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.
How Have You Been
John Sebastian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While I have been away in the west?
Though you are strangers,
I feel that I know you.
By the way that you treat me and offer to feed me and egarly ask if I'll stay for a rest.
Now sit yourselves down in a pile here before me.
I wish I had presents for each of your smiles.
without much to carry.
Just a broken guitar case with tape on the sides,
a bag and a few signs to help me get rides.
Here are some beads from a throat of a princess,
Who reigned in the years 'round 200 BC.
Divid them and wear them,
and make sure you share them.
Because I want you to have them in hopes that'll be,
as lovely as the lady who gave them to me.
Here is a strange European guitar string,
I found on the floor of a Club in Marselles.
It's fat for the third string and too skinny for the fourth string.
But I keep in hopes I may use it someday,
It's funny how people just keep things that way.
Here is a turtle from a Long Island Expressway.
Says that his home has been covered with tar.
So I gave him a ride on the back of my suitcase.
And he wants to stay here in your yard,
at long his life won't be quite so hard.
How have you been my darling children?
In John Sebastian's song, "How Have You Been," the singer addresses his "darling children" whom he has been separated from while traveling west. Despite the distance, he feels a connection to them based on the way they treat him and welcome him home. He sits them down and presents them with various items he has collected on his travels, such as beads from a princess who reigned in 200 BC, a strange European guitar string, and a turtle from the Long Island Expressway. He encourages them to share the beads and make them as lovely as the lady who gave them to him. He also promises to try to find a use for the guitar string and hopes the turtle can stay in their yard where it will have a better life than on the polluted expressway.
The lyrics of this song touch on themes of love, family, and the value of connections and experiences. Despite being away for some time, the singer fosters a sense of closeness with the children through their hospitality and generosity towards him. By sharing his various possessions, he hopes to impart the importance of sharing and compassion.
Overall, "How Have You Been" is a heartfelt and uplifting song that demonstrates the beauty of human connections, regardless of distance or circumstance.
Line by Line Meaning
How have you been my darling children,
John Sebastian asks how his children have been while he was away in the west.
While I have been away in the west?
John Sebastian acknowledges that he has been away in the west.
Though you are strangers,
Despite not knowing his children well, John Sebastian feels like he knows them because of their kind treatment.
I feel that I know you.
John Sebastian feels connected to his children because of their hospitality.
By the way that you treat me and offer to feed me and egarly ask if I'll stay for a rest.
John Sebastian can tell that his children have been treating him well and offering him food and a place to rest.
Now sit yourselves down in a pile here before me.
John Sebastian invites his children to sit together in front of him.
I wish I had presents for each of your smiles.
John Sebastian wishes he could give a gift to each child that has made him smile.
I have been traveling, without much to carry.
John Sebastian has been traveling lightly, without a lot of baggage.
Just a broken guitar case with tape on the sides, a bag and a few signs to help me get rides.
John Sebastian's belongings consist of a damaged guitar case, a bag, and some signs to help him hitchhike.
Here are some beads from a throat of a princess, Who reigned in the years 'round 200 BC.
John Sebastian shares some historical beads with his children, which were worn by a princess that lived over 2000 years ago.
Divid them and wear them, and make sure you share them.
John Sebastian wants his children to share the beads and wear them.
Because I want you to have them in hopes that'll be, as lovely as the lady who gave them to me.
John Sebastian gives the beads to his children as a symbol of beauty and hopes they will be as lovely as the lady who gave them to him.
Here is a strange European guitar string, I found on the floor of a Club in Marselles.
John Sebastian found a European guitar string on a club floor in Marselles.
It's fat for the third string and too skinny for the fourth string.
The guitar string is not the right size for any specific string, too thick for the third and too thin for the fourth.
But I keep in hopes I may use it someday, It's funny how people just keep things that way.
John Sebastian keeps the guitar string, hoping it may be useful one day, even though it may seem odd to others.
Here is a turtle from a Long Island Expressway.
John Sebastian brings a turtle that he found on the Long Island Expressway.
Says that his home has been covered with tar.
The turtle tells John Sebastian that his home has been covered in tar.
So I gave him a ride on the back of my suitcase.
John Sebastian gave the turtle a ride on the back of his suitcase.
And he wants to stay here in your yard, at long his life won't be quite so hard.
The turtle wants to stay in John Sebastian's children's yard, where his life will be easier than it was on the Expressway.
Writer(s): John Benson Sebastian, John Sebastian Copyright: Alley Music Corp., Faithful Virtue Music Co. Inc., Trio Music Company
Contributed by Hudson O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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La Tony Tona
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