The Lovin' Spoonful

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The Lovin' Spoonful

Lovin' Spoonful in 2008
Background information
Origin New York, N.Y., United States
Genre(s) Pop rock, folk rock
Years active 1965–present
Label(s) Kama Sutra
Website www.lovinspoonful.com
Members
Steve Boone
Joe Butler
Jerry Yester
Mike Arturi
Phil Smith
Former members
John Sebastian (1965–1968)
Zal Yanovsky (1965–1967)

The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry."[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Career

The band had its roots in the folk music scene based in the Greenwich Village section of lower Manhattan during the early 1960s. Sebastian, who grew up in contact with music and musicians, was the son of a much-recorded and highly technically accomplished classical harmonica player. He had reached maturity toward the end of the American folk music revival that spanned from the 1950s to the early '60s. Sebastian was joined in the Spoonful by guitarist Zal Yanovsky from a bohemian folk group called The Mugwumps, playing local coffee houses and small clubs (two other members formed half of the Mamas and the Papas.[1] Drummer-vocalist Joe Butler and bassist Steve Boone rounded out the group. Unlike many pop groups of the day (the early Beatles being a notable and influential exception), The Lovin' Spoonful played all the instruments on their records, and aside from a few covers, mostly on their first album, wrote all their own material.[2][3]

The Lovin' Spoonful became known for such folk-flavored pop hits as the Top Ten "Do You Believe in Magic" and "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice," and "Daydream," which went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100."[2] [4] Arguably the most successful pop/rock group to have jug band roots, nearly half the songs on their first album were modernized versions of jug band standards. Their popularity revived interest in the form, and many subsequent jug bands cite them as an inspiration. The rest of their albums featured mostly original songs, but their jug band roots showed up again and again, particularly in their big hit "Daydream" and the lesser-known "Money," which featured a typewriter as percussion. They even had a crossover hit, as "Nashville Cats," a number eight pop hit, reached the country charts. Other hits were "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind" (another #2 hit), "Six O'Clock," and "Younger Girl." Their only song to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart was the harder-edged "Summer in the City," an indelible part of the soundtrack for the summer of 1966.

Early in their recording and airwave career, Lovin' Spoonful members termed their approach "good-time music." In the liner notes of "Do You Believe in Magic," Zal Yanovsky said he "became a convert to Reddy Kilowatt because it's loud, and people dance to it, and it's loud." Soon-to-be-members of the psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead were part of the West Coast acoustic folk music scene when The Lovin' Spoonful came to town while on tour. They credited The Lovin' Spoonful concert as a fateful experience, after which they decided to leave the folk scene and "go electric."[citation needed]

At the peak of its success the band was originally selected to perform on the television show that became "The Monkees,"[citation needed] and also gained an added bit of publicity when Butler replaced Jim Rado in the role of Claude for a sold-out four-month run with the Broadway production of the rock musical Hair. The Lovin' Spoonful's song "Pow!" was used as the opening theme of Woody Allen's first feature film, What's Up, Tiger Lily. John Sebastian composed the music for Francis Ford Coppola's second film, You're a Big Boy Now, and The Lovin' Spoonful played the music for the soundtrack, which included yet another hit, "Darlin' Be Home Soon." Both films were released in 1966.

Yanovsky left the band after the soundtrack album You're a Big Boy Now was released in May 1967, primarily due to a drug bust in San Francisco, in which he was arrested for possession of marijuana and pressured by police to name his supplier. As a Canadian citizen and fearing he would be barred from re-entering the U.S., he complied.[5] He would later open a restaurant in Canada, the immensely popular Chez Piggy in Kingston, Ontario. The restaurant is now owned and run by his daughter.[6] Yanovsky's replacement was Jerry Yester, formerly of the Modern Folk Quartet, and the band's sound became more pop. Sebastian left the group by early 1968 to go solo.[5] Without Sebastian's singing and songwriting, The Lovin' Spoonful lasted only until the end of 1968 with very little further success and split up following their album "Revolution '69." The original group reunited briefly for the Paul Simon film "One Trick Pony" in 1980. The Lovin' Spoonful was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.[7] The 1995 film Die Hard: With a Vengeance used their song, "Summer in the City", during its opening credits.

