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John Sebastian
I just read the article on The Lovin’ Spoonful in Wikipedia and I’m still not sure if they were a whole lot more than John Sebastian and a backing band. I would think the answer is bands were popular when the Spoonful were formed and they tried to be equal but Sebastian had songwriting and vocal talents well beyond anybody else in the group. He wrote and sang all their hits and even had a huge solo hit years later in Welcome Back.
This will be 2 songs by the Spoonful that the Twins have covered. With the two songs John did with them on Orange and the fact that he plays with them on Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind, there’s no doubt that he has an important place now for MonaLisa Twins fans!
My favorite song by the Spoonful is Do You Believe in Magic with Summer in the City a fairly close second. It seems like the Twins are masters at picking songs that they can completely own. I like their version of Daydream much better than the original and anticipate that will be true of Make Up Your Mind as well.
I am now a much bigger Sebastian fan than I was before. I am very appreciative of him lending his name as well as his considerable harmonica talents to help Lisa and Mona (I am going to make a concerted effort to refer to them as Lisa and Mona about half the time. This is only because Mona and Lisa still conjures up thoughts of the painting every time I say it.)
Tim
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18 Replies
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I was a Lovin Spoonful fan in the sixties Tim. Still have their vinyl EP featuring ‘Summer in the City’ and ‘Nashville Cats’ a great country style song! I collected all their major hits during the early seventies and ‘Darling Be Home Soon’ and ‘Younger Girl’ (the Hondells had the hit in my country) were my favourites. ‘Daydream’ had a huge influence on the sixties, especially on John Lennon, Paul MCartney (Good Day Sunshine) and the Davies brothers from the Kinks (‘Sunny Afternoon’ anyone?).
John Sebastian wrote some great songs and I have all his hits, which I used to play often.
Don’t stress too much about the Mona Lisa, Lisa Mona thing Tim, sometimes I just refer to them as the twins. Saves all that cognitive dissonance thing happening!
Anyway Tim, what’s wrong with Mona and Lisa conjuring up thoughts of that beautiful painting. Seems a natural progression to me!
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I have never particularly cared for the Mona Lisa. I’m sure that speaks volumes to how little I know about art but as much as I’m knocked out by Michelangelo (the Pieta is my favorite piece of art) , Leonardo doesn’t move me in the same way.
One side benefit of Lisa and Mona is the L&M corresponds to Lennon and this other guy he used to work with.
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I’ve always enjoyed The Lovin ‘ Spoonful stuff …and I did not know at the time but eventually found out and as to why I never made the connection of his singing voice , I’ll never know, I was a youngster back in the 70s so that’s the excuse I’m giving…in reference to him singing WELCOME BACK for the tv series WELCOME BACK KOTTER to which I loved watching at the time back then.
Having him guest on ORANGE and to know he was THAT IMPRESSED BY/WITH and had an everlasting one at that of MLT … Well, it opened the doors to a Groovy and endearing Friendship and Musicianship 😀
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I remember seeing the Pieta at the New York Worlds Fair in 1965 when I was 9 years old.
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Are you aware that in later years, Paul McCartney wasn’t happy about the L&M thing and at one stage tried to have it changed to M&L but was blocked by Yoko Ono?
Art wise Tim, as they say, I mightn’t know much about art but I know what I like. And for me it has always been Vincent. Talking of which, Don McLean wrote a beautiful poem/song about him. Another I’d love the Twins to do. Don’t know if it’s suitable for a two part harmony but I’m sure they could work something out. I could imagine an acoustic guitar being backed by a flute.
“And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant
For one as beautiful as you” -
Howard,
Paul didn’t have any problems with most of their catalog continuing to go under Lennon/McCartney. He just felt that on some of the more personal songs that he had written entirely or with minimal help from John, McCartney/Lennon would be more fair and accurate.
He mentioned Yesterday and Hey Jude in particular as songs he wanted the order reversed and as you mentioned he went to Yoko and asked permission. It wasn’t given.
I’ve read that the order is actually reversed on the 1976 Wings Across America album but I don’t have a copy to verify. It was definitely reversed on the Please Please Me album and just as it stuck in Paul’s crawl for something he sweated over for John to be given first billing, John felt the same way and spoke to Brian who called a meeting for it to be changed. Paul reluctantly agreed but thought very little about it until the partnership ended.
I don’t know if you knew that Dick James suggested the co-writing partnership and that it was done because of British tax laws where partners were taxed at a much lower rate than single writers, at least at that time.
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Tim –
I have a digital copy of Wings Across America (along with a vinyl original). The PDF copy of the original cover reads: “…. 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 written and composed by Paul McCartney and John Lennon and published by Sony/ATV Tunes LLC (ASCAP)….”
So the order was reversed at least in the liner notes.
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Hi Tim. To be fair to Paul it was only the songs he was either the only or major songwriter. Sounds reasonable to me and I can’t understand why Yoko objected. Then again, I don’t know all the legal incracies and possible tax issues that may have been involved in mucking around with this. Fortunately this will never be an issue for Mona, Lisa, Rudi and Michaela as no one in their right mind would ever think that the Monalisa should be a Lisamona!
Relax Tim. The Wsgners are probably more sensible than the rest of us put together.
You know how it is. The more we get to know Mona and Lisa, the more we respect them and I can’t see why we need to stress over things that aren’t an issue for them.
Just sit down, strap yourself in your comfortable bus seat in this wonderful club, knowing we have a more than competent driver, navigator and engineer looking after this bus!
Howard
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Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind was always one of my least favorite hits by the Spoonful. The vocals seemed muffled and I never bothered to look up the lyrics because the song didn’t appeal to me quite enough so I always missed their humor.
The new version is wonderful. No, John doesn’t have voice he had when he was younger but it’s not a problem for me. His vocals are fine. I think the Twins had a little trouble adding their background vocals- it certainly isn’t the perfect harmony we’re used to from them. It’s more background than one might have expected. But the production is so crystal clear. The music radiates. Lisa’s guitar work is spectacular. Good for you, John Sebastian!! I am also betting that’s Rudolf singing the part of the dad! -
Well Tim. I loved the Spoonful’s original and dug the lyrics as at the time I was a young adolescent, forever having to try and make up my mind and never seeming able to finally decide! I’m glad I’m not a teenager any more. Lots of energy but zero life experience can make for a troublesome youth!
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The Spoonful had a talented guitarist named Zal Yanovsky. Before joining Sabastian to form the Spoonful, he played in a folk group called the Mugwumps which included Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot who later formed the Mamas and the Papa with John and Michelle Phillips. This is chronicled in M&P’s song Creeque Alley. Zal died in 2002.
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I saw John Sebastian perform in a small theater in the 90’s. I had a front-row seat, so I got to enjoy a lot of eye contact. I kept thinking, “This guy is so nice, I just want to invite him over to my house for dinner!” That’s a very rare vibe.
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Wow… I would love to see John perform……. I wasn’t aware it was John who sang the Welcome Back Kotter theme song for the TV show as I was only a kid in the 70s…. But I knew I liked the song and voice… I ‘ve always enjoyed Luvin Spoonful growing up in the 70s hearing them on radio and seeing on TV…….
Sidenote… Zal owned a cafe/bistro/bar with his actress wife Jackie Burroughs (Anne of Green Gables movies/Road To Avonlea TV series on ???) in Kingston Ontario and I think their daughter still owns it or has some ties to it still but not sure since both Zal & Jackie have passed on…. The place is called Chez Piggy
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I think we’re about the same age, Jacki. WBK was my second-favorite TV show, after Happy Days. I knew Sebastian wrote the theme song because it was mentioned in the credits, but it was another ten years before I learned that he sang it too. People forget that an extended version of that song was a top-selling single in the U.S.
When I was at the concert I tried requesting the song telepathically, but apparently he didn’t hear me. He was backed by a jug band, so it probably wouldn’t have sounded right anyway.
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Lol David… We probably are in the same age bracket then… You must try telepathically harder… Perhaps I’ll give it a try if I ever see him in concert… That is if he’d do Canadian dates nearby where I am as I don’t drive … Lol…. Just curious… Are you on FB?! I was a Happy Days Fan too…. Lol… OK… Gotta go get my nighttime ZZZs… Almost 2AM here… Gnite EH?!
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No, I’ve never done Facebook. MLT Club is actually my first-ever foray into the world of Internet chat. Up to now I’ve just been a consumer.
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I read John Sebastian was kicking off a concert tour this year, so you never know, he could be doing a venue nearby.
David, I never did social media before until I discovered MLT. First tweet I ever did was to comment on their Twitter site, the same with Facebook and Instagram. 🙂
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I got to the see John perform in 1975 or 1976 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center as the opening act for America. I remember he was excellent and actually stole the show, though America was enjoyable as well.
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