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.
Flower Lady and Her Assistant
The Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies, blood-red flowers
A'workin' so hard till the day she dies
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
A yellow print dress, she outgrows the rest
A yellow print dress, she outgrows the rest
Working so hard right back in her yard
Lost in daydreams, forgotten by time
The flower lady and her assistant
She dances through life like a butterfly
Working so hard till the day she dies
The flower lady and her assistant
There she is a'platin' her yard
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies, blood-red flowers
Reaching, touching, touch the sky
A painted billboard that hides her yard
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
CHORUS
Just living in uncertainty
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies and blood
Red flowers forgotten and living
In uncertainty
The flower lady and her assistant
The Seeds's song "Flower Lady and Her Assistant" is about the hardworking woman who is tending to her garden with the help of her assistant. The lyrics describe the beauty of the flowers she cultivates, especially the lilacs and poppies. The woman is dressed in a yellow print dress which she outgrows, but she continues to work in her garden, lost in daydreams and forgotten by time.
The song is an ode to the hard work and dedication of the flower lady and her assistant. The flower lady dances through life like a butterfly, but her work is never done. She is dedicated to her garden, working hard until the day she dies. The song conveys a sense of uncertainty, as the flower lady and her assistant seem to be isolated from the world around them, living in their own world of beauty and hard work.
The song has several interpretations, but one of the most profound ones is that it talks about the resilience and self-determination of women in the face of adversity. It celebrates their ability to create beauty out of mundane things and their willingness to work hard to achieve their goals.
Line by Line Meaning
There she is a'workin' her yard
The Flower Lady is seen in her yard, working hard with her assistant.
The flower lady and her assistant
The Flower Lady is accompanied by her assistant in her yard.
Lilacs and poppies, blood-red flowers
The yard is adorned with beautiful flowers like lilacs, poppies, and red flowers.
A'workin' so hard till the day she dies
The Flower Lady is working extremely hard and will continue working until she dies.
The flower lady and her assistant
The Flower Lady is still working with her assistant.
A yellow print dress, she outgrows the rest
The Flower Lady wears a yellow print dress that stands out from the rest of her clothes.
CHORUS
The song enters its chorus.
Working so hard right back in her yard
The Flower Lady works tirelessly in her yard.
Lost in daydreams, forgotten by time
The Flower Lady finds solace in daydreams while time marches on.
The flower lady and her assistant
The Flower Lady still works with her assistant in her yard.
She dances through life like a butterfly
The Flower Lady moves gracefully through life like a butterfly.
Working so hard till the day she dies
The Flower Lady is still working hard in her yard and will continue until she dies.
The flower lady and her assistant
The Flower Lady is still accompanied by her assistant.
There she is a'platin' her yard
The Flower Lady is now seen planting in her yard.
Reaching, touching, touch the sky
The Flower Lady's efforts are reflected in her plants reaching towards the sky.
A painted billboard that hides her yard
A painted billboard conceals the Flower Lady's yard.
The flower lady and her assistant
The Flower Lady is still assisted by her assistant.
CHORUS
The song enters the chorus once again.
Just living in uncertainty
The Flower Lady lives with uncertainty.
The flower lady and her assistant
The Flower Lady is still working with her assistant.
Lilacs and poppies and blood
The yard is still adorned with lilacs, poppies, and red flowers.
Red flowers forgotten and living
The red flowers, although beautiful, are left forgotten while the Flower Lady works.
In uncertainty
The Flower Lady continues to live with uncertainty.
The flower lady and her assistant
The Flower Lady is accompanied by her assistant until the end.
Lyrics © NEIL MUSIC INC
Written by: SAXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ElisavetSchina
There she is a' workin' her yard
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies, blood-red flowers
Sometimes reaching, they touch the skies
A' workin' so hard till the day she dies
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
A yellow print dress, she outgrows the rest
Working so hard right back in her yard
Lost in daydreams, forgotten by time
The flower lady and her assistant
She dances through life like a butterfly
Working so hard till the day she dies
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies, blood-red flowers
Forgotten and living in uncertainty
The flower lady and her assistant
There she is a' plantin' her yard
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies, blood-red flowers
Reaching, touching, touch the sky
A painted billboard that hides her yard
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
..................................
Working so hard right back in her yard
Lost in daydreams, forgotten by time
The flower lady and her assistant
She dances through life like a butterfly
Working so hard till the day she dies
The flower lady and her assistant
Just living in uncertainty
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies and blood-red flowers
Forgotten and living in uncertainty
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
@ElisavetSchina
There she is a' workin' her yard
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies, blood-red flowers
Sometimes reaching, they touch the skies
A' workin' so hard till the day she dies
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
A yellow print dress, she outgrows the rest
Working so hard right back in her yard
Lost in daydreams, forgotten by time
The flower lady and her assistant
She dances through life like a butterfly
Working so hard till the day she dies
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies, blood-red flowers
Forgotten and living in uncertainty
The flower lady and her assistant
There she is a' plantin' her yard
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies, blood-red flowers
Reaching, touching, touch the sky
A painted billboard that hides her yard
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
..................................
Working so hard right back in her yard
Lost in daydreams, forgotten by time
The flower lady and her assistant
She dances through life like a butterfly
Working so hard till the day she dies
The flower lady and her assistant
Just living in uncertainty
The flower lady and her assistant
Lilacs and poppies and blood-red flowers
Forgotten and living in uncertainty
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
The flower lady and her assistant
@nibs2lou
One of the best tracks by a truly unique American band.
@Carlito1988
My album collection has been boxed up for almost 20 years, but I used to love playing this album...
@ricomods
Maravillooso!
@patryckalbert6053
this is a fabulos album by THE SEEDS , i dig it for years & never forget it !. As good as The Doors debut .....
@terrypussypower
The first psych record I ever bought.
@elconejito99
this whole albumis bad ass
@davidhigginbotham5451
FUTURE is The Seeds Sgt. Pepper. It was as good as they would ever get, and it ain't bad. I've had the Lp for decades.
@fancynot
* GREAT GREAT band & song !
@KIDAmnesiacBends
trippiest song i heard