Yanovsky died in 2002.[6] Sebastian has stated that he no longer wishes to perform with the remaining members of the group because of personal differences.[8] Boone, Butler and Yester (with Butler now handling lead-singing chores) are still touring under the group name, with the addition of two new members.

[edit] Name

The band's name was inspired by some lines in a song of Mississippi John Hurt called the "Coffee Blues." John Sebastian credits Fritz Richmond for suggesting the name.[9]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Original U.S. Singles

Release Year Label/Catalog # Titles (A-side / B-side) Billboard Top Singles Cashbox
1965 Kama Sutra KA-201 "Do You Believe In Magic" / "On The Road Again"
9
8
1965 Kama Sutra KA-205 "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice" / "My Gal"
10
11
1966 Kama Sutra KA-208 "Daydream" / "Night Owl Blues"
2
1
1966 Kama Sutra KA-209 "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?" / "Didn't Want To Have To Do It"
2
4
1966 Kama Sutra KA-211 "Summer in the City" / "Butchie's Tune"
1
1
1966 Kama Sutra KA-216 "Rain on the Roof" / "Pow"
10
9
1966 Kama Sutra KA-219 "Nashville Cats" /
8
10
"Full Measure"
87
97
1967 Kama Sutra KA-220 "Darlin' Be Home Soon" / "Darling Companion"
15
15
1967 Kama Sutra KA-225 "Six O'Clock" / "The Finale"
18
15
1967 Buddah BDA-12 "As Long As You're Here" / "Ereh Er'uoy Sa Gnol Sa" (Zalman Yanovsky solo)
101
73
1967 Kama Sutra KA-231 "You're A Big Boy Now" / "Lonely (Amy's Theme)"
--
--
1967 Kama Sutra KA-239 "She Is Still A Mystery" / "Only Pretty, What A Pity"
27
16
1968 Kama Sutra KA-241 "Money" / "Close Your Eyes"
48
40
1968 Kama Sutra KA-250 "Never Goin' Back" / "Forever"
73
59
1968 Kama Sutra KA-251 "('Til I) Run With You" / "Revelation:Revolution `69"
128
--
1969 Kama Sutra KA-255 "Me About You" / "Amazing Air"
91
82
1970 Kama Sutra KA-505 "Younger Generation" / "Boredom"
--
--

[edit] Original U.S. Albums (Kama Sutra)

Release Year Label/Catalog # Album Title Billboard Pop Albums
1965 Kama Sutra KLP/KLPS-8050 Do You Believe in Magic
32
1966 Kama Sutra KLP/KLPS-8051 Daydream
10
1966 Kama Sutra KLP/KLPS-8053 What's Up Tiger Lily? (soundtrack)
126
1966 Kama Sutra KLP/KLPS-8054 Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful
14
1967 Kama Sutra KLP/KLPS-8056 The Best of the Lovin' Spoonful
3
1967 Kama Sutra KLP/KLPS-8058 You're A Big Boy Now (soundtrack)
160
1967 Kama Sutra KLP/KLPS-8061 Everything Playing
118
1968 Kama Sutra KLP/KLPS-8064 The Best of the Lovin' Spoonful, Vol. 2
156
1969 Kama Sutra KLPS-8073 Revelation: Revolution '69
--
1970 Kama Sutra KSBS-2011 John Sebastian Song Book Vol. 1
--
1971 Kama Sutra KSBS-2029 Once Upon A Time
--

[edit] Compilations

  • What's Shakin' (1966 - Elektra EUK 250)
  • The Best of the Lovin' Spoonful (1969 - Deluxe Label)
  • More Golden Spoonful (1974)
  • Daydream/What's Up Tiger Lily (double LP) (1977 - Kama Sutra Label)
  • File (1977 - Pye Label)
  • So Nice (1979 - 51 West Label)
  • The Great Years (1979 - Mode Label)
  • Pop History (197? - Polydor Label)
  • The Best in the West (1983 - Buddah Label)
  • The EP Collection (1988 - See for Miles Label)
  • Do You Believe in Magic/Everything Playing (1988 - That's Original Label)
  • Collection Lovin' Spoonful (20 Hits) (1988 - Castle Label)
  • All the Best of the Lovin' Spoonful (1988 - Pair Label)
  • Greatest Hits (1988 - Hollywood Label)
  • The Very Best of the Lovin' Spoonful (1988 - Kama Sutra Label)
  • 20 Greatest Hits (1989 - Big Time Label)
  • Anthology (1990 - Rhino Label)
  • Summer in the City - 19 Great Songs (1991 - Huub Label)
  • A Spoonful of Soundtracks (1991 - Repertoire Label)
  • In the Movies (1991 - Sequel Label)
  • Believe in Magic/Everything Playing (1992 - Castle Label)
  • The Best... Lovin' Spoonful (1994 - Kama Sutra Label)
  • The Lovin' Spoonful (1995 -Rhino Label)
  • Do You Believe in Magic/Hums (1995 - Kama Sutra Label)
  • The Very Best of the Lovin' Spoonful (1996 - Music Club Label)
  • Do You Believe in Magic & Other Hits (1997 - Rhino Flashback Label)
  • Summer in the City (1997 - Colelctables Label)
  • Greatest Hits (1998 - Delta Label)
  • The Very Best of the Lovin' Spoonful (1998 - Camden Label)
  • Best 28 (1998 - BMG / RCA Label)
  • Collector's Edition, Volume 1 (1999 - Platinum Disc Label)
  • Collector's Edition, Volume 2 (1999 - Platinum Disc Label)
  • Collector's Edition, Volume 3 (1999 - Platinum Disc Label)
  • Collector's Edition, Volume 1-3 (1999 - Platinum Disc Label)
  • Lovin' Spoonful (2000 - Platinum Disc Label)
  • French 60's EP Collection (2000 - Magic Label)
  • Greatest Hits (2000 - Buddha Label)
  • The Best of the Lovin' Spoonful (2001 - Paradiso Label)
  • Platinum & Gold Collection (2003 - Buddah Label)
  • The Best of the Lovin' Spoonful (2004 - BMG International Label)
  • Very Best of the Lovin' Spoonful (2004 - BMG International Label)
  • Lovin' You (2005 - BCI Music Label)
  • Singles A's and B's (2006 - Repertoire Label)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pop Matters entry on the Mugwumps CD reissue. Accessed January 5, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Rolling Stone Magazine entry for The Lovin' Spoonful. Accessed January 5, 2009
  3. ^ Classic Bands website Lovin' Spoonful entry. Accessed January 5, 2009.
  4. ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/bio/index.jsp?pid=5102
  5. ^ a b Sony Legacy Recordings biography entry for The Lovin' Spoonful. From Allmusic biography by Richie Unterberger. Accessed January 5, 2009.
  6. ^ a b Zal Yanovsky Obituary. The Independent. 18 December 2002 Accessed January 5, 2009.
  7. ^ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame entry for the Lovin' Spoonful. Accessed January 5, 2009.
  8. ^ Classic Bands web site. Interview with John Sebastian. Gary James. No interview date. Accessed January 13, 2009.
  9. ^ Associated Press (2005-11-23). "Jug band great Fritz Richmond dies at 66". All About Jazz. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=8109. 
  • The Fingerpicking Blues of Mississippi John Hurt: A Spoonful of Classic Songs taught by John Sebastian and Happy Traum DVD. Homespun Videos. July 2004. ASIN B0002KWSJ4

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lovin%27_Spoonful"
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