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.
Rollin' Machine
The Seeds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wanna take a ride on my rollin machine
Said everybody just come along
wanna ride, all night long
said get on get on ride on me
said get on get on ride on me
said get on get on ride on me
ride my rollin machine with me
Rollin machine is a just like life
Nobody stop the rollin machine
Said Nobody roll I'm a rollin machine
Takin me so high leave me in between
said get on get on ride on me
said get on get on ride on me
said get on get on ride on me
ride my rollin machine with me
I'm gonna take you to land of dreams
Places that you've never seen
Make you feel so good so high
Make you feel like you'll never die
said get on get on ride on me
said get on get on ride on me
said get on get on ride on me
ride my rollin machine with me
All you big eyes beautiful girls
Wanna take you back into my world
Places that you've never seen
Make you have those beautiful dreams
said get on get on ride on me
said get on get on ride on me
said get on get on ride on me
ride my rollin machine with me
Said cmon darling don't you feel so good
Said cmon you know you know we could
...
The Seeds's song Rollin' Machine is an invitation to take a ride on a figurative machine, which is a metaphor for life itself. The lyrics are upbeat and repetitive in nature, which reinforces the idea of a machine that keeps moving forward - much like our lives. The song is a call to join in, to become a part of the adventure that life is.
The lyrics are full of promise and excitement, encouraging listeners to ride the "Rollin' Machine" and experience all that life has to offer. The song emphasizes the idea that nobody can stop the machine, and that it will take you to places you've never been before. The lyrics are an invitation to let go of fear and to embrace the unknown, with the assurance that the ride will be worth it.
Overall, The Seeds's Rollin' Machine is a celebration of life's journey. It encourages listeners to let go of their fears, take a chance, and ride the rollercoaster of life with enthusiasm, curiosity and excitement.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody do you hear me out there
The singer is addressing the audience and asking if they can hear him
Wanna take a ride on my rollin machine
The singer is inviting the audience to come along and enjoy his metaphorical 'rollin machine'
Said everybody just come along
The singer is once again inviting the audience to join him
wanna ride, all night long
The singer wants people to ride with him throughout the night
said get on get on ride on me
The singer is urging people to join him on his 'rollin machine'
Rollin machine is a just like life
Here the singer is comparing his 'rollin machine' to the experience of life
Nobody stop the rollin machine
The 'rollin machine' is unstoppable, just like life
Said Nobody roll I'm a rollin machine
The singer is asserting his dominance and power over the 'rollin machine'
Takin me so high leave me in between
The 'rollin machine' is taking the singer to new heights and leaving him in a state of in-between
I'm gonna take you to land of dreams
The singer promises to take the audience to a place of dreams and fantasy
Places that you've never seen
These dreams and places are new and unexplored by the audience
Make you feel so good so high
The singer promises that the experience will make the audience feel good and elevated
Make you feel like you'll never die
The singer promises a transcendent experience that will make the audience feel immortal
All you big eyes beautiful girls
The singer is addressing a specific group of people in the audience
Wanna take you back into my world
The singer wants to take these girls with him on his 'rollin machine' into his world
Make you have those beautiful dreams
The singer wants to help these girls achieve beautiful dreams
Said cmon darling don't you feel so good
Here the singer is addressing one specific girl, urging her to join him
Said cmon you know you know we could
The singer is trying to convince this girl to come along with him on the 'rollin machine'
...
This is an incomplete line and does not provide context for a new meaning
Contributed by Mason H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Holden Eldredge
great song thank you <3
Pool Man
So rare