Jesse Colin Young got his start as a solo act on the folk circuits of Boston and New York and had already cut a couple of unsuccessful albums before deciding to form a band with guitarist Jerry Corbitt. After a failed single called "My Babe", they hired aspiring jazz drummer Joe Bauer and guitarist/pianist Lowell Levinger III, better known simply as "Banana". Young began playing bass when several candidates-- including Felix Pappalardi and Harvey Brooks (later of The Electric Flag)--proved incompatible, and the quartet took the name 'Youngbloods' from the singer's second solo album.
The group was eventually selected as the house band at New York's famed Cafe Au Go Go and established itself as a leading folk rock/good time attraction. Their sound would temper their blues and jugband influences with gentle California psychedelia, particularly after they moved to the San Francisco Bay area.
While Young was always the focal point of the band, their first two albums also had songwriting contributions from Corbitt. Their first single, Grizzly Bear, was a local hit. Their second attempt, Get Together, didn't do much better when it was first released. This Dino Valenti song had previously been recorded by the Jefferson Airplane, but The Youngbloods' slow, soulful interpretation of "Get Together" was definitive. The record faded quickly but suddenly rocketed to the Top 10 when it was re-released in 1969 after being used in a television public service ad. The tune was subsequently adopted as a counterculture anthem.
By that time, Corbitt had left. The Youngbloods, reduced to a trio, were living in Marin County, CA. 1969's Elephant Mountain was produced by country artist Charlie Daniels. Reflecting the mellowing influence of San Francisco psychedelia, it was their best effort, featuring some of Young's best songs. They released a few more albums in the early '70s (some live), but on these, the mellow California rock sound had begun to turn lame and wimpy.
Further albums by Bauer, Levinger and Young were marred by inconsistency. A friend from the Boston days, Michael Kane, joined the band in the spring of 1971, but they split the following year when Young left the band. Levinger, Bauer and Kane continued as Banana And The Bunch, but this occasional venture subsequently folded.
Jesse Colin Young went on to have a long and moderately successful career as a solo singer-songwriter.
Sunlight
The Youngbloods Lyrics
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Felt her warm mouth on you in the summers, yeah
Runnin' in a field of brown
Laughin', rollin' on the ground now
Smilin' as she pulls you down
That's the way she feels about you
That's the way she feels about you
If your dreams can wake you screaming in the night
She can touch your face and take away your fright
Like a tree in the meadow wind
She will bend to take you in now
Makes no difference of where you been
That's the way she feels about you
That's the way she feels about you
If you wake up screamin'
Scared about what you're dreamin'
You know, she is there, she can share
You're aware she cares about you
In the mornin' wake up laughing with the day
She will smile and ask you with her eyes to stay
Like the sunshine warms the sand
She will touch you with her hands now
Touchin' makes you understand
That's the way she feels about you
That's the way she feels about you
Like the sunlight warms the sand
She will touch you with her hands now
Touchin' makes you understand
That's the way she feels about you
That's the way she feels about you, yeah
That's the way she feels about you
The lyrics to The Youngbloods' song "Sunlight" describe the feeling of being in love with someone who makes you feel free, cared for, and understood. The metaphors used in the song evoke the warmth and beauty of nature, such as the way sunlight pours through someone's hair or how the touch of a loved one can be as comforting as a tree bending in the wind.
The first verse describes the joy of being with someone you love, running through a field and laughing together. The chorus emphasizes that this person is special because of the way they feel about you - their touch can take away fear and they make you feel accepted no matter where you've been. The second verse suggests that this person is there for you even in your darkest moments, able to comfort you when you wake up screaming from a nightmare. The final verse expresses the hope that this love will continue into the future, with the woman's touch making the singer feel understood and appreciated.
Overall, "Sunlight" is a romantic and uplifting song that celebrates the power of love to heal and comfort. It uses natural imagery to evoke the beauty and warmth of human connection, and suggests that having someone who cares for you can make all the difference in life's ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you seen the sunlight pourin' through her hair?
Did you witness the way her hair illuminates when the sunlight shines on it?
Felt her warm mouth on you in the summers, yeah
Have you ever felt her warm lips pressing against you during summertime?
Runnin' in a field of brown
Two of them are running in a field which turned brown due to autumn season
Laughin', rollin' on the ground now
They are laughing while rolling on the ground
Smilin' as she pulls you down
She pulls him down while smiling, indicating her happiness and affection towards him
That's the way she feels about you
This is how she feels towards him and expresses her love to him
If your dreams can wake you screaming in the night
In case you dream something that haunts you, making you scream in the middle of the night
She can touch your face and take away your fright
She has the power to touch his face and comfort him, making his fear disappear
Like a tree in the meadow wind
She is like a tree that sways in the wind that brings peace and calmness
She will bend to take you in now
She will bend to comfort him and take him in her arms
Makes no difference of where you been
No matter where he's been, she will always be there for him
If you wake up screamin'
If he wakes up screaming loudly
Scared about what you're dreamin'
If he is scared about what he dreamt
You know, she is there, she can share
He knows that she is there and she can share his worries
You're aware she cares about you
He understands and knows that she truly cares for him
In the mornin' wake up laughing with the day
He wakes up in the morning and laughs with the day, enjoying every moment of it
She will smile and ask you with her eyes to stay
She smiles and asks him with her eyes to stay, indicating her love and desire to be with him
Like the sunshine warms the sand
Just the way sunshine warms the sand and life prevails everywhere, his lovely partner also fills his life with warmth and happiness
She will touch you with her hands now
She touches him with her hands, filling him with immense love and affection
Touchin' makes you understand
Her touch allows the artist to comprehend her love and care for him
That's the way she feels about you
This is how she feels towards him and nothing's gonna change that
That's the way she feels about you, yeah
This is how she feels about him, indicating her strong feelings for him
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL CAVANAGH, VINCENT CAVANAGH, JOHN JAMES DOUGLAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind