Summer in the City - The Lovin' Spoonful | College Students' FIRST TIME REACTION!

[@randallheather3077]

I'm with Andy, you have to understand the context and what was on the radio at the time. A classic from 1966, hard to believe it was 55 years ago but I remember it well. Thanks guys.

[@Peter7966]

Yes... this song was ahead of the curve. The gritty vibe was purposeful. It certainly was edgier than the other Lovin' Spoonful tunes.

[@kjmorley]

I’ve just realized it’s not a great song, it’s just so damned nostalgic for me though. Whenever I hear it, I’m transported to a lazy summer day in the late 60s.

[@russellvaughn6933]

It was 70 years ago

[@russellvaughn6933]

Sorry, my math wasn’t good!

[@jimreadey4837]

@@russellvaughn6933, that would erroneously make it *1951....* (You will probably get additional corrections until you edit your math error.)

[@jvmonte6638]

Andy, you’ve captured it perfectly. Yes, it was a pop song but it was a time when only a few bands had begun to add that layer of avant garde that you describe. Good job Andy. FYI, check out some of their other hits, such as What A Day For A Daydream and Do You Believe In Magic

[@barriekelley2241]

Nashville Cats.

[@jnagarya519]

It was not "avant garde" (gad the pseudo-sophistication). John Sebastian's father was a classical harmonica player. John, who was born and grew up in Greenwich Village, played harmonica on several LPs by others as a session musician. The first band of which he was a member was "The Even Dozen Jug Band," which made one LP. Several members of that band -- most notably Maria D'Amato and Geoff Muldaur -- moved from NY to Boston and became members of "The Jim Kweskin Jug Band". The Kweskin band -- which was top-notch -- covered acoustic jug band/"jazz" recordings of the 1920s. Muldaur is one of the greatest blues singers. There are several songs on the "Do You Believe in Magic?" LP that are covers of covers by the Kweskin band. (Another related band, "The Youngbloods," also covered some Kweskin band covers.) Long story short: John and Zal Yanofski, at the least, came from FOLK music (Zal had been in "The Mugwumps" with such as "Mama" Cass Elliot). Luckily, "The Lovin' Spoonful" (name adapted from a line in a song by folk blues musician Mississippi John Hurt) largely escaped the marketing label "folk-rock".

[@badkitty4922]

GREAT SONGS!! So different from Summer In The City yet, ALL Lovin' Spoonful!👍👋👋

[@robertlear2735]

Loved the Lovin' Spoonful when there were popular. I learned to play guitar in a big part from Lovin' Spoonful song books. Their songs were each different. This one especially. It doesn't sound like their other songs - "Do You Believe In Magic" was a big hit. "Daydream", "You and Me and Rain on the Roof", "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice", "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind" are all great songs.

[@jnagarya519]

"Day Blues".

[@vincentschmitt7597]

You Didn't Have to be so Nice is one of my favorites from them.

[@edford1693]

"Nashville Cats"

[@vincentschmitt7597]

@@edford1693 Nashville Cats is one of those tunes that will bang around in your head for days. Listen at your own risk.

[@rhwinner]

Do You Believe is really, really good.

[@minkhollow]

The absolutely wild thing about Lovin' Spoonful is that none of their Big Hits sound like they're by the same group. "Do You Believe in Magic" or "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" will bring more of the bubblegum Andy was expecting. "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind" is also funny.

[@jnagarya519]

When one looks at the histories and depth of musicianship, one is disabused of the idea that they were "bubblegum". Try "Day Blues," "Younger Generation," and "Darlin' Be Home Soon". John Sebastian is one of the underrated songwriters of the 1960s.

[@steveullrich7737]

@@jnagarya519 Exactly he was a great singer/songwriter. His songs were popular but not "bubblegum" at all, too complex and well written..

[@hmichaelr1]

This was 'edgy' in '66. The average Joe worked much harder physically than people do today - this was pre-robot and pre-digital technology. Factories weren't airconditioned. Many men came home from work exhausted and most women didn't work outside the home. It was easy to identify with the lyrics' disparity between weekday and weekend activities. Dancing was a big part of social activities. In '66 the Beatles released Michelle, Penny Lane, and Yellow Submarine while the Beach Boys released God Only Knows, Good Vibrations, and Sloop John B., all huge hits! Summer In The City was ahead of the curve and the music you are comparing it to hadn't been conceived of yet. To the music consumers of the day, this was S-tier. That's why it went to #1 and why RIAA rated it Gold & Platinum. You're welcome.

[@lizabethlu8824]

I agree. You had to be there, the city really was a hot place back then. Air conditioning wasn't that common yet, not in homes cars or even in stores. People went to the movies to cool off. Plus you can't judge a song by what came after.

[@talltulip]

excellent comment

[@suewalksthebluffs]

Great comment!

[@barriekelley2241]

Summer In the City was their biggest hit. Number one for three weeks.

[@massimosaffioti8798]

Good Lovin' by the Rascals is the perfect companion piece for this song!

[@gabe2869]

I agree, but also Hush by Deep Purple for some reason.

[@massimosaffioti8798]

I can see that, but I'm thinking both the Lovin' Spoonful and the Rascals aren't just contempotaries, they were also both NYC bands and they bring back that growing up in New York feel to me.

[@sirslice]

Zal was my favorite member of the band. What a Canadian character!

[@jnagarya519]

@@sirslice I always gravitated to the WRITING.

[@montymontano8618]

Always thought the Rascals were a cut above the Spoonful both in writing and recording.

[@surlechapeau]

Lovin' Spoonful hits: Do You Believe in Magic; You Didn't Have to Be So Nice; Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind? Daydream; Darling Be Home Soon.

[@markstoudenmire4935]

Darlin Be Home Soon....what a beautiful ballad.

[@brendaclark8344]

Nashville Cats....I am a native Nashvillian so I am bias.

[@russallert]

For 1966, this was edgy. Not as edgy as the stuff on Revolver or Pet Sounds or Aftermath by the Stones, but certainly edgier than what was on the charts at that time. Compared to current hits of the day like Pretty Flamingo, The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore, Red Rubber Ball, Pied Piper, These Boots Were Made For Walking, etc. this song was pretty out there - and it did get airplay on AM radio. And in comparison to the other hits the Spoonful had, which were more along the lines of what Andy had been expecting (Do You Believe In Magic, You Didn't Have To Be So Nice, Daydream, Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind), this was pretty dark for them. Add the fact that they were a New York band at a time when most of the acts were coming from LA or London, with San Francisco as the sole "alternative" scene, they had a different sensibility. It's a You Had To Be There type of scenario, which may not translate well for the current generation of music listeners.

[@jnagarya519]

There is no comparison because the histories and origins are different. And who seeks or needs "edge" all the time. Sebastian was a VISUAL writer -- listen to the LYRICS of this song. The "Spoonful" were VERY popular in England.

[@aileenturrietta7553]

The Loving Spoonful we're great. "Do you Believe in Magic" was my favorite song. But I will remember John Sebastian most for writing "Welcome Back" from Welcome back Kotter. This one is a classic A definitely.

[@johnhughes3214]

Your dreams were your ticket out.

[@aileenturrietta7553]

@@johnhughes3214 lol 😆

[@skybluemarshall]

This song was brilliantly arranged to sound like a blistering hot summer day in the city. The sun is beating down on the hot black tar of the streets. Traffic is bumper to bumper. Cars are blaring their horns. Waves of heat are rising from the hot city streets like a barren desert landscape. People on the streets are hot, sweaty, exhausted and irritable. The short, repetitve piano chords are supposed to sound, stark, hot, blank and mechanical, like hundreds of cars stuck in in traffic, slowly inching along under the bright burning sun. But, at night, the music is loose, free and happy as the city cools down just enough to go out, find a girl, relax, forget the heat of the day and dance all night. If you look at the song from the right point of view, it's actually pretty great.

[@Meandmymirror]

Well said

[@francelaferriere6106]

Yep, exactly. It's a great song. They just need to listen to it one more time.

[@suewalksthebluffs]

Spot on!

[@savannahday3178]

Absolutely! There's nothing like a hot summer night so true "It's a different world!"

[@gmunden1]

I agree. This is the vibe they are giving. Beautiful song.

[@sonomabob]

"Did you ever have to make up your mind?" Fun song. Mostly, to me the Spoonful were just a happy vibe. Always brought a smile.

[@alansmith7626]

great choice! they would be cracking up, I think, but they would probably get it

[@jnagarya519]

There are several earlier recordings by the "Spoonful" on Elektra Record's sampler LP "What's Shakin'". One is "Good Time Music," which is what they were known as being.

[@kurtschulten5369]

Finally!!!! One of these 'reaction' channels where they actually didn't like a song that they reviewed. I find a lot of these site are so disingenuous and like EVERY song.

[@jnagarya519]

@@kurtschulten5369 If it isn't a "headbanger" they don't like it. But they're young; they haven't yet learned that banging one's head against the wall causes brain damage.

[@kurtschulten5369]

@@jnagarya519 I disagree on some level. They are very young but they are fairly knowledgeable and open minded about a lot of genres. I just object to some of these sites that fawn over every song that they review and they drip with insincerity.

[@jeffmartin1026]

This was in the day of psychodelia. The fade in/out to the sounds of the city was used as a way to expand the song/experience beyond just distortion. Simon & Garfunkel used this technique a lot on their Bookends LP.

[@bobschenkel7921]

Legal Psychadelia!!!

[@jnagarya519]

There are interviews with Sebastian on youtube. He explicitly says that the "Spoonful" were a POT band, NOT psychedelic.

[@paulhansberry8168]

Wow, Lovin' Spoonful, good band with a bunch of hits back in the 60's. Kinda country/folk/pop, a major radio station favorite.

[@josephtimperio9932]

I think what you're missing is the angst of the time. People could relate to the frustration in the song.

[@beverlyoyarzun3326]

I say that every time these guys “don’t get it”- Sometimes, you really did have to be there.

[@flubblert]

Pop song guys.. don't overthink it. Funny you should play this today when it's 20° in Chicago. I still listen to this during the first heat wave of the summer every year. It catches the vibe and claustrophobic atmosphere of the city in the dead of Summer pretty well, especially back in the day when no one could afford air conditioning. All about the feels. A pop classic!

[@stratocruising]

I think it's also playing against the Beach Boys endless summer/ everybody go surfing concept of the day. Gritty traffic noise and jackhammers that so many knew instead of catching the perfect wave.

[@patricialiedel5659]

That’s it exactly. On a hot day in August in Detroit it felt like they were singing about us.

[@jnagarya519]

"Pop" is not a "genre". It is short for "Pop Charts," which was a listing of the POPULAR songs -- which included such as Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong (jazz) and Frank Sinatra and Al Martino (smaltz), "The Beatles," "The Rolling Stones," "The Animals," "The Kinks," no-talent Nancy Sinatra, etc., often enough ad nauseum.

[@flubblert]

@@jnagarya519 I think most folks understand the usage here.

[@jnagarya519]

@@flubblert I don't, that's why the clarification is necessary. Certainly even you realize that, as there has come to be -- a rejection -- of "pop" as if a "genre".

[@suewalksthebluffs]

Ah yes… coming of age in the 60s… This song’s vibrant sound and lyrics captured the heat, mood, feel and sounds of summer in the city, and we LOVED it! The pneumatic drills, horns, traffic, etc., were an integral part of a city’s summer soundscape and IMO the Lovin’ Spoonful used them to great effect here. I still listen to it on hot summer days…several times in a row, just tryin’ to get enough of it. ☀️🥵

[@teknikel]

They didn't even mention that soundscape.

[@suewalksthebluffs]

@@teknikel Right, it seems they don’t even get the point of it. Maybe if they listened to it on an AM radio in the city on a stifling hot summer day…. They are so far off from getting this fantastic song that I’m giving their review a D- for reflecting the sensibilities of spoilt air-conditioned wusses from 55 years in the future.😂

[@emilyflotilla931]

@@suewalksthebluffs 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@otisdylan9532]

I hope you check out more from the Spoonful, starting with "Do You Believe in Magic", which is more of a conventional '60s pop/rock record. Also, give The Byrds another chance. Not everything they did was as far out as "Eight Miles High". "Mr. tambourine Man" and "Turn! Turn! Turn!" are more pop-oriented songs that you might find more palatable.

[@philmiller5401]

"Turn Turn Turn" Worlds oldest known song lyrics. Written over 2000 yrs. ago.

[@johnbowen8238]

Agree, Do You Believe in Magic is as quintessential 60s pop as it gets. One of my favorite songs from the era, though others’ mileage may differ

[@mark-be9mq]

Strong agree with Byrds, especially.

[@sjw5797]

The Byrds did the best cover of Dylan's "This Wheel's on Fire". Better than the original, by far.

