Lead singer Sky Saxon had a musical career that went back to pre-Beatle music days, when he recorded a few 45-rpm singles under the name Richie Marsh. Born in Salt Lake City, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1960s. The Seeds were formed in 1965 with Saxon joining as a response to an advertisement. Keyboardist Daryl Hooper was a major factor in the band's sound; the band was one of the first to utilize keyboard bass. Guitarists Jan Savage and Jeremy Levine with drummer Rick Andridge completed the original quintet, but Levine left shortly after the first recording sessions for personal reasons. Although Sky Saxon is usually credited as bass player, he did not play bass on any of the Seeds' recordings. This was handled by session men, usually one Harvey Sharpe. On stage, keyboardist Daryl Hooper would handle the bass parts via a separate bass keyboard, in the same way as Ray Manzarek later did with The Doors.
The Seeds' first single Can't Seem to Make You Mine was a regional hit in southern California in 1965. The song was also played regularly on AM rock stations in northern California (and probably elsewhere), where it was well received by listeners. The band had their only national Top 40 hit, Pushin' Too Hard, in 1966. Three subsequent singles, Mr. Farmer (also 1966), a re-release of Can't Seem To Make You Mine (1967), and A Thousand Shadows (1967) achieved more modest success, although all were most popular in southern California. Musically uncomplicated and dominated by Saxon's vocal style and flair for simple melodic hooks, their first two albums are today considered classics of '60s garage music. A later album (Future, 1967) was full-blown psychedelic rock, with ornate flower-themed graphics to match, and another was devoted to the blues (with liner notes by Muddy Waters).
By mid-1968, with their commercial popularity flagging, the group's personnel began to change; the band was renamed "Sky Saxon and the Seeds" in 1969, by which point Bob Norsoph, guitar, and Don Boomer, drums, had replaced Savage and Andridge. Saxon continued to use the name “The Seeds”, using various backup musicians, at least through 1972; the last major-label records of new material by the Seeds—two non-charting singles on MGM records—were released in 1970.
After the dissolution of the Seeds, Sky Saxon joined the Yahowha religious group, inspired by their leader Father Yod. Although a member of the Source Family for several years, Saxon did not participate in any of the albums released by Yahowha 13 in the mid 1970s. He does appear on the "Golden Sunrise" album by Fire Water Air, which was a Yahowha 13 offshoot, and later recorded the "Yod Ship Suite" album in memory of the deceased Father Yod. In the 1970s, Saxon also released the solo LPs "Lovers Cosmic Voyage" (credited to Sunlight) and "Live At The Orpheum" credited to Sunlight Rainbow. In the 1980s, Saxon collaborated with several bands—including Redd Kross and The Chesterfield Kings—before reforming the original Seeds in 1989 to headline "The Summer of Love Tour", along with Big Brother and the Holding Company, Arthur Lee and Love, The Music Machine, and The Strawberry Alarm Clock.
The Seeds remained dormant again until 2003, when Saxon reformed them with original guitarist Jan Savage and newcomers Rik Collins on bass, Mark Bellgraph on Guitar and Dave Klein on keyboards. This new version of the Seeds went through several incarnations, with Savage departing midway through their 2003 European tour due to his health. Saxon remained the only original member of The Seeds, which continued to tour Europe and the United States. Saxon died on June 25, 2009 of heart and renal failure.
On July 24, 2009, members of The Smashing Pumpkins, Love, and The Electric Prunes performed a tribute concert at the Echoplex in Los Angeles in memory of Sky Saxon.
A documentary film about The Seeds has been prepared by GNP Crescendo Records President Neil Norman, the son of the label's founder Gene Norman. Filming began in 2007, and draws on first-hand knowledge of the band, interviews and concert footage. The film titled Pushin' Too Hard, directed by Norman and produced by Alec Palao, premieres August 16, 2014 at the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles. A DVD release will follow later in the year.[4][5]
Some lyrics in Frank Zappa's album "Joe's Garage" refer to "Pushin' Too Hard": "You're plooking too hard/ Plooking too hard on ME".
The Seeds were a 1960s rock and roll band based in Los Angeles, California, United States, whose raw and abrasive energy, and simple, repetitive lyrics came to exemplify the garage rock style. The band was active from 1965 to 1972. The group reunited in 1989, split again in 1993 and reunited once more in 2003. The band's future is in question after the June 2009 death of its only constant member, singer Sky Saxon.
Lead singer Sky Saxon was heavily influenced in style and appearance by Mick Jagger, and the group promoted the fact that Blues great Muddy Waters once called them "America's own Rolling Stones." Keyboardist Daryl Hooper was a major factor in the band's sound; the band was one of the first to utilize keyboard bass; guitarist Jan Savage and drummer Rick Andridge completed the original quartet. Vocalist Saxon also played bass guitar.
The Seeds' first single, "Can't Seem To Make You Mine," was a regional hit in southern California in 1965. The band had their only national top-40 hit, "Pushin' Too Hard", in 1966. Two subsequent singles, "Mr. Farmer," (also 1966) and "A Thousand Shadows" (1968) achieved more modest success. Though musically primitive, one album was devoted to the Blues (with liner notes by Muddy Waters), and another (Future, 1967) was full-blown psychedelic rock, with ornate flower-themed graphics to match. The original Seeds disbanded in 1970, shortly after the release of Raw and Alive at Merlin's Music Box.
Sky Saxon joined the Yahowa religious sect, inspired by their divine leader Father Yod, released several albums as the Yahowa 13 in the mid-70s. Members of the sect went their separate ways after Father Yod died in a hang gliding accident in 1974, although Saxon continues to collaborate with various members of the Yahowa to this day.
