Few American bands showed the hit-making resilience in the face of the British Invasion quite like The Lovin’ Spoonful. And the main reason they were able to do that was that they possessed a songwriter of rare ability in John Sebastian. Many bands at that time churned out singles that stuck to the blueprint or their first success for safety’s sake. But Sebastian proved over and over that he could change his approach and still create something that worked on the widest possible scale. Let’s look at five examples of the versatile songwriting excellence of John Sebastian.
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1. ”Do You Believe in Magic?”
In terms of debut singles, it doesn’t get much better than this one. Released in 1965, it was the perfect introduction to Sebastian’s immense talent for putting something together that’s super-catchy and hooky on the surface but contains great depth in terms of how the lyrics are presented.
Right off the bat, you get the unforgettable refrain of “Do you believe in magic?” Sebastian then goes on to explain that the magic he’s referencing is coming from the music that was taking over the world at that time. What’s striking is his humility in saying that even he, the pop songwriter himself, can’t quite put a finger on what makes it so special: I’ll tell you about the music, and it’ll free your soul/But it’s like tryin’ tell a stranger ‘bout-a rock ‘n’ roll.
2. “Daydream”
You’ll find music writers tying themselves in knots trying to describe the genre of music Sebastian was emulating on this indelible ‘60s classic. We won’t fall into that trap, other than to say it’s a good example of how his songwriting tastes ranged far afield from the pop and rock of the day, especially in terms of going back to the somewhat arcane styles of the first half of the 20th century.
A lot of that comes as well from the instrumentation, with Sebastian’s harmonica and whistling, the saloon-style piano played by Steve Boone, and the homemade percussion of Joe Butler. Sebastian’s lyrics are also unique, with his use of offhand humor (the narrator taking a header onto somebody’s new-mowed lawn), wild metaphors (comparing himself to being a sleepy bull toad), and philosophical asides (Tomorrow at breakfast you may prick up your ears/Or you may be dreamin’ for a thousand years.)
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3. “Did You Ever Have to Make up Your Mind?”
The notion of free love was just starting to come into fashion when the Lovin’ Spoonful released this single in 1966. Maybe Sebastian was slightly sending the movement up. Or maybe he was just discussing the situation a lot of rock stars of that era were experiencing.
In any case, he once again managed to come up with a unique perspective in a song propelled by a somewhat offbeat musical approach. There are some laughs to be had here in the absurdity of the situations he imagines: how the mousy little girl enters the situation and ends up winning the romantic race. Or when a guy choosing between two sisters is confronted by their father. And yet he doesn’t ignore the oft-hurtful consequences of the selection: It’s not often easy and not often kind.
4. “Darling Be Home Soon”
There were elements of humor in a lot of what Sebastian and the Lovin’ Spoonful brought to the table. But with “Darling Be Home Soon,” one of the final significant hits of the band’s mid-‘60s run, Sebastian delivered a wholly earnest love song. It was one of the prettiest of the entire era.
First, he upends the common trope of the guy leaving behind the girl to go do his work. Instead he has the guy as the one who’s waiting for her return. There’s also some self-discovery going on by the narrator that helps him see how important this girl is: And I see that the time spent confused /Was the time that I spent without you /And I feel my life in bloom.
5. “Welcome Back”
The biggest hit of Sebastian’s solo career is the theme song to the beloved ‘70s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter. As a matter of fact, it only contained one verse to start. (This was based on the short amount of time it was needed for the show open.) But when the show became a hit, and fans showed interest in the song, Sebastian stretched it out to proper length. It’s a testament to his skill that he took what could have been a no-brainer assignment and imbued it with insight and heart.
Listening to the song now, “Welcome Back” still manages to charm. It’s subtly suggesting this guy might have returned to his old haunts because his loftier ambitions went unfulfilled. “Was there something that made you come back again?” Sebastian asks with a wistful tone in his voice.
Photo by Jemal Countess/WireImage
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