The Spoonful were incredibly adept at producing the 'feeling' of their music. I sweat when I listen to 'Summer In the City'; I smile when I hear 'Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind'; I feel for the singer during 'Didn't Want to Have to Do It'; I'm in a 10-gallon hat during 'Nashville Cats'; and on and on. Pure genius, and what I appreciate most about their music was the lack of repetition. We never knew what to expect from them, or the next track on the album. Personally, I loved it all. Even the heavily orchestrated 'Darling Be Home Soon', a beautiful song. Delighted that their music will live on.
You make some great points, Roger. I hadn't thought about how one can feel the music. Very true that they did not repeat themselves. Thanks for the comment!
as a 16 year old in china, banned from yt and all other things good, i just started downloading anything old, no one told me about these guys, but they just sound so sweet and genuine. This is what good pop music is.
@@milestrotter6844 I'm sure you feel something similar, but until you are behind a firewall made by the most advanced fascist regime known to history, you still got hope, keep doing what you can
Yet, the lobotomized liberals in this country want exactly what you have. The profundity of their stupidity is simply stupefying to me, and you can't tell them anything. YOU could could take them on a tour, and show them in living color, the hell of your country, and they would only see fields of flowers and morning sunshine...They see what they want. They have no idea what objective reality is, this they can't think. The West will soon be like you my Chinese friend; you wont be alone for long.
The amazing interaction of so many great folk/rock musicians in the 60's was unique. Jazz musicians had the same musical interaction. We loved both genres then. You had to be there; nothing like that will ever happen again. The Spoonful were our heroes.
Utterly fascinating🎉 Thanks Matt for the interesting background info on John Sebastian's home: didn't know people like Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly were regular visitors. Not a bad upbringing😂
I just came across your channel today, and it's the best thing I've found in a long time. I fell in love with 60s music as a young child in the early 90s, being an emotionally-sensitive introverted person the messages rang loudly for me. Thank you for your work! Their messages are frighteningly relevant today, and I'm glad you're talking about the history today.
They were one of my favorite bands and their masterpiece “Summer In The City” brings me back to a nearly perfect time and place, in my young life, August fifth, nineteen sixty-six where I met my first girlfriend and got my drivers license!
Fun fact: Do You Believe In Magic was used as a background track for some promotional material for Valve's hit game Team Fortress 2, specifically Meet The Pyro
I shared this on the lovin' spoonful facebook page. Also, I think the most innovative element was they took ancient piano stride lines and played them on electric guitars and updated old country blues songs so they sounded modern and not corny.
This is a very good video. I always liked the Loving Spoonful, but never knew a lot about their background, so this video is very interesting and informative. Will watch the next parts.
Matt, This history was so good that I am writing before looking at part 2. I see that one of your links is for Simon Wordsworth's book "Do You believe in Magic" which I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to the even mildly obsessive Spoonful fans. I was pleased to see you discuss "What's Shakin'" which was my introduction to the Paul Butterfield Blues band which prompted me to buy "East West" which is still one of my top ten sixties albums. And Al Kooper who produced the electric side of Tom Rush's "Take a Little Walk with Me," started the Blues Project and its offshoot Blood, Sweat, & Tears. brought the Zombies' "Odessey and Oracle" to the US for release (all this after playing organ on Dylan's records), and was the Zelig of 60s/70s music. I saw the Blues Project in the fall of '66, and they were first band that I saw that sounded powerful live. The package tours of the time sounded like a bad car radio. May I request a history of the Blues Project (okay, not really 60s 'pop') and another NY band, the Youngbloods - including Jerry Corbitt's solo album on Polydor which had a very early use of the moog. Sorry about carrying on, but living through the sixties, the radio was always on when the turntable wasn't spinning, and this stuff was the soundtrack of my teen tears. Just another superb job Matt. My only wish is that these histories aren't longer, though your videos are a like a 45 rpm single - straight to the point and leaving the listener begging for more.
Wow, you are the first person that has mentioned seeing the Blues Project! I do plan a Youngbloods video and I did start to gather materials for a Blues Project/Kooper/Bloomfield/ BTS first album video but that will be a tough one to pull together. Very worthy of a band history!
@@popgoesthe60s52 The Blues Project were all superb musicians (except maybe Steve Katz) and had fabulous - for the time - equipment. What I saw was basically what was released as "Projection." Not that I cared for it, but Kooper released "Super Session" in '68 which was the first albums for the hype machine. Even Cream hinted at 'super' only in their name. And your series is seriously great
Zally said "Denny, you know there aren't many Who can sing a song the way that you do, let's go south" Denny said "Zally, golly, don't you think that I wish I could play guitar like you" Zal, Denny and Sebastian sat (At the Night Owl) And after every number they'd pass the hat...
Well done, man. The Lovin' Spoonful meant a lot to me growing up in the '60's. So many good songs, but did I ever buy one of their albums? No but maybe a single or two.
Part 1 of The Lovin' Spoonful Band History is just fabulous and I learned a lot from Matt Williamson's narrative and presentation about the Spoonful, one of my favorites as a grew up in the 1960s.
Love the Lovin' Spoonful. I only knew their singles until at one of those old used CD shops I happened upon a little Japanese box that included CDs of all their albums. Bought it for maybe $10 and immersed myself. Lots of great songs, very few duds. These days I mostly listen to a 2-LP best-of compilation but sometimes I'll dig out the Japanese box and play the albums. Great band.
Thank you for refreshing my consciousness regarding The Lovin' Spoonful! (There were so many great bands back then, and one tends to forget). The Spoonful were very big here in Sweden, and I think they had three hits at the same time in our top 20 at one point in 1966!
These videos are great and the production is soooooo good. I am a huge 60s pop fan so finding this channel is a real treat :) Nice Racket Squad LP! I love their second album
Zal was probably more difficult than he had to be. In my part 2, there will be some other explanations on why rifts occurred within the band. Thanks for the comment!
One wonders if the Spoonful might have lasted longer if they had embraced blues rock like Paul Butterfield, Fleetwood Mac, etc. They certainly had the chops (cue "Night Owl Blues") to pull it off. Having the best harmonica player of the era on top it would have guaranteed success. Funny thing about Joe's vocals. His lead vocals was less than 30 minutes if you put all their records together. Tried to make a CDR of his lead vocals and gave up. Of course, Steve Boone's lead vocals. . . .
@@harvey1954 Steve's vocal's are pretty rough but yes you make a good point about a blues direction. I have always felt that a stronger psychedelic ore blues-rock direction would have got them some FM play.
@@lamper2 Supposedly it was this guy. th-cam.com/video/g58zNejxAj4/w-d-xo.html His lawyer wanted to challenge the pot laws and tried to make it into a test case. That's what blew up in the Steve and Zal's face.
@@popgoesthe60s52 big fan of NYC rock and roll... saw the Loving spoonful live numerous times back in the day.. as a matter of fact a friend of mine used to help set up their amps along with a few other bands in the city at some local venues... I thought they were great... And I really enjoy your channel by the way you put a lot of work into it...definitely subscribe
My new book on Zal Yanovsky (From Amazon Books) should answer a lot of these viewer comments. Great video and channel - keep up the good work Pop Goes the 60's!
They had seven US top 10 hits among them the # 1 hit Summer in the City.The other American group to achieve this at the time was Gary Lewis and the Playboys who also had a US chart topper with This Diamond Ring but they are largely forgotten by now. By 1966 the British Invasion was beginning to wind down as Folk Rock was becoming the new hot trend helping American groups regain control of the charts after two years of UK domination.The Brits never went away but it was more even by 1967.
Thank you for setting me straight. First, I'm 72 and went through just about everything in the sixties having lived just outside NYC. My problem, a sheltered childhood and I'm a bit slow on the take. 2nd, I have close to 4,000 LP's. Around the time of the release of "Hums" was when my parents' marital problems and the overwhelming force of the sixties counterculture began to affect me. I always thought "Hums" was their 2nd LP. My bad. I remember a "snow day" and sitting watching a beautiful snow fall and listening to "Hums" and "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears" by The Mama's and the Papa's. My life was beginning to change. My relationship with my father began to deteriorate to the point of almost abuse. He hated me because my grades were not good enough (he was a physician and had an almost unattainable standard of academic achievement) and I was beginning to form an opinion about the Vietnam War which he did not share (he was a staunch Republican who loved Spiro Agnew). There was one bright shining yearly ritual; my mother shipped me off to a 2-month summer camp in Maine for 7 summers. It would not be an exaggeration to say that single act may have saved my life. First, it got me away from the toxicity of their marriage and two; fostered a self-reliance that I could survive without them. But "Hums" will always resonate for me as a pivot point in my life. By the way, your presentations are spot on.
Love the Spoonful and their unique approach. It does seem like so many groups were so different from each other, all with varying influences that make up their own cool sounds. You touched briefly on another fascinating subject when you mentioned previous bands the members belonged to. It's amazing how many of these mid-60s groups had ties to each other. Possibly, a subject for a future video, Matt?
The Lovin' Spoonful played an evening concert at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in the summer of 1996, waves crashing in the background. Former drummer Joe Butler sang lead up front. There must have been 5,000 people there, and it was magical. There were tons of small children dancing like crazy on the sand to the timeless classics that were hits at least 25 years before they were even born.
YOU SIR, ARE AMAZING! Been subed since 1st visit a few weeks back. Knew about Zal BUT not about Felix. Then I scan the list of muscians ....STEFAN GROSSMAN !!!! WTF ? Only knew him thru the colaboration on CROSSCURRENTS with DANNY KALB (ex of BLUES PROJECT ). THANK YOU , LOVE THE DETAIL. Have passed the word about YOU and RICK BEATO !
Great stuff, they were of course kind of folk rock I guess but I always thought some of their songs had a kind of 'punk' attitude too. Amazingly talented band...
I knew Zal and Rose. The two of them did more for the city of Kingston than anyone I ever knew. In fact, still today their kid is running two of our most successful and beloved businesses, Zal spent a lot of time working with the humane society and raising funds for them. I know, I know about the controversies but, his life was dedicated to saving animals and his city. Miss you Zal.
Always thought The Lovin' Spoonful were just a really good Beatlesque American group until I got their Greatest Hits and discovered songs like Night Owl Blues and others that were very UnBeatlesque (is that a word?). Obviously adore Summer in the City and their other great top ten songs, but there was certainly a lot more depth to this band than many others of the era. John Sebastian really was one of the top song writers from the amazing 60's! (P.S. Matt - love your videos and channel - please keep at it, much appreciated!).
I love the Sonics version of On The Road Again, as I've never really did a deep dive into the Lovin Spoonful, I just know found out it was a John Sebastian song! Love the videos btw
They were my first concert and will mever forget that obviously even got to meet some of the members so many great songs that werent hits even which is real tell tale of a great band
I Was a Teenage Folk-rocker! Love The Spoonful! Got all those records, What's Shakin' and Tiger Lily--and a Knob Lick Upper 10,000 LP included! Joe Butler was a great rock drummer, really bashed his kit!
Anyone here from NYC in the 70’s there used to be a commercial for the Fresh Air Fund..which gave inner city kids the opportunity to go away and visit the country. Anyway for one of their commercials the Used Summer in The City..during the chorus they showed Black and White pictures of the gritty inner city…then when it hit the chorus it showed the country. Probably the first time I took notice of the song as it was impactful. . I have not found it on TH-cam yet. Loving Spoonful were fantastic… a real sixties outlier, no one like them. Zal was a fantastic creative player…..loved that Guild
My Goodness, Just finished the Turtles, subscribed to your channel and as I'm watching this one, your narration and story telling has me captivated. I have ADHD but you make this so comprehensive to follow. Love it!! Thanks again. Do you play any instruments?
I don't know where I read it, but I read that Cass Elliot (possibly "Mama Cass" at the time) told John that she had a friend he should meet. She brought Zal over and they started the band. She liked to hook people up with each other, and she seemed to have a knack for it.
Thanks for the overview. hardly know anything of these fine blokes, cept for those few tracks I've heard.. pardon mate, i thought you we're John Cowsill. don't know why, Cheers.
Lovin Spoonful is one of my favorite folk rock band of the 60’s. Daydream is my favorite album of theirs. I love Daydream and You didn’t Have to Be So Nice. I love Sebastians vocals and the easy going music. I think I was first introduced to the band through a McDonalds commercial in the 90’s where they played the song Do You Believe in Magic. I thought it was just a commercial song than I found out it was from the band Lovin Spoonful and I’ve been a fan since.
Lucky enough to see John on stage at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970 and he brought Zal out on stage. Then about 10-years ago met John wben he played in London with his Jug band album tour. A TRUE GENTLEMAN. LOVE HIS AMAZING SONGS...... MY FAVS DARLIING BE HOME SOON AND YOU'RE A BIG BOY NOW AND SUMMER IN THE CITY. ROCK ON JOHN. GREAT SHOW AS USUAL.
Very enjoyable video. I've been a fan of the Lovin' Spoonful since I first heard them in the mid-60s, but I had no idea they were part of the Greenwich Village scene. Just had a look at Dave Van Ronk's book "The Mayor of MacDougal Street" and there's no mention of John Sebastian in it.
He wasn't very prolific, but all of Steve Boone's contributions are stellar. He's the primary writer of You Didn't Have To Be So Nice. I feel like his Butchie's Tune in particular showcases the great talents the band beside Sebastian had, with Joe Butler's soft vocal and Zally's brilliant Floyd Cramer-on-guitar licks.
Do you think you could investigate or dig a little deeper into the reason for John sebastian leaving the Spoonful? There is some ambiguity when it comes to John's reason leaving the band, just to clear up misconceptions... if you could make a video explaining why that would be awesome. Or just some more on the Spoonful, either way it would mean the world.
I covered his leaving in the part II video of the Lovin' Spoonful. I didn't have too many details but for now that's all I've got. I haven't read Steve Boone's book yet but that may have some more answers.
Great band! When I was a student in Holland end of the sixties, I made a songbook with the texts of their songs. Yeah good time folk rock! and so much fun! Many interesting pics in your 2 videos that I never saw before. Good story, but your choice of your favorite mentioned songs by album would be different for me. I would have mentioned for their first album also Blues in the bottle, Fishin’ blues, Other side of this life,; for the Daydream album also. Let the boy Rock and Roll and Bald headed Lena; for Hums (for me their best) :also Bes’’ Friends, Henry Thomas and Full Measure, such great songs; for What’s up Tiger Lily the fabulous Pow!, for Everything Playing also Money, Boredom and Old Folks. And they were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For the solo career of John and also of Zal you can make maybe sometime another video. But thanks anyway!
If you read the history of momma cass you will see she was everywhere she helped put people togeather the spoonfull CSN and others she was something great show love spoonfull summer in the city cheers
Nice topic Matt. These guys especially Sebastian mislabeled as a pop singles band, like you said. They were better than that. Some of their songs and guitar work are pretty complex. Sebastian was a powerhouse. In my opinion he could have used a better supporting cast.
@@pgroove163 I did not mean to say that they were not a good band. What I meant was that Sebastian did not have another superior talent in the band like Stills and Young or MGuinn, Clark, Crosby or like John Phillips had the voices of Denny and Cass etc...
Spector's production process didn't work for most CREATIVE BANDS...they had better ideas than Phil. The spoonful didn't need him...the spoonful are extremely underrated!! YEAH!!!
Summer In The City is an alltime rock classic! I used to think the lead vocals were some old black singer! I couldn't believe upon hearing it on radio first few times that it was follies John Sebastion! Sebastion also played Woodstock, and of course wrote & sang "Welcome Back," the theme song to TV hit Welcome Back Kotter.
The Spoonful were incredibly adept at producing the 'feeling' of their music. I sweat when I listen to 'Summer In the City'; I smile when I hear 'Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind'; I feel for the singer during 'Didn't Want to Have to Do It'; I'm in a 10-gallon hat during 'Nashville Cats'; and on and on. Pure genius, and what I appreciate most about their music was the lack of repetition. We never knew what to expect from them, or the next track on the album. Personally, I loved it all. Even the heavily orchestrated 'Darling Be Home Soon', a beautiful song. Delighted that their music will live on.
You make some great points, Roger. I hadn't thought about how one can feel the music. Very true that they did not repeat themselves. Thanks for the comment!
as a 16 year old in china, banned from yt and all other things good, i just started downloading anything old, no one told me about these guys, but they just sound so sweet and genuine. This is what good pop music is.
Always Explore
Hey I'm 15 but I'm not in China, and I agree.
@@milestrotter6844 I'm sure you feel something similar, but until you are behind a firewall made by the most advanced fascist regime known to history, you still got hope, keep doing what you can
Yet, the lobotomized liberals in this country want exactly what you have. The profundity of their stupidity is simply stupefying to me, and you can't tell them anything. YOU could could take them on a tour, and show them in living color, the hell of your country, and they would only see fields of flowers and morning sunshine...They see what they want. They have no idea what objective reality is, this they can't think. The West will soon be like you my Chinese friend; you wont be alone for long.
Hope you got out of china dont move to california same as china ha ha
The amazing interaction of so many great folk/rock musicians in the 60's was unique. Jazz musicians had the same musical interaction. We loved both genres then. You had to be there; nothing like that will ever happen again. The Spoonful were our heroes.
Utterly fascinating🎉 Thanks Matt for the interesting background info on John Sebastian's home: didn't know people like Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly were regular visitors. Not a bad upbringing😂
I had to rewatch this again, just saying you did a GREAT JOB highlighting this band bringing out all the great players in the band. Thanks!
My pleasure! Thank you for watching.
They were a great band, a favorite of mine at the time....great songs that still stand up.
They are a great band!
Yes, all 2 or 3 hits really stand up.
@@91dodgespiritrt 11 hit singles in 3 years, 7 albums and Rock HOF inductees! Rated as one of the 10 most popular bands of the 1960’s.
Great Job. Nice to hear a Rock Historian that knows what he is talking about.
High praise, indeed. Much thanks and I appreciate you watching.
I just came across your channel today, and it's the best thing I've found in a long time. I fell in love with 60s music as a young child in the early 90s, being an emotionally-sensitive introverted person the messages rang loudly for me. Thank you for your work! Their messages are frighteningly relevant today, and I'm glad you're talking about the history today.
Thank you Blue. This music sent a message to me at an early age and I’m happy to share what I’ve learned. Thanks for the comment!
These guys were great. Full Measure is one of my favs. I like the way John's voice breaks up on Six O'clock. Very bluesy. Thanks for this.
They were one of my favorite bands and their masterpiece “Summer In The City” brings me back to a nearly perfect time and place, in my young life, August fifth, nineteen sixty-six where I met my first girlfriend and got my drivers license!
Boy, this takes you back in time!! Sebastian was a stand-out!!
One of the greatest American bands of ALL TIME
The Byrds were actually singing in two part harmony with three voices ( Roger and Gene in unison) which gave them that incredible unique vocal sound.
Yaaay!! I kept on thinking there should be more discourse on the Lovin Spoonful and I got my wish.
Good to hear! Part 2 will publish in a couple of days - stay tuned!
Love Matt's breakdown of 60's bands. Big fan.
Fun fact: Do You Believe In Magic was used as a background track for some promotional material for Valve's hit game Team Fortress 2, specifically Meet The Pyro
I shared this on the lovin' spoonful facebook page. Also, I think the most innovative element was they took ancient piano stride lines and played them on electric guitars and updated old country blues songs so they sounded modern and not corny.
That's a great way to describe how they made old timey stuff sound fresh and original! Thank you for posting on their FB page. It's much appreciated.
This is a very good video. I always liked the Loving Spoonful, but never knew a lot about their background, so this video is very interesting and informative. Will watch the next parts.
Matt, This history was so good that I am writing before looking at part 2. I see that one of your links is for Simon Wordsworth's book "Do You believe in Magic" which I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to the even mildly obsessive Spoonful fans. I was pleased to see you discuss "What's Shakin'" which was my introduction to the Paul Butterfield Blues band which prompted me to buy "East West" which is still one of my top ten sixties albums. And Al Kooper who produced the electric side of Tom Rush's "Take a Little Walk with Me," started the Blues Project and its offshoot Blood, Sweat, & Tears. brought the Zombies' "Odessey and Oracle" to the US for release (all this after playing organ on Dylan's records), and was the Zelig of 60s/70s music. I saw the Blues Project in the fall of '66, and they were first band that I saw that sounded powerful live. The package tours of the time sounded like a bad car radio. May I request a history of the Blues Project (okay, not really 60s 'pop') and another NY band, the Youngbloods - including Jerry Corbitt's solo album on Polydor which had a very early use of the moog.
Sorry about carrying on, but living through the sixties, the radio was always on when the turntable wasn't spinning, and this stuff was the soundtrack of my teen tears. Just another superb job Matt. My only wish is that these histories aren't longer, though your videos are a like a 45 rpm single - straight to the point and leaving the listener begging for more.
Wow, you are the first person that has mentioned seeing the Blues Project! I do plan a Youngbloods video and I did start to gather materials for a Blues Project/Kooper/Bloomfield/ BTS first album video but that will be a tough one to pull together. Very worthy of a band history!
@@popgoesthe60s52 The Blues Project were all superb musicians (except maybe Steve Katz) and had fabulous - for the time - equipment. What I saw was basically what was released as "Projection." Not that I cared for it, but Kooper released "Super Session" in '68 which was the first albums for the hype machine. Even Cream hinted at 'super' only in their name. And your series is seriously great
Zally said "Denny, you know there aren't many
Who can sing a song the way that you do, let's go south"
Denny said "Zally, golly, don't you think that I wish
I could play guitar like you"
Zal, Denny and Sebastian sat (At the Night Owl)
And after every number they'd pass the hat...
Mcguinn and McGuire just getting higher in L.A. you know where that’s at
and everybody's getting fat except Mama Cass
And no one's getting fat 'xcept Mamma Cass.
Night Owl Blues.
You're doing Gods work Pop Goes the 60s.
Fantastic channel.Keep it up please.Appreciate your hard work very much.Love this kind of stuff.
A really interesting and comprehensive project! You did a great job of putting it all together!
Thank you - more to come!
Well done, man. The Lovin' Spoonful meant a lot to me growing up in the '60's. So many good songs, but did I ever buy one of their albums? No but maybe a single or two.
Oh and the uber-kool tie-dyed Sebastian in the Woodstock movie has always been with me although I didn't really like that song...
The best 60´s channel on youtube. Well researced and presented...Really good
Thank you, Bjorgvin! Much appreciated.
Part 1 of The Lovin' Spoonful Band History is just fabulous and I learned a lot from Matt Williamson's narrative and presentation about the Spoonful, one of my favorites as a grew up in the 1960s.
Omg another great documentary. Lovely band! Many great songs and Never gets tiring.
I love how john lennon took inspiration from john sebastian's mid-60s look with the little round glasses and sideburns
Yes they didn't have eye glasses and side burns in the UK or anywhere else in the galaxy until John Sabastian invented both.
It's too bad Yoko happened to Lennon.
John Sebastian always had the coolest glasses. I.had the tortoise shell aviators as a teenager. So cool.
Sebastian (under his actual name of Pugliese) played blues harp on the Doors "Roadhouse Blues".
Thanks for the info! I didn't know that😀
EXCELLENT job, both the info, music selection and really appreciate the effect put into the accompanying slide show. One of my favorite episodes. 👍👍
The best feel-good band of all time. Thanks for the hsitory video!
Those early songs are deeply ingrained in my young teenage psyche. They still make me emotional to hear.
Love the Lovin' Spoonful. I only knew their singles until at one of those old used CD shops I happened upon a little Japanese box that included CDs of all their albums. Bought it for maybe $10 and immersed myself. Lots of great songs, very few duds. These days I mostly listen to a 2-LP best-of compilation but sometimes I'll dig out the Japanese box and play the albums. Great band.
The old photos of the scene back in those days are so interesting.
Excellent video...loved the band's music for years and now know the backstory...thank you!
You mentioned the band The Critters they sing one of my all time favorite songs Mr Dieingly Sad great band.
I forgot about that song...thanks for reminding me
I believe after "Do You Believe In Magic came "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" as their second single, and "Daydream" was their 3rd single.
Great in-depth video' ...great band' ...thankfully they didn't become The Monkees' thanks for sharing.
What a COOL upbringing John had, Waaay Cool story!!!
Thank you for refreshing my consciousness regarding The Lovin' Spoonful! (There were so many great bands back then, and one tends to forget). The Spoonful were very big here in Sweden, and I think they had three hits at the same time in our top 20 at one point in 1966!
Thank you for watching Arne! More to come!
These videos are great and the production is soooooo good. I am a huge 60s pop fan so finding this channel is a real treat :) Nice Racket Squad LP! I love their second album
Thank you, more to come!
Zal was probably more difficult than he had to be. In my part 2, there will be some other explanations on why rifts occurred within the band. Thanks for the comment!
One wonders if the Spoonful might have lasted longer if they had embraced blues rock like Paul Butterfield, Fleetwood Mac, etc. They certainly had the chops (cue "Night Owl Blues") to pull it off. Having the best harmonica player of the era on top it would have guaranteed success. Funny thing about Joe's vocals. His lead vocals was less than 30 minutes if you put all their records together. Tried to make a CDR of his lead vocals and gave up. Of course, Steve Boone's lead vocals. . . .
@@harvey1954 Steve's vocal's are pretty rough but yes you make a good point about a blues direction. I have always felt that a stronger psychedelic ore blues-rock direction would have got them some FM play.
What jail sentence did that pot dealer get? was he ever interviewed? is he alive?
@@lamper2 Supposedly it was this guy. th-cam.com/video/g58zNejxAj4/w-d-xo.html His lawyer wanted to challenge the pot laws and tried to make it into a test case. That's what blew up in the Steve and Zal's face.
@@popgoesthe60s52 big fan of NYC rock and roll... saw the Loving spoonful live numerous times back in the day.. as a matter of fact a friend of mine used to help set up their amps along with a few other bands in the city at some local venues... I thought they were great... And I really enjoy your channel by the way you put a lot of work into it...definitely subscribe
Love your work! I've watched all your Beatles videos thanks.
Second time I'm watching these two episodes, excellent job 👏👏👏
That is a high compliment, Lee - thank you for the support.
My new book on Zal Yanovsky (From Amazon Books) should answer a lot of these viewer comments. Great video and channel - keep up the good work Pop Goes the 60's!
Thank you Simon, I will give your book a look too!
They had seven US top 10 hits among them the # 1 hit Summer in the City.The other American group to achieve this at the time was Gary Lewis and the Playboys who also had a US chart topper with This Diamond Ring but they are largely forgotten by now. By 1966 the British Invasion was beginning to wind down as Folk Rock was becoming the new hot trend helping American groups regain control of the charts after two years of UK domination.The Brits never went away but it was more even by 1967.
The spoonful were one of the major inspiration for a young Stephen Stills to get out of the folk scare and go electric and write his own tunes.
Thank you for setting me straight. First, I'm 72 and went through just about everything in the sixties having lived just outside NYC. My problem, a sheltered childhood and I'm a bit slow on the take. 2nd, I have close to 4,000 LP's. Around the time of the release of "Hums" was when my parents' marital problems and the overwhelming force of the sixties counterculture began to affect me. I always thought "Hums" was their 2nd LP. My bad. I remember a "snow day" and sitting watching a beautiful snow fall and listening to "Hums" and "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears" by The Mama's and the Papa's. My life was beginning to change. My relationship with my father began to deteriorate to the point of almost abuse. He hated me because my grades were not good enough (he was a physician and had an almost unattainable standard of academic achievement) and I was beginning to form an opinion about the Vietnam War which he did not share (he was a staunch Republican who loved Spiro Agnew). There was one bright shining yearly ritual; my mother shipped me off to a 2-month summer camp in Maine for 7 summers. It would not be an exaggeration to say that single act may have saved my life. First, it got me away from the toxicity of their marriage and two; fostered a self-reliance that I could survive without them. But "Hums" will always resonate for me as a pivot point in my life. By the way, your presentations are spot on.
Love the Spoonful and their unique approach. It does seem like so many groups were so different from each other, all with varying influences that make up their own cool sounds. You touched briefly on another fascinating subject when you mentioned previous bands the members belonged to. It's amazing how many of these mid-60s groups had ties to each other. Possibly, a subject for a future video, Matt?
Yes, I may be going into the pre-Spoonful period as I cover other groups like Mamas an Papas, Fred Neil, the Journeymen, etc. so stay tuned!
@@popgoesthe60s52 I look forward to it, thank you. ☺
Thanks so much - so many good times back then!
The Lovin' Spoonful played an evening concert at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in the summer of 1996, waves crashing in the background. Former drummer Joe Butler sang lead up front. There must have been 5,000 people there, and it was magical. There were tons of small children dancing like crazy on the sand to the timeless classics that were hits at least 25 years before they were even born.
That's great to hear. I have been lucky enough to have seen them live yet. Thanks for the comment!
40 + years before they were born
@@paulgentile1024 Those kids were born around 1990.
Fun ! Love your series ! Thank you for your great work …And … also I’m saying hello from Halifax NS ! : )
Welcome, Halifax! Thank you for connecting, Lynda.
YOU SIR, ARE AMAZING! Been subed since 1st visit a few weeks back. Knew about Zal BUT not about Felix. Then I scan the list of muscians ....STEFAN GROSSMAN !!!! WTF ? Only knew him thru the colaboration on CROSSCURRENTS with DANNY KALB (ex of BLUES PROJECT ). THANK YOU , LOVE THE DETAIL. Have passed the word about YOU and RICK BEATO !
Much thanks, John. More to come!
LOVE The Blues Project. Matt, can you do a deep dive on them?
Great stuff, they were of course kind of folk rock I guess but I always thought some of their songs had a kind of 'punk' attitude too. Amazingly talented band...
Super informative. Thank you.
I knew Zal and Rose. The two of them did more for the city of Kingston than anyone I ever knew. In fact, still today their kid is running two of our most successful and beloved businesses, Zal spent a lot of time working with the humane society and raising funds for them. I know, I know about the controversies but, his life was dedicated to saving animals and his city. Miss you Zal.
When I was a teenager, Jan Carl was my boss. And someone told me Jan was once the drummer for the Lovin Spoonful.
Always thought The Lovin' Spoonful were just a really good Beatlesque American group until I got their Greatest Hits and discovered songs like Night Owl Blues and others that were very UnBeatlesque (is that a word?). Obviously adore Summer in the City and their other great top ten songs, but there was certainly a lot more depth to this band than many others of the era. John Sebastian really was one of the top song writers from the amazing 60's! (P.S. Matt - love your videos and channel - please keep at it, much appreciated!).
Thank you - more to come!
I do believe in the magic of music.
Great video and detailed history.
Great information! I did not know their music that well at all.
I might check them out
Thanks for watching, Pat!
I love the Sonics version of On The Road Again, as I've never really did a deep dive into the Lovin Spoonful, I just know found out it was a John Sebastian song! Love the videos btw
They were my first concert and will mever forget that obviously even got to meet some of the members so many great songs that werent hits even which is real tell tale of a great band
I Was a Teenage Folk-rocker! Love The Spoonful! Got all those records, What's Shakin' and Tiger Lily--and a Knob Lick Upper 10,000 LP included! Joe Butler was a great rock drummer, really bashed his kit!
Amazing doco, I learnt so much🙏
Would love to hear you do an episode on The Cyrkle.
Anyone here from NYC in the 70’s there used to be a commercial for the Fresh Air Fund..which gave inner city kids the opportunity to go away and visit the country. Anyway for one of their commercials the Used Summer in The City..during the chorus they showed Black and White pictures of the gritty inner city…then when it hit the chorus it showed the country. Probably the first time I took notice of the song as it was impactful. . I have not found it on TH-cam yet.
Loving Spoonful were fantastic… a real sixties outlier, no one like them. Zal was a fantastic creative player…..loved that Guild
Very cool, I was unaware of that - thank you!
I’ve got the What’s Shakin and Do You Believe in Magic LPs and a compilation. All marvellous music
I met John Sebastian he gave me the full story behind the false start on the classic filmed concert “the big TNT show”
And what happen?
Way to someone hanging
My Goodness, Just finished the Turtles, subscribed
to your channel and as I'm watching this one, your narration and story telling has me captivated. I have ADHD but you make this so comprehensive to follow. Love it!! Thanks again. Do you play any instruments?
Thank you for tuning in! Yes I play a bit of guitar and piano but I'm not accomplished.
I don't know where I read it, but I read that Cass Elliot (possibly "Mama Cass" at the time) told John that she had a friend he should meet. She brought Zal over and they started the band. She liked to hook people up with each other, and she seemed to have a knack for it.
Excellent!
One of the greatest groups ever. Completely unappreciated.
Thanks for the overview. hardly know anything of these fine blokes, cept for those few tracks I've heard.. pardon mate, i thought you we're John Cowsill. don't know why, Cheers.
I was just listening to the Daydream album couple days ago at a friend's pad.( on reel to reel) that's a really great album
Ah...reel to reel. You are old-school!
@@popgoesthe60s52👍
Lovin Spoonful is one of my favorite folk rock band of the 60’s. Daydream is my favorite album of theirs. I love Daydream and You didn’t Have to Be So Nice. I love Sebastians vocals and the easy going music. I think I was first introduced to the band through a McDonalds commercial in the 90’s where they played the song Do You Believe in Magic. I thought it was just a commercial song than I found out it was from the band Lovin Spoonful and I’ve been a fan since.
I had forgotten about that McDonalds commercial! All of their albums are thankfully easy to get and consistently good. Thanks for the comment!
Lucky enough to see John on stage at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970 and he brought Zal out on stage. Then about 10-years ago met John wben he played in London with his Jug band album tour. A TRUE GENTLEMAN. LOVE HIS AMAZING SONGS...... MY FAVS DARLIING BE HOME SOON AND YOU'RE A BIG BOY NOW AND SUMMER IN THE CITY. ROCK ON JOHN. GREAT SHOW AS USUAL.
Very enjoyable video. I've been a fan of the Lovin' Spoonful since I first heard them in the mid-60s, but I had no idea they were part of the Greenwich Village scene. Just had a look at Dave Van Ronk's book "The Mayor of MacDougal Street" and there's no mention of John Sebastian in it.
I'll have to check out Van Ronk's book. Thanks for that comment, John.
He wasn't very prolific, but all of Steve Boone's contributions are stellar. He's the primary writer of You Didn't Have To Be So Nice. I feel like his Butchie's Tune in particular showcases the great talents the band beside Sebastian had, with Joe Butler's soft vocal and Zally's brilliant Floyd Cramer-on-guitar licks.
That's my favorite LSP song. Had no idea he wrote it. Thanks for sharing this.
All of their albums are fantastic and advanced for their time,.in lyrics and music.
The Knob Lick Upper 10,000?! What the huh?
I know. I couldn't believe the name either. And they actually had 2 albums!
A more innocent time, I suppose.
"What's Shankin" I owned that.
Fantastic band ❤️
Nice, very nice.
'Do You Believe in Magic', makes me believe in magic.
Do you think you could investigate or dig a little deeper into the reason for John sebastian leaving the Spoonful? There is some ambiguity when it comes to John's reason leaving the band, just to clear up misconceptions... if you could make a video explaining why that would be awesome. Or just some more on the Spoonful, either way it would mean the world.
I covered his leaving in the part II video of the Lovin' Spoonful. I didn't have too many details but for now that's all I've got. I haven't read Steve Boone's book yet but that may have some more answers.
@@popgoesthe60s52 Alright I'll give his book a read, thanks anyways I love your channel.
Summer in the City .. stands up …
Great band! When I was a student in Holland end of the sixties, I made a songbook with the texts of their songs. Yeah good time folk rock! and so much fun! Many interesting pics in your 2 videos that I never saw before. Good story, but your choice of your favorite mentioned songs by album would be different for me. I would have mentioned for their first album also Blues in the bottle, Fishin’ blues, Other side of this life,; for the Daydream album also. Let the boy Rock and Roll and Bald headed Lena; for Hums (for me their best) :also Bes’’ Friends, Henry Thomas and Full Measure, such great songs; for What’s up Tiger Lily the fabulous Pow!, for Everything Playing also Money, Boredom and Old Folks. And they were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For the solo career of John and also of Zal you can make maybe sometime another video. But thanks anyway!
Always loved the spoonful
Having heard ( this decade) The Memphis Jugband do "On the Road Again" . . .
Saw them in port st lucie fla. Awesome
If you read the history of momma cass you will see she was everywhere she helped put people togeather the spoonfull CSN and others she was something great show love spoonfull summer in the city cheers
Nice topic Matt. These guys especially Sebastian mislabeled as a pop singles band, like you said. They were better than that. Some of their songs and guitar work are pretty complex. Sebastian was a powerhouse. In my opinion he could have used a better supporting cast.
I completely disagree..... I think his supporting cast was great..from lead guitar to the rhythm section they held their own
@@pgroove163 I did not mean to say that they were not a good band. What I meant was that Sebastian did not have another superior talent in the band like Stills and Young or MGuinn, Clark, Crosby or like John Phillips had the voices of Denny and Cass etc...
Z
Can you do a history of The Electric Prunes? Their story is an interesting and varied one...
Yes. They will be getting the Pop Goes the 60s treatment, so stay pruned!
I think that Full Measure is a masterpiece of a song. Too bad it was overlooked. A beautiful song.
Agreed! All of their songs are overlooked. John Sebastian is a musical genius.
Spector's production process didn't work for most CREATIVE BANDS...they had better ideas than Phil. The spoonful didn't need him...the spoonful are extremely underrated!! YEAH!!!
I really dug that tune by J.S. called, "Four Eyes!"
This why I watch “ pop goes the sixties “ ! Luv the Lovin spoonful . Spoiler alert. How John Sebastian ended up playing at Woodstock ?
That's a great story. Heard John tell the story, love it!
Summer In The City is an alltime rock classic! I used to think the lead vocals were some old black singer! I couldn't believe upon hearing it on radio first few times that it was follies John Sebastion!
Sebastion also played Woodstock, and of course wrote & sang "Welcome Back,"
the theme song to TV hit Welcome Back Kotter.
One thing I think you missed was the ownership of Kama Sutra and the problems Sebastian had with them.
You ought to do a video on the Kit Kats.