[@massimosaffioti8798]

@@sjw5797 Personally I prefer Leslie West's version... But nobody beats the Byrds' version of My Back Pages :)

[@lawrencewestby9229]

This song brings back memories of what summers in the city, in my case NYC, were like in the '60s and '70s. The city was always at least 10 degrees hotter than the suburbs and the smog was thick, adding to the grittiness. A different time.

[@donaldleider7382]

Growing up in 60’s Brooklyn this is the most iconic gritty summer song ever. Complete with traffic, horns honking and jackhammers doesn’t get any better than this!!! If you grew up in any city you can relate to it!

[@martinl8574]

Check it out. I'm 60. You have to add in cultural impact and comintary when discussing classic rock, it's impact on society. This song is among the first to reflect a more realistic kinda urban reality and sounds. It was gritty and it paced to city life. It was NOT meant to be bubblegum it was a realistic musicalapproach to convey that life. Cool for it's time. And great song in context, Because context ALWAYS matter s. It was all over the radio and it is still cool.

[@jnagarya519]

"Gritty" yes, "edgy" no. There's a whole lot of vapid overselling among these comments. Andy and Alex should listen to more than a random track here or there, without a total lack of context.

[@sherryheim5504]

I really did like this band back in the day. Nice harmonies. John Sebastian wrote a lot of excellent songs. This came out of the end of the folk era where folk was blending more into rock. Very catchy song, I remember singing it a lot. This song reminds me of days on the beach and driving, with the radio blasting, through the canyons to get there. I think that when you consider the issues with the limited tracks that were available at the time and the stacking that had to be done, the hesitations become more understandable. To me they are an interest point, like taking a breath in a sentence to collect your words and thoughts before proceeding. Then again, I grew up back in the days of limited tracks and gradually saw music progress as studio technology changed and improved. I would have given this song a B+ so I am right in between the two of you on the rating.

[@gbsailing9436]

John Sebastian wrote "Darling I'll Be Home Soon" which was covered by Slade around the same time. The live version of which is a killer! You should react to that.

[@traceyc2576]

This is better than anything nowadays

[@gaylebaker8419]

This song worked on two levels. For the kids, it was a longing to be "grown up" and free to dance the night away. For adults, it was about the relief at the end of the day, a day dominated by a boring and thankless job.

[@murrayspiffy2815]

You guys have no clue what it was like in the 60's. How a song like this can pop-up in 1966 - how edgy it was - how it felt to hear it on the radio on a hot summer's day.

[@garynichols3652]

Can you imagine living in New York City in the summer with NO A/C !

[@justasurfer8596]

It's context. If you lived in the city, for me NYC, this immediately evokes the timeframe. Hot summer, coming off the subway, the people, smell and noise on the streets. Remember daily life didn't include streaming, smartphones and 500 channels. Oh, but the nights out....it was an AM pop song. Analyzing the instrumentation to much..sometimes you just go with the feel

[@flubblert]

I really think you have to experience living in a big city like New York or Chicago or Philly in the sixties to really appreciate this song. Those harsh gritty sounding key chords captures the grittiness the song is attempting to convey perfectly.

[@garylarue3899]

One of the best bands in the 60's. So glad I grew up during those simpler times with such a great choice in music. Do You Believe in Magic should be next. Quite a few tunes to review from this iconic 60's group.

[@johngarretto4]

Pre-eminent summer song

[@alhaskell242]

Songs like this were made to be heard on mono car radios ,some don’t sound as good on modern stereo systems. The opening percussive bangs where done on a cardboard box.

[@murdockreviews]

Great pop-rock single. It's a solid A for me.

[@1ericamat]

An absolute classic. What a time to be alive during this era. The kids will never understand.

[@jnagarya519]

John Sebastian: one of the most underrated songwriters of the 1960s. He came out of folk music.

[@minty_Joe]

"Creeque Alley" by The Mamas and The Papas pretty much tells the full story of the folk scene in NY.

[@jnagarya519]

@@minty_Joe When singing about "The Mugwumps" they're singing about New York. See the interview with John Sebastian, who was in New York, and who recounts getting a call from them, who were at a gig in Washington, DC, asking him to come down and bring a kilo of grass with him.

[@jnagarya519]

@@minty_Joe Still NY. Listen to "Creeque Alley" again.

[@nuwavedave]

@@minty_Joe Except it was about the folk scene in Greenwich Village. They sing about "McGuinn & McGuire (Jim "Roger" McGuinn & Barry McGuire) heading to LA - you know where that's at.

[@minty_Joe]

@@nuwavedave There. I fixed my errors. 😁

[@jubilee6997]

'Do you Believe in Magic' will bring that bubblegum pop sound you were expecting.

[@lesterstone8595]

True

[@ammie8659]

When this song was playing on the radio, I never felt like it was weird or avant-garde.

[@alexjbennett1017]

I was 11 the summer of 66. Because of my age, because of the times, things were *starting* to open up. The restless energy of this song was a perfect mirror to that. But mainly, what an *athletic* melody -- so memorable, and so *fun* to (try to) sing along to. So many fast notes! The melody never let you slow down for a second. Loved that energy!

[@josephdebaun9110]

I turned 12 in August.

[@billwaters7615]

John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful also played the tasty harmonica licks on the Doors Roadhouse Blues, although he went by a different name because he didn't want to be associated with someone accused of exposing himself on stage.

[@mattiefee]

I never knew that.... nice.

[@bradsense7431]

Wow I love that harmonica part and never knew this. Thanks

[@billwaters7615]

@@bradsense7431 I recently, at the age of 70, decided to learn how to play harmonica. (I know!) I became interested rock harmonica, so I started playing along with Tom Petty, the Stones, etc. That's how I found out about the Doors song. I wish I could really play like these guys, especially Alan Wilson from Canned Heat. You should check him out.

[@bradsense7431]

@@billwaters7615 In late seventies I played around with harp but did not get too far. Familiar with Canned Heat. Have you heard blues harmonica player James Cotton? Listen to him playing on Muddy Waters "Hard Again" LP. Also try Corky Siegel solo and with Siegel-Schwall Band. Great player. Listen to song " Hey,Billie Jean" has great harp section.

[@billwaters7615]

@@bradsense7431 Thanks. I've been listening to a fair amount of blues harp, too.I have heard Corky Siegel. I will check James Cotton out. There are so many great harmonica players out there it's a little discouraging, but I still have fun playing.

[@lindarichards3195]

You had to be there. It fit so perfectly. But, actually, I’m shocked you’ve never heard this. It’s been used a lot in movies and commercials.

[@kmorri9]

I wasn't there, born in 84. But I grew up listening pretty much solely to the oldies station and in Chicago so this song to me IS summer in a big city.

[@kbob1163]

I received this song as a hand-me-down when I was a little kid (lots of older siblings) and I was immediately struck by how well it conjured up the imagery of a noisy city street on a hot summer day. It's still my favorite song of theirs. I do think, though, that (considering the year) this stereo mix was probably tossed off as an afterthought. The arrangement was almost certainly constructed with the idea that everything would be coming right up the middle.

[@jnagarya519]

I have the single.

[@NathanWind99]

A&A seem to love those epic classic rock masterpieces but these quick pop songs filled a different niche. There's a true art to a super catchy pop song that would play on the radio all summer long and become a soundtrack to your life.

[@sjw5797]

I think the verses, with their decending piano chords and all, were meant to convey the frustration of living through a hot day in the city, while the chorus emphasized the smooth feeling of the nights.

[@flubblert]

Exactly. Uncomfortable and a little harsh . Perfect sound for this song and subject matter.

[@jackreigle1387]

Alex, Alex, Alex: I greatly appreciate your overall standards, but you may need to be more cognizant of how FAST popular/rock music was moving back in those days. Blinding speed, and a wide range of sounds every week as things were being sorted out. I know it can be hard to distinguish after 50+ years as you guys try and capture the lightning, but trust the voices of us old dudes, lol

[@GardenKath]

👆 I appreciate that reactors come at songs blind, but context is key with so much of what they’re hearing. It’s fascinating to me that Gen Z in general has so little awareness of what came before, but the world has sped up exponentially since we were kids.

[@sjw5797]

"Cool cat lookin for a kitty" is a terrific line.

[@hifijohn]

Absolutely encapsulates whats it like to live in the city during the hot summer days.

[@balloonfarm5903]

Listen to it again. This is the ultimate summer song in my opinion. It’s a musical and lyrical description of summer in NY. You can shut your eyes and be transported there. I experienced it when it was released so maybe I’m a little biased, but I returned to art school in the eighties and there was a young guitarist who, when he heard this was released in 1966 couldn’t believe it; he thought it was contemporary.Just a great, great song.😎🎸✌🏽☮️

[@KMK7355]

Iconic summer song. The last iconic summer song strictly IMO was Cheryl Crow's "Soak Up The Sun".

[@deantait8326]

This was an energized "Summer Song".... Hearing it on your car radio it kinda picked you up....(even if you were stuck in Southern California traffic on a smoggy day)

[@minkademko2335]

I was 16 when this tune first aired, and it's in my top 50 favorites. Cleveland was hot in the summer, and nights were time to cool down and party. I always feel good when i hear the slight edginess in the mechanics, right down to the jackhammer. It fits with my work hard play hard attitude.

[@CrowTRobot-ni7zu]

My favourite of theirs has to be “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice.” Best use of an autoharp, ever!

[@thomasmarthinussen8978]

You Didn't Have To Be So Nice is my favourite also!

[@rosannerizzo3070]

Also, Rush didn't become popular until mid 70s. When this song came out on the radio, it was a mix of Elvis, Motown and The Archie's. Andy is so correct.

[@Sopmylo]

Having digitally restored versions is all fine and well, but a vast majority of rock hits of the 60's were designed to be heard on mono AM car radios. Many of the striking intros to songs are there to punch through the noise.

[@massimosaffioti8798]

Car radios AND little hand held single speaker transistor radios :)

[@Sopmylo]

@@massimosaffioti8798 The Supremes are often noted as a prime example of this.

[@scooterbaby1]

Buffalo Springfield, For what it's worth, The Tokens, Lion sleeps tonight, The surfaris, Wipe Out.

[@karenstjohn6759]

R & B was definitely part of it. One of my favorite things about that time was how artists just added what they liked to listen in other’s music to their own. They were experimenting. Sometimes it’s not perfect, but I’m so glad they tried.

[@johncagnettajr344]

I remember this played endlessly the year it was released. All summer long at the beach.

[@cindihansen8111]

Having been 9 years old when this song came out, I was instantly transported back to the most carefree time of my life! Loved it then, love it now.

[@vickielewallen3799]

Such a great era for musuc, the 60s and 70s! It was a blast growing up with the music and just being young in those decades, loved it!!

[@patricialiedel5659]

I loved this song from “hot town summer in the city, back of my neck getting dirty and gritty”. Summer felt like that in Metro Detroit back when air conditioning wasn’t an all the time thing and people sweated through a day full of grit, sunburn and bad temper. Things didn’t come to life until the sun went down and the breeze picked up. There’s a driving element to the song that feels like pushing through a sweltering day, then running at night to get a little good living in before the sun rises and it all starts over.

[@wicky4473]

Love this song! Happy Friday

[@mark-be9mq]

I forgot how much I love this song, thank you gentlemen. Great tune, that is even better on a hot Summer day. Love it.

[@vovindequasahi]

Lovin' Spoonful was much grittier and heavier than many of their peers. Great band. This one is probably their most accessible song.

[@fredinaz]

I think the discordant sounds your hearing are an attempt to convey the harshness of a NYC summer day (car horns, traffic jack hammers, heat) with the fun and party atmosphere of the NYC city evenings. I envision standing on a corner in Manhattan during rush hour.

[@geffryg]

I was 13 when this came out in 1966. Never heard of Led Zeppelin till they emerged in 1969. So growing up listening to music was incremental with the times while growing up and absorbing so many styles of music back then. Like having 20 children and knowing their unique place in your life, one by one.

[@nuwavedave]

SIDE BAR: In 1966 what morphed into Led Zeppelin was the great experimental blues-based band, "The Yardbirds". Their first lead guitarist was Eric Clapton. Next came Jeff Beck wth Jimmy Page joining on bass. Jeff left, and Page took over on lead guitar, changing the band's name to the New Yardbirds. He brought in John Bonham and John Paul Jones - but kept Keith Relf on lead vocal. Finally, he replaced Relf with Robert Plant.

[@billfly2186]

The song sounded good on the AM radio in mono with lots of compression back in '66. That's how most of us heard it.

[@Verlopil]

Oh come on, it's obvious. The sounds add to the atmosphere... Summer in the city, that's what it sounds like.

[@ladyshar42]

The beginning is iconic. Now I want to go watch Die Hard with a Vengeance

[@SCVIndy]

Hugely popular song .. was in high school when released .. led to the summer of 1967 .. a milestone year in popular music

[@maruad7577]

Fun song for the era. I liked it enough to buy the 45 at the time.

[@karlsinclair9918]

It's one of the greatest records ever made imo. For its time, a monster track. If you know the band you'll see it's new and fresh. Drums and keys and vocals are amazing.

[@JimDorman]

The Lovin' Spoonful produced a groovy satchel of folky pop songs that we dug then and still dig today.

[@garyarnett1220]

Their earlier hits were all "bubble gummy" easy going. They were trying a harder edge here, and honestly worked well. Nothing quite like this on AM rock stations at the time.

[@jnagarya519]

They were never "bubblegum". Research their histories. Watch the interviews with Sebastian on youtube.

[@nuwavedave]

@@jnagarya519 I suppose over time, "Bubble Gum" must have changed meaning. In the '60s, Bubble Gum Music was nursery rhyme-level sugar-coated fluff aimed at the pre-teen market. It was coined after the band, 1910 Fruitgum Company, whose first pre-teen hit was "Simon Says", after the chidren's game.The Lovin' Spoonful were much more sophisticated than that.

[@jnagarya519]

@@nuwavedave "Bubble gum" was used at the time as a slur. If one knows "The Lovin' Spoonful's" roots one cannot classify them as "bubble gum". Look at Sebastian's history, as example: originally a member of "The Even Dozen Jug Band". They had a depth from folk. Some of the tracks on their first LP were covers of songs recorded by the "Jim Kweskin Jug Band" (some members of which also came from "Even Dozen"). They were, in fact, called by some "folk rock" which is another iffy marketing label.

[@mariaportengen2959]

Those were the days, brings me back to my youth. I was about 10 years old then. Great music. 🎸🎸💕👍👍

[@PaulSmith-xc7vt]

I agree with Andy totally. It is such a classic from the 60s. Great job guys. Appreciate all you guys do on here.

[@centuryrox]

Oh you guys missed a great opportunity to react to Black Friday by Steely Dan, on Black Friday!

[@TheFlowNetwork]

Once Dylan went electric and made it okay for the folkies in Greenwich Village to admit they liked Rock And Roll, they started combining folk with the many different flavors of Rock/Pop at the time. Then they all moved to California and got record contracts. The Byrds blended folk with the Beatles' sound, The Lovin' Spoonful mixed folk with Motown.

[@samson9535]

Brings back memories of my childhood. Great memories.

[@PaintedCavern]

Atmospheric evocative song. It grows on you.

[@NativeNYerChicHK]

I think if you’ve never spent a summer in the city, it’s hard to really get this song. The thing is, loads of people with money leave the city during the summer weekends, so what’s left are true salt of the earth type of NYC residents and then the dark & criminal element also never leave. It’s gritty which really hits home when you’re hit with the stench of hot garbage, how only NYC can smell in 95 degree weather. But it also feels good, like the world is yours. Its not great, but it is. It’s just an entirely different feel than the rest of year. I’m not sure how to explain it. It’s kinda like a ghost town, but it’s also kinda like clearing out the streets and leaving it to real NYers, of all kinds. We are the freaks they sing about and we’re proud.♥️

[@robertlear2735]

The lead singer of the group, John Sebastian, wrote the theme song for the TV show - Welcome Back Cotter - and he performed at Woodstock

[@kenbarber6592]

The tension in the pause makes the song for me.

[@actuariallurker9650]

I think it was intentional....the drilling noises, the off-kilter time - its slow and hot but rushed since its urban

[@dennish3032]

This song grows on you when you spend time listening to other music of the time and going back to it regularly. ( As in 60's and 70's radio).

[@darycat1]

Brought me right back to my 11 year old self in the heat of the summer. Loved hearing this song then as much as now.

[@artprince9163]

They were ground breaking with amazing melodies and consumate musicianship. Very different band. This band was around at the time of Byrds. One of first big American bands after Beatles broke. They were one of Beatles favorite bands.

[@becksullivan4796]

Such wonderfully descriptive lyrics. You feel sweaty just listening to it. Great old summertime song!! So good.

[@buchholtzmathieu1810]

Thanks On of the most emblematic 60's tracks. Every time I hear it, I'm mesmerized, never get tired of this gem. Like hugely two others songs by them "Do you believe in magic" and "Day dream".

[@dana_brooke_27]

You're right Andy..I guess you had to be there. Reminds me of being very young going to Brooklyn in the summer. My family came from Coney Island and we'd go for walks when visiting. It felt so much hotter then Long Island. I Love how all the city sounds are added. It really captures the vibe of "The City"

[@maryannhalldorson6839]

Please listen to more Lovin spoonful . I love summer in the city a quintessential summer song. I wasn't even a teenager when it first came out but I still know every word by heart! Wish you guys had liked it more but no worries 💜🇨🇦

[@MrVentrata]

Love this song, l’m a Brit who used to live in New York. I’d go to Central Park and find a place to relax away from the crowds for a couple of hours then walk back to my apartment in the heat. The back of my neck getting dirty and gritty. A couple of pints in my favourite Irish Bar called McGees soon cured everything. 😃

[@nancy9478]

I was 7 when this came out, my preteen and teenaged brothers sang this all the time. Living in the suburbs of NYC it was the best!

[@thefoss5387]

This band had very Folk roots. They came out of the same milieu that the Mamas and the Papas were spawned. In fact, the Mamas and the Papas reference this group in the song Creeque Alley, that chronicles their origins. Zal Yanofsky the guitarist and John Sebastian, the Autoharpist/singer are mentioned by name. Daydream is a very folky tune. Do You Believe in Magic is their poppiest. I love Did You Every Have to Make Up Your Mind, Nashville Cats, and Jug Band Music, from this group, all represent a great sense of humor in the lyrics.

[@827dusty]

Great "60s" "Classic Rock" era song. The Lovin Spoonful had many hits. Another one is "You didn't Have to Be So Nice." These old classics are so good! Thanks Guys

[@DorothyFarias]

Brings back such memories of the beach when I my sisters took me to the beach when I was a kid. Classic 60's song. Guess you had to live through it.

[@themadhatter3622]

I always felt the discord of the music fit with the tell of the song. Walking around in the heat, the traffic and noise and the jarring nature of the city.

[@Ldastro]

As a teacher, I always post a collection of summer tunes on FB for my last day of school. This one always makes the list as to me it emits the feelings of a hot summer day in a big city. I can almost smell it. I recommend John Sebastian's "comeback" hit, Welcome Back from the show Welcome Back Kotter.

[@fredhall6525]

From a similar band from this era, "You Showed Me" by The Turtles would be an interesting choice

[@spicy321]

My favorite Turtles song. They really need to hit them.

[@itsmadfar]

Oh boy, this takes me back! Just entered high school and it was a heady time. This song captured the feel of summer vacation and good times, as upbeat as my sense of life was at that time - before the Vietnam War draft and other traumatic events of the late 60s. In my memory, it was one of the songs on the crest of the American rock tidal wave that was about to hit.Thank you sooo much for your humble take on needing to understand context. Technically not perfect, this is a song that's more than the sum of its parts.

[@antarcticorb9197]

Immense radio play back then...I remember this being played constantly.

[@elgonwilliams7624]

You also have to keep in mind the tech at the time. Stereo recordings were fairly new and usually only found on LPs. Every single was promoted on AM radio in Mono. At home, kids might have a record player that was Mono. The parent may have had a stereo console that would play 45 RPM singles with an adapter, but it was designed to play Stereo LPs.

[@parsleyqueen]

I first heard this song on a sweltering day during my very first visit to Chicago. It's been a favorite ever since.

[@cyndybensema7189]

This was an AM radio. It was blasted out of the rolled-down car windows in the 1960s and the teenagers had their transistor radios on walking around listening to it. It feels like a hot day in 1966 in the city. Most of us now have our windows rolled up with the AC going while in the car in the city so we miss all that now. This just is such feel-good music to me, who listened to this as an 11-year-old in 1966, and I welcome it every time I hear it. I do have it on my "Best of Lovin' Spoonful" and yes, listen to "Do you Believe in Magic" and any other their hits. :)

[@bridgettstephens5582]

Spend one week in NYC during a heatwave and you'll understand why this song knows no time period.

[@ninja_tony]

100% agreed, I wasn’t alive in the 60’s (born in 85), but I do live in NYC and this song is a nearly perfect representation of what summer in the city feels - and sounds - like. I love it because it shows that no matter how much things may change over the years, some things never do.

[@pleasantvalleypickerca7681]

Huge hit. Love this catchy tune. Psychedelic music was becoming mainstream at the time. The following year The Beatles broke the genre wide open with Sgt. Pepper.

[@davidwalsh7128]

Brutal summer heat in NYC, those summers were very different from California, or Southern summers..

[@dennisoconnor4767]

Hey, just wanted to wish you a belated Happy Thanksgiving, dudes--from this crusty seventy year old longtime guitar player. You guys are one of the things I'm grateful for. Keep it up.