Lovin' Spoonful - Rain On The Roof [Excellent quality]

[garymichael1950]

Not busting anyone's chops here...But the use of studio musicians does not always mean that the group members were not talented enough...quite often it was a time saving move. The group could be on the road while the instrumental tracks were recorded..then the group could come in, lay down the vocals then..more often than not..get back on the road. Quite often, the group members were just as talented as the session guys.

[sanroppa]

nice song!

[mravantgarde123]

John is playing the harp BACKWARDS!!!

[AcebassII]

He's baked, look at his eye's...

[camlpg]

Merry Christmas everyone.

[keaton1895]

@camlpg It is not Thanksgiving yet so please hold off on that holiday.

[camlpg]

@keaton1895 Sorry dude, I live in Canada and we have thanksgiving in early October. Can't hold off on Christmas because the Christmas commercials are airing on TV already. Consumer Christmas is very important for Canada's economy and this song fits in so well with it.

[brucebut1]

jbbutterfield says,one beautiful song.

[kurtmanerz1]

It's important to remember that the use of studio musicians was not always a reflection on the abilities of a band, but more a reflection of the economic realities of recording. Particularly in the 1960's and '70's, studio time was so expensive that there was just no way to do as many takes as necessary to get a flawless performance. The Spoonful were good enough to perform live, and their songs (and songs are the main thing) were marvelous, and something to be proud of...

[whatthedormousesaid]

John said in an interview in the Mama Cass Eliot show DVD that the Spoonful did not use session players. In that way, they were unique amongst their musical peers.

[SuperVHSAllStars]

Almost every pop group of the sixties had session players on their albums. This was done by the labels and producers to make a better product. It doesn't mean the bands can't play.

[berkshireboy62]

later songs used players from the wrecking crew out of the west coast, drums, bass, etc same as Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Grass Roots & Turtles, but just the "hits" (Six O'Clock, Girls In Love, etc)

[ekleinbrink]

I'm skeptical about their playing on their records.... I haven't seen anything where these guys are playing live. I suspect, like most bands of the era, they had session guys. But, like The Turtles, they were on a very small label so maybe the record company couldn't afford session men.....

[ChiroQuacker]

i like their songs...but...listening to their greatest hits..i get the feeling ...like the beach boys...that on some of their recordings...like..."do you believe in magic"...that session players were used...and on "summer in the city" there are two drummers...but on nashville cats its the band...i would love to read facts about their recordings...who really played, etc...

[SixtiesPopGold]

@ChiroQuacker The guys in the band were excellent musicians, so I guess they played on their studio recordngs.

[1985MANAmericana]

@ChiroQuacker There are "two drummers" on "You Didn't Have to Be so Nice" and "You Baby" (and some other tracks, I'm sure). That is, however, the result of multiple overdubs. One drummer. It's the same way John Sebastian did some of his own backing vocals, and the same reason certain songs have five guitar parts.

[TheMoonsOfficial]

@ChiroQuacker You should watch the Wrecking Crew documentary

[ChiroQuacker]

@TheMoonsOfficial

i have...but the wrecking crew were west coast..and the spoonful recorded on the east coast....

on "i'm on the road again"..it is definitely the band...it sounds like a very rough garage band and the timing...due to the drummer...the timing is terrible...the drummer is all over the place...

unlike on "do you believe in magic" and "summer in the city"....the rythmn section is rock solid..must be session men

[Vazmusic]

@ChiroQuacker

They played their instruments.

[ChiroQuacker]

@Vazmusic

how do you know for sure?

i believe they played on some tracks as a band BUT i believe a track like "SUMMER IN THE CITY"...i bet they used a studio session drummer like a hal blaine to play drums or overdub over whatever joe butler did

joe has lousy timing...at least from the not lipsynched clips i can find..they lip synched or sang over a musical tape....but when they did play "live" boone and butler played like guys who play in small clubs....speeding up and slowing down

[Vazmusic]

@ChiroQuacker I know one of them . I know there were many drum overdubs and while I don't think Butler was a great drummer he did swing and was the perfect guy for the band. He played in a quirky style. Summer In The City was a very primitive drum trak. Does not sound like Blaine at all. Too much feel in the track.

[ChiroQuacker]

@Vazmusic

i used blaine as an example....if he had played on it i would know...but the drumming is far from primitive..in fact it is one of the best drum tracks ever recorded on a single that was released up until 1966...sounds like two drummers...or they overdubbed another drum track ontop of the first...the tom toms are great...and this drum track was very influential to other bands the beatles included

to say it is primitive...shows you know dick

[Vazmusic]

@ChiroQuacker

No need 2 call names. If U knew anything about me you'd know that I know a lot about the history of pop drumming. Calling the drums "primitive" was a compliment. Compared to slick West Coast trax of the time many 60's drummers had a primal approach to the drums that I loved. The "Summer" drum's are obviously overdubbed. If U listen closely most Spoonful drums were layered. I know for sure there were drum overdubs but the trak was done by the band.

[ChiroQuacker]

@Vazmusic

try telling me something i dont know...you keep telling me this and that but its all old news....now if u new anything inside...i'd like the name or names of the drummers on summer in the city.....that you cant tell me...only that buried way down low in the mix i some basic, simple joe butler drum track....

a day in the life is a fave drum part for me...ringo overdubbed the drums...thats a fact and his contribution is amazing...not charted...just played that overdub with feel

[Vazmusic]

@ChiroQuacker Why are U so hostile to me? We are actually pretty much on the same page. Without betraying a confidence I can say that the drums on Summer in The City were done by Joe Butler but group members would overdub some drums as well. By the way I am a stone Ringo freak! I love every note he ever played .Check out my video "Ringo".

[spankboogie101]

Far Out Man !!!!!

[MacFeeley]

What really comes out of this performance,and this song, AND this band was how much positive energy and good feeling can be generated by music.



[lago4]

I had to stop this video at 0:32 when I actually felt my balls shrinking.

[torresongs2]

@lago4 What a sensitive guy!

[tbirdtim]

I love it when John smiles while he's singing. The drummer is having a good laugh throughout this campy performance. The campiness is great (c'mon, John playing the harp, Zal blowing the invisible bassoon). These guys truly had it goin' on.

BTW I have heard their instrumental track to ROTF and it is incredible. Awesome.

[Babyhowdy233]

John Sebastian's music is exquisite, heartfelt, brilliant and timeless! With his 70th birthday this year there are so many folks crowing that Bob Dylan is supposedly the best American songwriter but I beg to differ, JOHN SEBASTIAN is! Seriously, I cannot stand most Dylan songs until someone else other than Dylan essentially re-constructs them and records them(such as Hendrix's vasty superior cover of "All Along The Watchtower" or the Bryd's great covers)but John performs his songs brilliantly!

[yooperlash]

@Babyhowdy233 Disagree...Dylan "nailed" watchtower in it's sense of urgency...and lyric. I adore Jimi, but he only tripped it out...and I think he minght agree to that...and if it weren't for Dylan,we may never have heard of the Byrd's...

[Babyhowdy233]

@yooperlash

Dylan sang it like he sings every song:wailing horribly offkey with his usual over the top vocal theatrics that make me laugh instead of emotionally moving me. IMHO almost every Dylan song has had to be literally restructured by the REAL singers who have covered his tunes 1000 times better than he ever will. Jimi "rebuilt" the song from its very foundation, giving it a power and poignancy Dylan never could have.

[Babyhowdy233]

@yooperlash

As for your claim that no one would have heard of the Byrds had there been no Dylan, well that is utter bollocks! The Byrds had a PHENOMENAL songwriter in their original lead singer/frontman:Gene Clark. The band's early music with Clark at the helm was 1000 times more creative and exciting than any Dylan cover they later recorded, and they were scoring both commercial and critical success with their ORIGINAL songs long before they started covering Dylan tunes.

[keaton1895]

@Babyhowdy233 That is true the Byrds would have made it with out Dylan tunes.

[12thfloorelevator]

@yooperlash True... But Jimi and Dylan are in 2 different leagues, and shouldn't be compared. I see Jimi as a kind of instrumental genius, where as Bob is a lyrical genius.

[whatthedormousesaid]

@12thfloorelevator If you want to see instrumental genius, particularly Telecaster genius, check out Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton.

[raf4282619]

Brilliant - another of the songs meant for my wife and I

[tp10488]

a beautiful gem of a song. Bands were so versatile back then. You had to be, or you didn't stay around long.

[dlhippie58]

just wonderful, thank you much!!!!!!

[vinmyster11]

pic on the drumset looks like a butthole

[HarryHydro]

I love this song.

[TonyConyers]

Love your videos. I'm a subscriber. But one suggestion. Try not to cut it too close when editing. It's OK to leave the last few seconds in the beginning of a commercial or whatever. It's just a suggestion. Love your videos.

[SixtiesPopGold]

@TonyConyers Thanks for you kind words. The thing is, I think it's interesting to hear some host doing an intro the FIRST time. But it's not so great the tenth time that you want to hear/watch a clip.

[calico1018]

Thanks! One of my favorite songs of theirs.

[68generation]

I simply LOVE this song...this group is soooo good, still appreciate them today!

[lesap1]

Aw, wonderful song, I miss these guys. I wish John Sebastian would've never went out on his own. Think of what other great songs they might've produced. Love seeing his blue eyes in the video. I wonder what show it was on.

[sunnyskiesifi]

Thank you for sharing! Such a beautiful song!

[rslitman]

I actually remember seeing this TV performance in 1966! I even remember John Sebastian playing the harp!

[spacepatrolman]

@rslitman there is a black and white picture of them on this set in one of their songbooks

[HelloHelicopter]

the singer kinda looks like lennon,

i never heard this song before, thanks for uploading =)