Lovin’ Spoonful – Daydream

Nice easy going laid back song by the Lovin’ Spoonful. John Sebastian wrote this song and he was influenced by “Baby Love” by the Supremes.

A good song by the Lovin’ Spoonful who had a string of hits in the sixties. They had a short window…1966-1969 but they had 14 songs in the Billboard 100. 1 number one and 7 top ten hits. This song peaked at #2 in 1966 in the  Billboard 100, #1 in New Zealand, #2 in the UK, and #1 in Canada.

Lovin’ Spoonful played “jug band” music and like the Rascals, they were more of a singles band than an album band.

John Sebastian on Daydream: “We had no way of knowing what a nice long shelf life some of that material was gonna have. At the time, we were certainly aiming only for the next few months. That’s really what we were trying for, a Top Ten record right now, right then. Everything else is unexpected.”

From Songfacts

This song started The whole New Vaudeville Bandwagon in the late 1960s of which Sgt. Pepper was the most well-known example. This song influenced the Beatles, as John Lennon’s jukebox included both this and “Do You Believe In Magic?.” This song was a major influence on Paul McCartney’s Beatles composition “Good Day Sunshine.”

Films and TV shows to include this classic as part of their soundtrack include 1989 film Field of Dreams, the pilot episode of the TV series Men of a Certain Age, 1994 film The War, the “John Lennon’s Jukebox” episode of the TV series The South Bank Show, 1967’s Poor Cow, and 1970 film Summer in the City.

One of our research team members ranted about something involving the Grim Reaper frolicking to this song in a TV commercial. Yes, that’s a Jeep Cherokee commercial with the Grim Reaper enjoying a relaxing day off to the tune of The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Daydream”, and anybody else suffering from the same fits of half-remembered nostalgia can now see it at that link and rest in peace, at last.

How authentic is the Baby Boomer street-cred of Lovin’ Spoonful lead John Sebastian? So much so that he was born in 1944 in Greenwich Village, New York, and his tie-dyed denim jacket is on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, since they were inducted into it in 2000.

More trivia: John Sebastian is the godson of actress Vivian Vance, who played Ethel Mertz in the classic TV series I Love Lucy.

Other artists to cover this song include: Chet Atkins, David Cassidy, Art Garfunkel (on the album named Daydream – Songs from a Parent to a Child), Rick Nelson, The Sweet, and The Sandpipers.

Daydream

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 dream
‘Cause she’s the one that makes me feel this way

And even if time has passing 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 your face for bein’ a sleepy bulltoad

And you can be sure that if you’re feelin’ right
A daydream will last along into the night
Tomorrow at breakfast you may pick 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 now I’m lost in a daydream
Dreamin ‘bout my bundle of joy