Early in their recording and airwave career, Lovin' Spoonful members termed their approach "good-time music". Unlike many pop groups of the day, the Lovin' Spoonful played all the instruments on their records, and aside from a few covers, wrote all their own material.
His group The Lovin' Spoonful played a major role in the mid-'60s rock revolution, but what leader, singer and songwriter Sebastian had in mind was actually a counter-revolution. "We were grateful to the Beatles for reminding us our rock & roll roots," John explains, "but we wanted to cut out the English middlemen, so to speak, and get down to making this new music as an 'American' band."
This the Lovin' Spoonful did like nobody before or since, putting their first seven singles into the Top 10. This was unprecedented, and utterly unthinkable at the height of Beatlemania. At first they'd taken older material from blues, country, folk and jug band sources - what we now term "roots music" - and made it sound modern. Then, in a series of original songs composed and sung by John Sebastian, they did the reverse, creating thoroughly modern music that sounded like it contained the entire history of American music. Which it did.
He embarked on a moderately successful solo career after leaving the Lovin' Spoonful in 1968. Sebastian was popular among the rock festival circuits. He had a memorable, albeit unscheduled appearance at Woodstock, appearing after Country Joe McDonald's set, playing songs such as "I Had A Dream," "Rainbows All Over Your Blues" and "Younger Generation" which he dedicated to a newborn baby at the festival. Documentary remarks by festival organizers revealed that Sebastian was under the influence at the time, hence his spontaneity and casual, unplanned set. Sebastian also returned for Woodstock '94, playing harmonica for Crosby, Stills and Nash. Sebastian released his eponymous LP John B. Sebastian in 1970, which featured him accompanied by various L.A. musicians.
Sebastian played harmonica with The Doors on the song Roadhouse Blues under the pseudonym G. Puglese to avoid problems with his contract, which was featured on Morrison Hotel album, also played on "Little Red Rooster" on the live album Alive, She Cried and on seven songs on Live In Detroit. He is also credited with playing harmonica on Crosby Stills Nash & Young's "Déjà Vu" from the album of the same name.
He had been involved in music for films (most notably Francis Ford Coppola's "You're A Big Boy Now" and Woody Allen's "What's Up Tiger Lily") and Broadway, but when producers of a TV show called "Welcome Back Kotter" commissioned a theme song in 1976, Sebastian's "Welcome Back" became a chart-topping solo record.
Thankfully John's induction into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 hasn't slowed him down. Whether the stage is at Carnegie Hall or a folk festival in some far-flung locale, John is still out there spreading his gospel of American roots music. He is the subject of the current PBS special "Do You Believe In Magic: The Music of John Sebastian," and a new album of duets with David Grisman was released in 2007. He has also lent his music in support of social, environmental and animal rights causes. Recently he joined a delegation of songwriters (including Lamont Dozier, Allen and Marilyn Bergman, and Mike Stoller) in Washington, DC to campaign on behalf of the National Music Publisher's Association.
Perhaps because it has been the product of heart and soul and history, the oldest song in the Sebastian catalog is as fresh and vital as the song he's about to write tomorrow. That's why you still hear his music everywhere - in movies, on television, in cover versions and samples - and why it's always welcome. John is also a welcome media presence; his commentary, insights and anecdotes and stories are regularly featured in print, radio, TV and film documentary projects. John Sebastian is not only a master musician, writer and performer, he remains one of the best ambassadors American music has ever had.
Daydream
John Sebastian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What a day for a daydreamin' boy
And I’m lost in a daydream
Dreamin' ‘bout my bundle of joy
And even if time ain’t really on my side
It’s one of those days for takin' a walk outside
I’m blowin’ the day to take a walk in the sun
And fall on my face on somebody's new mowed lawn
I've been havin’ a sweet dream
I been dreamin’ since I woke up today
It’s starrin’ me and my sweet dream
'Cause she's the one that makes me feel this way
And even if time has passing me by a lot
I couldn't care less about the dues you say I got
Tomorrow I'll pay the dues for droppin’ my load
A pie in your face for bein' a sleepy bulltoad
And you can be sure that if you're feelin’ right
A daydream will last along into the night
Tomorrow at breakfast you may pick up your ears
Or you may be daydreamin' for a thousand years
What a day for a daydream
Custom made for a daydreamin' boy
And now I’m lost in a daydream
Dreamin ‘bout my bundle of joy
The song Daydream by John Sebastian is a perfect rendition of the feeling of being lost in a daydream. In the first verse, Sebastian introduces the idea of a perfect day for daydreaming, which allows him to throw all responsibilities out the window and live in his own fantasy for just a little while longer. The lyric "And even if time ain’t really on my side" shows that the singer is aware of the passing time but doesn't really care about it right now. The chorus is a pure expression of the freedom that comes with daydreaming. The singer is lost in his own head and nothing else matters. He describes a sweet dream that he's been having since he woke up that day, and it's all about his "bundle of joy". This "bundle" represents everything he loves in life and brings him immense joy.
In the second verse, Sebastian sings about how time has passed him by and how he has "dues" to pay. He knows that tomorrow he'll have to face reality, but for now, he's happy to float along in his daydream. The lyric "A pie in your face for bein' a sleepy bulltoad" is a playful jab at anyone who is trying to disrupt his blissful state. He's saying that he's not going to let anybody rain on his parade. The song ends with Sebastian once again expressing his love for daydreaming and his "bundle of joy". The final lines of the song are a fitting tribute to the power of daydreaming: "And now I’m lost in a daydream, Dreamin ‘bout my bundle of joy".
Line by Line Meaning
What a day for a daydream
Today is the perfect day to have a daydream
What a day for a daydreamin' boy
Today is the perfect day for a boy to daydream
And I’m lost in a daydream
I am completely absorbed in my daydream
Dreamin' ‘bout my bundle of joy
My daydream is about the person who brings me happiness
And even if time ain’t really on my side
Although I don't have a lot of time
It’s one of those days for takin' a walk outside
It's the kind of day where it's good to go for a walk outside
I’m blowin’ the day to take a walk in the sun
I'm wasting the day just taking a walk in the sun
And fall on my face on somebody's new mowed lawn
And possibly embarrass myself by tripping on someone's freshly cut grass
I've been havin’ a sweet dream
I've been having a really enjoyable daydream
I been dreamin’ since I woke up today
I started daydreaming as soon as I woke up
It’s starrin’ me and my sweet dream
The daydream is all about me and what makes me happy
'Cause she's the one that makes me feel this way
This happy daydream is all because of the person I'm thinking about
And even if time has passing me by a lot
Even if time seems like it's going too fast
I couldn't care less about the dues you say I got
I don't care about any responsibilities or obligations I may have
Tomorrow I'll pay the dues for droppin’ my load
I'll take care of my responsibilities tomorrow
A pie in your face for bein' a sleepy bulltoad
If someone tries to give me a hard time for not being productive, I'll give them a piece of my mind
And you can be sure that if you're feelin’ right
If you're feeling good and positive
A daydream will last along into the night
Your happy thoughts and dreams will stay with you through the night
Tomorrow at breakfast you may pick up your ears
You may start to pay attention to your obligations and responsibilities in the morning
Or you may be daydreamin' for a thousand years
Or you may get lost in your happy thoughts and dreams for a long time
What a day for a daydream
Today is truly the best day to daydream
Custom made for a daydreamin' boy
This day is especially suited for a boy to daydream
And now I’m lost in a daydream
I'm completely absorbed in my daydream
Dreamin ‘bout my bundle of joy
My happy thoughts are all about the person who brings me joy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN SEBASTIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
luthien1971
I absolutely adore John Sebastian. He´s just so cool and he composed so many cool songs! How can one not love him?
Melissa Billard
I 💜 him totally
derekec
This is someone who just oozes musicality...so simple and yet so hard to do convincingly. And for the few imitators who might say they can do an amazing cover (and yes I do envy you), let’s not forget he invented the song and the performance....and a few others. Thanks for posting this video by the way.
Glen Carta
John Sebastian was is the real deal musically and lyrically and the Spoonful were a great band ....fabulous timeless
vil
yeah I’m just realising now
Tom In Denver
Imagine a world where everyone was filled with this much joy.
Ketamine Kyle
All you can ever do is imagine. We make life too complicated for it to ever be that good.
Gerald Fields
I do !
David Thompson
He got on very well with the MonaLisa Twins - they have something of his joie de vivre!
Darth Dennis66
Never happen...ever.