♫ Daydream ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

No redux tonight!  I was determined to play something I hadn’t played here before … my memory is fading, though, and the first three that came to mind, that I was absolutely certain I had never played before, had already been played here not once, but multiple times!  If I keep losing bits ‘n pieces of my mind, by Christmas I will have forgotten my own name!  Anyway …

I had no idea that this song originated with John Sebastian’s attempt to rewrite the Supremes’ Baby Love.  According to Wikipedia …

John Sebastian composed “Daydream” in November 1965, during a 19-day tour through the American South. The Lovin’ Spoonful served as a support act during the tour for the American girl group the Supremes, and the two groups traveled together on the same bus. The Lovin’ Spoonful generally enjoyed the experience but found the schedule physically exhausting, and Sebastian additionally missed his wife Loretta “Lorey” Kaye. On a rainy day near the tour’s end, Sebastian was feeling particularly depressed and sought to raise his own spirits by writing a song. While riding the bus to their November 27 show in Greensboro, North Carolina, he composed “Daydream”, finishing the song in around twenty minutes.

Sebastian initially hoped to compose a song like the Supremes’ 1964 singles “Baby Love” and “Where Did Our Love Go”, both of which he thought had a “straight eighth feel”. Employing a “trick figure” he had devised months earlier to play Motown songs on guitar, his arrangement of “Baby Love” for a single guitar transformed into “Daydream”. The song employs swing, a rhythmic feel commonly heard in both jazz and blues, though Sebastian later clarified that, like both of the Supremes’ songs, the shuffle “[is not] all the way expressed”

Paul Williams reviewed “Daydream” in the third issue of his American magazine Crawdaddy!, one of the earliest publications devoted to rock and roll criticism. Williams described the song as “the sort of thing that could get tiring and repetitious, but doesn’t”.  Among British critics, Derek Johnson of New Musical Express described “Daydream” as both “tuneful and pleasantly hummable”, but also “not very meaty and maybe a shade corny.”

That said, the song charted at #1 in Canada and #2 in both the UK and the U.S.

Daydream

The Lovin’ Spoonful

What a day for a daydream
What a day for a daydreamin’ boy
And I’m lost in a daydream
Dreamin’ ’bout my bundle of joy

And even if time ain’t really on my side
It’s one of those days for takin’ a walk outside
I’m blowin’ the day to take a walk in the sun
And fall on my face on somebody’s new-mowed lawn

I’ve been havin’ a sweet dream
I been dreamin’ since I woke up today
It’s starrin’ me and my sweet thing
‘Cause she’s the one makes me feel this way

And even if time is passin’ me by a lot
I couldn’t care less about the dues you say I got
Tomorrow I’ll pay the dues for droppin’ my load
A pie in the face for bein’ a sleepy bull toad

And you can be sure that if you’re feelin’ right
A daydream will last long into the night
Tomorrow at breakfast you may prick up your ears
Or you may be daydreamin’ for a thousand years

What a day for a daydream
Custom-made for a daydreamin’ boy
And I’m lost in a daydream
Dreamin’ ’bout my bundle of joy

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: John Sebastian

Daydream lyrics © Trio Music Company, Trio Music Co., Inc., Alley Music Corp

Discover more from Filosofa's Word

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

36 thoughts on “♫ Daydream ♫”

  2. (Well, I hope this doesn’t end up being a dup.)
    I absolutely love this song, this band, and John Sebastian. What a great pick! Another great pick, IMO. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  6. I love Daydream. The music makes a persom want to be lost in a daydream. No cares of any kind, just fliating down the road, no destination in mimd but the going.
    Now, Jill, usually I would respond as Pete did, playing my favourite ‘Spoonful song, but instead I am going to try to put it into a post, if I can find anything interesting about it. If not, you might see and hear it here anyway. “Stay posted!”

    Liked by 3 people

  7. Jill, what a fun song! We saw John Sebastian about three years ago in a neat venue. He explained the context and background of the songs which made it fun. Keith

    Liked by 2 people

    • That DOES sound like a fun concert! You guys have had some awesome experiences seeing a wide variety of artists! Thinking back, what was your very favourite concert ever? Glad you enjoyed this song!

      Like

Comments are closed.