In the 1980s, Saxon collaborated with several bands—including Redd Kross and The Chesterfield Kings—before reforming the original Seeds in 1989 to headline "The Summer of Love Tour", along with Big Brother and the Holding Company, Arthur Lee and Love, The Music Machine and The Strawberry Alarm Clock. The Seeds remained dormant again until 2003, when Saxon reformed them with original guitarist Jan Savage and newcomer Rick Collins on bass. This new version of the Seeds has gone through several incarnations, with Savage departing mid way through their 2003 European tour due to his health. Saxon now remains the only original member of The Seeds, currently augmented by the aforementioned Collins as well as organist Ryan Maynes, guitarist Nate Greely, and drummer Justin Smith. The band continues to frequently tour Europe and the United States.
"Pushin' Too Hard" was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
Dead in the Morning
The Seeds Lyrics
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She breathed in the future, by breathing out the past
The die is done, the die is shook, the die is duly cast
There is a dead man in my bed, she said
That smile you see upon his face
It's been there for many days
There's a dead man in my bed
She pointed at the bedroom door and said I ain't going in there
She leapt out of her seat and screamed someone's not concentrating here
There is a dead man in my bed, she said
I ain't speaking metaphorically
His eyes are open but he cannot see
There's a dead man in my bed (dead!)
Well, the leaves outside the window waved, all brown, they were, and falling
Even I could tell the atmosphere in here was utterly appalling
The phone it rang incessantly but nobody was calling
There's a dead man in my bed, she said
And though he keeps on taking notes
I swear this ain't some kind of hoax
Dead man in my bed
Well, now she's in the kitchen, rattling those pots and pans
I'd cook him something nice, she said, but he refuses to wash his hands
He used to be so good to me, now he smells so fucking bad
There is a dead man in my bed, she said
I keep poking at him with my stick
His skin is just so fucking thick
There's a dead man in my bed
Well, we've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
Yeah, we've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together (get it all together now)
We've gotta get it all together
We've gotta get it all together now
The Seeds' song "Dead in the Morning" is a haunting and disturbing portrayal of a woman who finds herself in a dire situation. The first verse sets the tone for the song, as she sits in a wicker chair with downcast eyes and breathes in the future by breathing out the past. The die has been cast, and there is a dead man in her bed. She explains that the smile on his face has been there for many days, implying that he has been dead for a while.
The second verse shows the woman becoming increasingly agitated, as she points to the bedroom door and declares that she will not go in there. She screams that someone is not concentrating, and there is a dead man in her bed. She clarifies that she is not speaking metaphorically, and despite the dead man's eyes being open, he cannot see. The chorus repeats the phrase "there's a dead man in my bed", emphasizing the repetition of the woman's horror.
The third verse paints a picture of the bleak atmosphere surrounding the woman and the dead man in her bed. The leaves are falling outside the window, and the phone is ringing incessantly, but nobody is calling. The woman makes it clear that this is not a hoax, and even though the dead man keeps taking notes, he is still dead. The final verse shows the woman in the kitchen, trying to cook for the dead man, but he refuses to wash his hands. She laments the fact that he used to be good to her, but now he smells bad. The repetition of the phrase "we've gotta get it all together" in the final section of the song suggests a sense of urgency, as if the woman must take some sort of action to rectify her situation.
Overall, "Dead in the Morning" is a song that deals with themes of death, decay, and despair. The image of a dead man in the woman's bed is a powerful one, and the lyrics convey a sense of haunting eeriness that leaves an impression on the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, she sat in a wicker chair, her eyes they were downcast
The woman was sitting in a chair made of woven twigs, and her gaze was directed downwards.
She breathed in the future, by breathing out the past
She was trying to let go of the past and embrace what was to come by focusing on her breathing.
The die is done, the die is shook, the die is duly cast
Decisions have been made and there's no turning back now.
There is a dead man in my bed, she said
There is a deceased person lying in her bed.
That smile you see upon his face
The man in her bed has a smile on his face.
It's been there for many days
The man has been dead for a while, yet his smile remains.
Well, I ain't been feeling that good too much no more, she said, I swear
The woman has not been feeling well lately and confirms this to be true.
She pointed at the bedroom door and said I ain't going in there
She avoids entering the bedroom where the dead man is lying.
She leapt out of her seat and screamed someone's not concentrating here
She became frustrated and started yelling because someone was not paying attention.
I ain't speaking metaphorically
She is not using figurative language to describe the dead man in her bed, but is being literal.
His eyes are open but he cannot see
The man's eyes are open, but he is not alive and is unable to see.
the leaves outside the window waved, all brown, they were, and falling Even I could tell the atmosphere in here was utterly appalling
The leaves outside the window were brown and falling, signaling the onset of autumn. The situation in the room was unfavorable and was perceivable by anyone present.
The phone it rang incessantly but nobody was calling
The phone kept ringing constantly, but there was no one calling.
And though he keeps on taking notes I swear this ain't some kind of hoax
Even though the man in her bed appears to be writing things down, the situation is not a hoax and is, in fact, real.
Now she's in the kitchen, rattling those pots and pans
She is now making noise in the kitchen by banging on the cookware.
He used to be so good to me, now he smells so fucking bad
The woman was once treated well by the man but now he has an offensive odor.
I keep poking at him with my stick
The woman keeps poking the man in her bed with a stick.
His skin is just so fucking thick
The man's skin is figuratively thick, implying that he is unresponsive and unchanging.
We've gotta get it all together
There is a need for things to be organized or for everyone to be united in some way.
get it all together now
The need for things to be organized or for everyone to be united in some way is immediate.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Nicholas Cave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind