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.
Welcome Back
John Sebastian Lyrics
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Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about
Well the names have all changed since you hung around
But those dreams have remained and they've turned around
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya
(Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(Back here where we need ya)
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
We always could spot a friend, welcome back
And I smile when I think how you must have been
And I know what a scene you were learning in
Was there something that made you come back again
And what could ever lead ya
(What could ever lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(Back here where we need ya)
Yeah we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back
And I know what a scene you were learning in
Was there something that made you come back again
And what could ever lead ya
(What could ever lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(Back here where we need ya)
Yeah we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back
Yeah we tease him a lot, welcome back, welcome back
Cause we got him on the spot, welcome back, welcome back
Yeah we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
The song "Welcome Back" by John Sebastian was written for the TV show Welcome Back, Kotter. The lyrics capture a sense of nostalgia and camaraderie between old friends. The first stanza speaks to the idea that dreams can lead us back to where we started, even if everything else has changed. The line "Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about" evokes a sense of fond memories and the idea that some things never really change. The repetition of "welcome back" is a welcoming and comforting refrain that reinforces this idea of coming home.
The second stanza seems to be directed specifically towards the individual who has returned. The singer is happy to see their friend again and wonders what it was that brought them back. The line "And I know what a scene you were learning in" implies that the person had left to learn and grow in some way, but ultimately something drew them back to this particular place. The phrase "Back here where we need ya" suggests that the singer and the group of friends are happy to have their friend back in their lives, and perhaps even need them for their own sense of camaraderie.
Overall, the song "Welcome Back" captures the idea of nostalgia and the comfort of returning to something familiar. The lyrics suggest that friends and dreams are what keep us grounded, even as the rest of the world around us changes.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out
We're happy you've returned and achieved your dreams, which allowed you to move on from this place.
Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about
Despite seemingly moving on from this place, you've returned to the place you once made fun of.
Well the names have all changed since you hung around
Things have changed since you were last here, including the people and their names.
But those dreams have remained and they've turned around
Despite the changes, your dreams have stayed with you and helped you improve your situation.
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya
(Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(Back here where we need ya)
It's surprising that your dreams have brought you back to this place, but we're glad you returned to help us out.
Yeah we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
We make fun of you because you're in a vulnerable position, but ultimately we're happy to have you back.
We always could spot a friend, welcome back
We can always tell when someone is our friend, and we're glad to have you back as one.
And I smile when I think how you must have been
I'm happy when I think about how you were doing before you left, and how much you've accomplished since then.
Was there something that made you come back again
And what could ever lead ya
(What could ever lead ya)
Back here where we need ya
(Back here where we need ya)
Is there a reason you've returned that we don't know about? Whatever the reason, we're grateful to have you here to help us.
Yeah we tease him a lot 'cause we got him on the spot
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back, welcome back
Welcome back, welcome back
Again, we make fun of you because you are in a vulnerable position, but we're still happy to have you back.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JOHN BENSON SEBASTIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind