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.
Falling In Love
The Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love's ugly little twins
Came a-knocking on my door
I let 'em in
Darling, you're the punishment
For all my former sins
I let love in
The door it opened just a crack
But love was shrewd and bold
My life flashed before my eyes
It was a horror to behold
A life-sentence sweeping confetti
From the floor of a concrete hole
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
Well, I've been bound and gagged
And I've been terrorized
And I've been castrated
And I've been lobotomized
But never has my tormentor
Come in such a cunning disguise
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
Oh Lord, tell me what I done
Please don't leave me here all alone
Where are my friends?
My friends are gone
Oh Lord, tell me what I done
Please don't leave me here all alone
Where are my friends?
My friends are gone
I let love in
I let love in
So if you're sitting all alone
And hear a-knocking at your door
And the air is full of promises
Well buddy, you've been warned
Far worse to be love's lover
Than the lover that love has scorned
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
I let love in
The Seeds' "Falling in Love" is a dark and melancholic reflection on the consequences of letting love into one's life. The lyrics portray love as a punishing force that brings despair and deception, leading the singer to question his own choices and suffer the consequences of his past sins. The first verse sets the tone for the song, with the singer describing how love's "ugly little twins" came knocking on his door, and he let them in, only to later realize the terrible mistake he made. The chorus repeats the refrain "I let love in" as a sort of admission of guilt or regret, while the second verse paints a bleak picture of the singer's life flashing before his eyes as he realizes the horror of his situation.
The song's bridge takes an even darker turn, with the singer describing how he has been bound, gagged, terrorized, castrated, and lobotomized, all by his own tormentor, love. The lyrics suggest that love can be a cunning and deceptive force that can take on different disguises and inflict unimaginable pain on those who fall under its spell. The final verse is a plea for help, as the singer asks the Lord to explain what he's done wrong and laments the loss of his friends, who seem to have abandoned him in his moment of need. The song ends with a warning to listeners, suggesting that it's far worse to be love's lover than to be the one who is scorned by love.
Line by Line Meaning
Despair and deception
The feelings of hopelessness and dishonesty.
Love's ugly little twins
Despair and deception are the two negative aspects of love.
Came a-knocking on my door
Despair and deception were present in the writer's life.
I let 'em in
The writer allowed them to be a part of his life.
Darling, you're the punishment
The person he fell in love with is the result of the bad things he's done in the past.
For all my former sins
The bad things he's done in the past that led to the punishment of falling in love.
The door it opened just a crack
The writer was cautious about letting love into his life.
But love was shrewd and bold
Love was assertive and persistent in entering his life.
My life flashed before my eyes
The writer's past experiences and memories were brought to his attention.
It was a horror to behold
The memories were unpleasant and had a negative impact on his life.
A life-sentence sweeping confetti
His life is reduced to meaningless and mundane tasks.
From the floor of a concrete hole
His life feels confined and limiting.
Well, I've been bound and gagged
The writer has struggled with being controlled and silenced.
And I've been terrorized
He's endured fear and intimidation.
And I've been castrated
The writer has felt powerless and emasculated.
And I've been lobotomized
He's felt mentally and emotionally stifled.
But never has my tormentor
Despite these experiences, nothing has been as torturous as love.
Come in such a cunning disguise
Love was able to sneak up on him, deceiving him with its facade.
Oh Lord, tell me what I done
The writer is questioning why he deserves to go through this experience.
Please don't leave me here all alone
He's asking for help and support to get through this experience.
Where are my friends?
The writer has lost the support of those around him.
My friends are gone
The writer feels abandoned and isolated by his friends.
So if you're sitting all alone
The writer is warning others about the dangers of experiencing love.
And hear a-knocking at your door
Be wary of love entering your life.
And the air is full of promises
Love disguises itself as something that will bring happiness and fulfillment.
Well buddy, you've been warned
Be cautious of love and its potential consequences.
Far worse to be love's lover
It's more painful to be the one who loves than the one who is rejected.
Than the lover that love has scorned
Being rejected by someone you love is not as painful as loving someone who doesn't love you back.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Nicholas Cave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cher James
love the swing sound of this song. and then the Seeds backing it up with their sound.