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.
Fallin' In Love
The Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've hit the ground
You no longer hear each happy sound
You no longer tell day from night
You're slippin', you're slippin', you're fallin' back down
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've hit the ground
You're slippin', you're slippin', you're fallin' back down
Who took the sun, has painted it black
Who took the skies and turned them grey
Who took your dreams, your dreams away
What happened to each happy day
You're slippin', you're fallin', you're fallin' back down
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've touched the ground
A glass vacuum locked your mind inside
And now you've taken one long ride
You're slippin', you're slippin', you're fallin' back down
You're slippin', you're slippin', you touched the ground
Who took your dreams, your dreams away
who tookthe nights and changed the day
Who took your thoughts, your thoughts away
Who has come and changed the play
You're slippin', you're slippin', you're fallin' back down
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've touched the ground
A glass vacuum with a bubble inside
Have you been lost, passed the day
You're slippin', you're slippin', you're fallin' back down
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've touched the ground
What you, what you, what you gonna do
With this life you've been running through
What you, , what you, what you going to do
You just can't keep running away
And the nights, the nights have all turned black
An empty heart lies cold inside
And now you're lost, you're lost inside
You're heart's taken another ride
You're slippin', you're slippin', you're fallin' back down
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've touched the ground
You're slippin', you're fallin', you're fallin' back down
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've hit the ground
Each sunrise comes and brings the new dawn
Replacing the one that's come and gone
The path by you've walked once before
Has now been filled with candy stores
You're slippin', you're fallin', you're fallin'
Back down you're slippin', you're slippin'
you're fallin' back down, you're slippin', you're slippin',
you're fallin' back down, you're fallin', you're fallin',
you're fallin', you're fallin', fall fall fall fall fall
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've touched the ground
Each new day that comes has come and gone
The master's rain has come to fall
You're slippin', you're slippin', you're fallin' back down
You're slippin', you're slippin', he's counting the dawn
You're slippin', you're slippin', you're fallin' back down
The master has counted, counted the dawn
Who took the stars and painted them grey
Who took your smile, your smile away
Who took your laughter, your laughter away
Who has come and changed the day
As you're slippin', you're slippin', you're fallin' back down
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've touched the ground
Without love you're fallin', why, you're fallin' back down
Without love you just can't go on, you're fallin', fallin', fallin' back down
Fallin', you're fallin', fall, fall, fall, fall, fall, fall
The Seeds’ song “Fallin’ In Love” is a gloomy ballad that paints a vivid picture of someone spiraling into darkness and hopelessness. The lyrics are poetically crafted to convey a sense of falling, both physically and emotionally. The song describes a person who has lost their happiness ('You no longer hear each happy sound'), their dreams ('Who took your dreams, your dreams away'), and their ability to distinguish between day and night. The use of repetition and imagery emphasizes the feeling of desperation and hopelessness, as the person falls deeper into a dark abyss.
The lyrics suggest that something or someone has caused a dramatic shift in the person’s life. The lines, “Who took the sun, has painted it black, Who took the skies and turned them grey,” imply that something has changed drastically, and the person is struggling to cope. The repetition of “You’re slippin’, you’re fallin,’ you’re falling back down,” highlights the theme of losing control, and the person’s inability to stop themselves from sinking deeper into despair.
In many ways, the lyrics of “Fallin’ In Love” could be interpreted as a reflection of the turbulent times of the 1960s. The Vietnam War, political unrest, and social upheaval all contributed to a feeling of instability and insecurity among many Americans, particularly young people. The song’s lyrics capture this sense of uncertainty and vulnerability and remind us that even amidst chaos, hope and love can be found.
Line by Line Meaning
You're slippin', you're fallin', you're fallin' back down
You're losing control and falling back into a negative state.
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've hit the ground
You've hit rock bottom and are unable to get back up.
You no longer hear each happy sound
You're unable to experience joy or happiness.
You no longer tell day from night
You've lost track of time and can't distinguish between day and night.
Who took the sun, has painted it black
Someone or something has made the world a darker, gloomier place.
Who took the skies and turned them grey
The once beautiful and bright sky has become dull and depressing.
Who took your dreams, your dreams away
Your aspirations and hopes for the future have been taken away from you.
What happened to each happy day
You can't remember the last time you had a truly happy day.
A glass vacuum locked your mind inside
Your mind has been trapped in a state of emptiness or depression.
And now you've taken one long ride
You've been on a downward spiral for some time now.
Who tookthe nights and changed the day
The once peaceful and calming nights have been disturbed and made just as bleak as the day.
Who took your thoughts, your thoughts away
You're unable to think clearly or positively.
Who has come and changed the play
Someone or something has changed the course of your life in a negative way.
A glass vacuum with a bubble inside
Your mind is enclosed in a state of emptiness with one fleeting hope left.
Have you been lost, passed the day
You've been wandering aimlessly for some time now.
What you, what you, what you gonna do
What plans do you have to improve your life?
With this life you've been running through
Your life has been chaotic and unfulfilling.
You just can't keep running away
You need to confront your problems instead of running from them.
An empty heart lies cold inside
You feel lonely and unloved.
And now you're lost, you're lost inside
You're completely lost and unable to find your way.
Each sunrise comes and brings the new dawn
Each new day brings an opportunity for a fresh start.
Replacing the one that's come and gone
The past is gone and can't be changed, but you can make the most of today.
The path by you've walked once before
Your life's journey has taken a different, unexpected turn.
Has now been filled with candy stores
Even familiar places from your past have lost their joy and appeal.
The master's rain has come to fall
The one in charge of your destiny has decided to make things difficult for you.
Who took the stars and painted them grey
Even the night sky, with its stars, has lost its beauty and wonder.
Who took your smile, your smile away
You can't find a reason to smile or be happy anymore.
Who took your laughter, your laughter away
Laughter used to come easily to you, but now it's a rare occurrence.
Without love you're fallin', why, you're fallin' back down
Without love and support, you're destined to continue your downward spiral.
You're slippin', you're slippin', he's counting the dawn
The one in charge is keeping track of how much longer you have until the dawn of a new, happier life.
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've touched the ground
You're falling deeper into your negative thoughts and feelings.
You're slippin', you're fallin', you're fallin' back down
You're unable to escape your negative state and are falling further into despair.
You're slippin', you're slippin', you've hit the ground
You've reached rock bottom and don't know how to climb back up.
Lyrics © NEIL MUSIC INC
Written by: SAXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind