The Lovin' Spoonful Anthology is a compilation album by the folk rock group the Lovin' Spoonful, released in 1990.
The Lovin' Spoonful Anthology focuses mainly on The Lovin' Spoonful's 1965-1966 releases with a few obscure tracks such as "Pow!" from their What's Up, Tiger Lily? soundtrack and "Good Time Music", an early song found on a label sampler. All the band's biggest hits are included as well as a booklet with comments about the songs from John Sebastian.
Reception
In his Allmusic review, music critic Richie Unterberger wrote "Unquestionably the finest collection of a major band that did much to launch American folk-rock in the mid-'60s. Anthology jams 26 cuts onto a single CD, including all of their hits and some of their strongest album tracks, drawing mostly from their 1965-1966 prime."
Track listing "Good Time Music" (John Sebastian) – 3:06 "Do You Believe In Magic" (Sebastian) – 2:04 "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice" (Steve Boone, Sebastian) – 2:31 "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?" (Sebastian) – 1:58 "You Baby" (Mann, Phil Spector, Weil) – 2:55 "Younger Girl" (Sebastian) – 2:19 "Fishin' Blues" Traditional– 2:00 "Daydream" (Sebastian) – 2:18 "Jug Band Music" (Sebastian) – 2:51 "Didn't Want to Have to Do It" (Sebastian) – 2:36 "Summer in the City" (Boone, Sebastian, Mark Sebastian) – 2:39 "Pow!" (Boone, Joe Butler, Sebastian, Zal Yanovsky) – 2:28 "Rain on the Roof" (Sebastian) – 2:11 "Nashville Cats" (Sebastian) – 2:34 "Full Measure" (Boone, Sebastian) – 2:40 "Lovin' You" (Sebastian) – 2:28 "Coconut Grove" (Sebastian, Yanovsky) – 2:42 "Darling Be Home Soon" (Boone, Sebastian) – 3:31 "You're a Big Boy Now" (Boone, Butler, Sebastian) – 2:38 "Lonely (Amy's Theme)" (Sebastian) – 3:19 "Six O'Clock" (Sebastian) – 2:41 "She Is Still a Mystery" (Sebastian) – 3:02 "Money" (Sebastian) – 1:54 "Younger Generation" (Sebastian) – 2:40 "Never Going Back" (John Stewart) – 2:44 "Me About You" (Garry Bonner, Alan Gordon) – 3:48
Personnel According to the album's liner notes:
The Lovin' Spoonful John Sebastianguitars, lead vocals, autoharp, harmonica, Wurlitzer electric piano, Irish harp, clarinet, harmonium, marxophone Zal Yanovskylead guitars, vocals, lead six-string bass, electric gorgle, Chinese gong Steve Boonebass, pianos, organs Joe Butlerdrums, percussion, vocals; lead vocals Jerry Yester (replaced Yanovsky for tracks 22–26)lead guitars, keyboards, vocals, vocal and orchestral arrangements
Additional musicians Chip Douglasbass Red Rhodespedal steel guitar John Stewartguitar
References