The song appears on the 1998 box set Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968, and has been covered by such artists as the Ramones, Alex Chilton, Johnny Thunders, Yo La Tengo and Garbage.
"Can't Seem to Make You Mine" was the first song recorded by the Seeds, according to keyboardist Daryl Hooper. "Sky started peddling it around to different record labels [...] and got the typical 'we'll call you' routine, and Crescendo, for some reason, liked it and said they'd like to take us into a recording studio. When Sky got into the recording studio, he really put his all into his vocals."[1]
The song, released as a single in March 1965, first received radio airplay on Santa Monica's KBLA. Sky Saxon recalled in a 2006 interview: "they used to play 'Can't Seem to Make You Mine' as late as two in the morning. KRLA and all the rest of the stations jumped on it later, but KBLA broke it and people would stay up to hear it."[2]
A regional hit in California, the single did not chart nationally until its 1967 re-release, after the band's "Pushin' Too Hard" had reached the U.S. Top 40.[3][4] "Can't Seem to Make You Mine" peaked at number 33 in Canada and number 41 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[5]
The song features an instrumental by the pianist of the group, with guitar accompaniment.
There was also a radio edit version of this song, which omitted the repeat of the bridge section as well as a repeat of one of the verses. The song features a spoken duologue by Saxon before he repeats the final verse. ("Come back, Baby, I'm all alone").
Can't Seem To Make You Mine
The Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kiss and run all the time
Flyin' around like a bee
Hurtin' everything you see
I tried everything I know
To make you wanna love me so
The only thing you do
Is try to put the hurt on me
Can't you see what you're doin' to me
You fill my heart with misery
With every breath and step I take
I'm more in love with you
I can't go on like this
A little bit of love, not one kiss
I gotta have your love everyday
A love that's real that'll stay
I can't seem to make you mine
I can't seem to make you mine
I can't seem to make you mine
I can't seem to make you mine
Come back, baby, to me
End my misery
I give you love night and day
Don't ever ever go away
I can't seem to make you mine
I can't seem to make you mine
Come back baby, 'cause I'm all alone
Come back darlin', 'cause I need your love
Come back, 'cause I wanna love ya
Girl, I wanna love ya tonight
I can't seem to make you mine
I can't seem to make you mine
I can't seem to make you mine
I can't seem to make you mine
The Seeds' song "Can't Seem to Make You Mine" is a classic example of 60's garage rock, featuring drummer Daryl Hooper's distinctive keyboard sound and lead singer Sky Saxon's angst-filled lyrics. In the song, Saxon laments about his inability to make his lover commit to him, as she continues to kiss and run away.
Throughout the song, Saxon compares his lover to a bee, flying around and hurting everything in her path. He pleads for her to return to him, offering love and affection in desperation. Despite his efforts, his lover continues to put the hurt on him, causing him misery.
The chorus of the song is particularly powerful, with Saxon lamenting, "Can't you see what you're doing to me? You fill my heart with misery. With every breath and step I take, I'm more in love with you." The song serves as a powerful reminder of the pain that unrequited love can cause, especially when one is unable to make their lover commit.
Overall, "Can't Seem to Make You Mine" is a timeless classic that continues to strike a chord with listeners today. Its raw emotion and powerful lyrics have made it a beloved track among 60's garage rock enthusiasts and music lovers alike.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't seem to make you mine
I am unable to make you fall in love with me
Kiss and run all the time
You kiss me and then keep running away from me
Flyin' around like a bee
You move around frivolously like a bee without any consideration for my feelings
Hurtin' everything you see
You cause pain to everyone you come across, including me
I tried everything I know
I have exhausted all my efforts to make you love me
To make you wanna love me so
I did everything to spark your interest in me
The only thing you do
The only thing you do in return
Is try to put the hurt on me
is to inflict pain on me
Can't you see what you're doin' to me
Can't you see the emotional torment you cause me
You fill my heart with misery
You make my heart heavy with sadness
With every breath and step I take
Every second and every move I make
I'm more in love with you
I am even more in love with you
I can't go on like this
I cannot continue living in this state
A little bit of love, not one kiss
I get very little affection or even a single kiss from you
I gotta have your love everyday
I need your love every day
A love that's real that'll stay
I want sustainable love that lasts forever
Come back, baby, to me
Please return to me
End my misery
Put an end to my pain and suffering
I give you love night and day
I show you love every day
Don't ever ever go away
Please never leave me
Come back baby, 'cause I'm all alone
I feel very lonely without you around
Come back darlin', 'cause I need your love
Come back, my darling, because I need your love
Come back, 'cause I wanna love ya
Please come back because I want to love you
Girl, I wanna love ya tonight
My love for you is immediate, and I want to express it tonight
Lyrics © NEIL MUSIC INC
Written by: S SAXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind