Tag: Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?

I grew up with a Lovin’ Spoonful Greatest Hits album. Like The Rascals (or Young Rascals) they were primarily a singles band more known for their hits than their albums.

This song was written by John Sebastian. He said he was influenced by a pair of sisters he met at a summer camp where he was a counselor. Neither sister was interested in Sebastian, even though he taught himself the autoharp in an attempt to impress them.

The song did very well peaking at #2 on the Billboard 100, #6 in Canada, and #5  in New Zealand in 1966. 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.

Their songs are grounded in folk, jug music,  and blues. I don’t know if it is possible to be in a bad mood while listening to them. They are now staples on oldies radio stations.

Zal Yanovsky left in 1967 after being dissatisfied with John’s more personal songwriting and a pot conviction. John Sebastion left the group on 1968 and with him gone the hits dried up.

A fun band to listen to. You won’t hear rock operas or rocking solos but you will hear a band that sounds like they are having a good time.

They reunited once in 1979 and for their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2000.

As the ’60s drew to a close, The Lovin’ Spoonful disbanded and Sebastian started working on a variety of projects. He wrote music for the Care Bear series, published children’s books, made harmonica instruction videos, and, wrote the theme song to the TV show Welcome Back, Kotter, which was a #1 hit.

Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?

Did you ever have to make up your mind?
And pick up on one and leave the other behind?
It’s not often easy and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind?

Did you ever have to finally decide?
And say yes, to one and let the other one ride?
There’s so many changes and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide?

Sometimes there’s one with big blue eyes, cute as a bunny
With hair down to here, and plenty of money
And just when you think she’s that one in the world
Your heart gets stolen by some mousy little girl

And then you know you’d better make up your mind
And pick up on one and leave the other behind
It’s not often easy and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind?

Sometimes you really dig a girl the moment you kiss her
And then you get distracted by her older sister
When in walks her father and takes you in line
And says, “Better go on home, son, and make up your mind”

Then you bet you’d better finally decide
And say yes to one and let the other one ride
There’s so many changes and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide?