice album. Mainly, a compilation will do though (as with most pre-1966 artists that aren't called The Beatles)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 25 April 2003 12:08 (twenty-two years ago)

six months pass...

It's time to bring this thread back around. I'm very much digging some Lovin' Spoonful right now. Perfect pop songs, perhaps?

― Elyn (elynbeth), Friday, 21 November 2003 02:57 (twenty-two years ago)

You're A Big Boy Now is amazing! Soundtrack and movie.

― Sarah Pedal (call mr. lee), Friday, 21 November 2003 03:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I have a bunch of their albums, and consider myseslf a fan. I do more often come back to the hits albums, though. In the Lp days, both Volumes 1 and 2 of their greatest hits were essential. Band's name is indeed a refrence to ejaculate, borrowed from blues songs such as Howlin' Wolf's "Spoonful." The accusation that the group is slight or "middle of the road" is careless. Sebastian wrote wonderfully crafted pop songs and the group's appropriation of Gus Cannon-style jug music was really deft.

― dylan (dylan), Friday, 21 November 2003 04:48 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

i call them "the nice fugs"

(i like them more than the fugs)

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:36 (twenty years ago)

"You didn't have to be so nice" is an all time favorite.
Best (not the)Byrds song ever!

― Trip Maker (Sean Witzman), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

that's a great one

"do you believe in magic" is a really perfectly written, arranged, and produced pop song

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

[[["Daydream" is a nice album. Mainly, a compilation will do though (as with most pre-1966 artists that aren't called The Beatles)]]]

Didn't McCartney say Good Day Sunshine was written based on Daydream?

― PappaWheelie, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

Band's name is indeed a refrence to ejaculate

so is 10CC.

― PB, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

huh - I never heard any blues stuff growing up, but I *did* hear tons of 60s pop, so I leapt to the conclusion that Lovin Spoonful = heroin. (I also thought for awhile, and still promote the idea just to annoy certain people, that "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was about heroin... sail on silver girrrlll...)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 26 April 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

six years pass...

i wonder, by how much does john sebastian's royalty check increase with every heat wave?

― by another name (amateurist), Monday, 18 July 2011 05:46 (fourteen years ago)

Not by much, since royalties from radio play go to the composer - who in the case of "Summer In The City" was John's (then-) 16-year old brother, Mark.

― crustaceanrebel, Wednesday, 20 July 2011 03:12 (fourteen years ago)

six years pass...

yikes

http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/the-wrap/article/Lovin-Spoonful-Alum-Jerry-Yester-Arrested-on-12264611.php

― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 10 October 2017 15:45 (eight years ago)

eleven months pass...

And babe, don't you know it's a pity
That the days can't be like the nights
In the summer, in the city
In the summer, in the city

― Trϵϵship, Thursday, 13 September 2018 11:44 (seven years ago)

Song’s playing in a coffee shop. Sounds wayyyy better than i remember.

― Trϵϵship, Thursday, 13 September 2018 11:45 (seven years ago)

so good

― sleeve, Thursday, 13 September 2018 14:17 (seven years ago)

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