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Ah, perfect. Finally replaced my old vinyl album lost years ago and this 'Spoonful re-issue is exactly as I remember it. Great songs written with a nice mixture of humour, romance, blues and it just damn good enjoyable music. Can't pick a good track, they're all good but as 'You didn't have to be so nice' was the one played in the clubs a lot then I'll give that favourite status on this album.You don't need track by track analysis, this is just a great album it was when I heard it in 1965 and it still is.
An early showing of the incredible talent that John Sebastian would become. Jug band joy at its best. Summer of '65 as best I recall. Ah, youth and jugband music.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:4.8 out of 5 stars 12 reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsThe Magic's In the Music!13 Aug 2002
By Steve Vrana - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
In the fall of '65, The Spoonful burst onto the national scene with their Top Ten single, "Do You Believe in Magic." It was the first of a string of ten hits over the next two years. The other hit from their debut was a second John Sebastian-penned song, "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?" The other group originals (all written by Sebastian) were "Younger Girl," "On the Road Again" and the instrumental "Night Owl Blues," named for the Night Owl Cafe where the early Spoonful honed their music. [The Daydream reissue contains the complete 4:40 version as one of the bonus tracks.] The rest of the material consists of either traditional songs (like "Blues in the Bottle" and "Fishin' Blues") or writers Fred Neil ("Other Side of Life) and Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil ("You Baby"). The lack of more original material was as much a result of the need to cut an album quickly after "Do You Believe In Magic" went Top Ten as it was a desire of the band to play the music they had been playing live.
The bonus tracks (all previously unreleased) include only one new song--a cover of the Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop" with lead guitarist Zal Yanovsky singing lead. "Younger Girl" is offered in a demo version. There are alternate--but similar--versions of "Blues in the Bottle" (with different lyrics) and "Wild About My Lovin'." And finally, an instrumental version of "Other Side of This Life." It would have been nice if they could also have included "Good Time Music"--a track they cut for Elektra before signing with Kama Sutra--but it's nice to see the Spoonful albums back in print. Now if they would also rerelease Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful and Everything Playing...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
PS: Do you think amazon.com will let me put in a plug for Rhino Records Handmade limited box set reissue of all five of John Sebastian's solo LPs?
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsJohn Sebastian and friends make happy happy music11 Feb 2003
By Lawrance M. Bernabo - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
It is rather amazing how many folk-rock groups from the Sixties put out great debut albums and then never got to that same height ever again. The Byrds put out six stellar albums before they imploded, but they were always in a whole different league when it came to folk-rock, but for every rare exception to the rule like Buffalo Springfield (whose second album was their best), the standard history was more like the Beau Brummels and the Lovin' Spoonful where the first album, in this case "Do You Believe in Magic," was as good as it was going to get. I know there are inherent reasons for this, the main one being that the first album usually represents the best songs culled from two or three albums worth of materials that a group has in their repertoire when they sign a recording contract.
"Do You Believe in Magic" gets to be the album's title simply because the title track had already been a major hit of the summer of 1965. John Sebastian establishes the group's happy sound with the album's other bit hit, "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind" and "Younger Girl." Sebastian was obviously the group's major talent, mainly because he was the one writing the songs, while the rest of the album were peppy versions of traditional songs such as "Blues in the Bottle" and "Wild About My Lovin'', which tend to remind me of an old fashioned jug band (again, totally in keeping the Lovin' Spoonful's happy happy sound).
I probably would give this 1965 album (originally released on the Kama Sutra label in a nice touch of irony) five stars but one of the great things about all these CD reissues is that they go back and raid the vaults to see what else they can find. On "Do You Believe in Magic" this means the demo version of "Younger Girl," alternate vocals for "Blues in the Bottle" and "Wild About My Lovin'," an instrumental version of "Other Side of This Life," and a fun little cover of the novelty hit "Alley Oop."
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 starsConfident debut from magical act24 Aug 2002
By Wayne Klein - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
The Lovin' Spoonful burst on the scene like America's answer to The Beatles; John Sebastian's tuneful, melodic hits brightened AM radio and reminded one what was so vital about American music to begin with. While not quite as strong as their second album, Magic features 5 strong originals by Sebastian and this remastered edition also features outtakes and alternate versions of more familiar material. The title track still retains its original magic more than 30 years on. As a child I remember being capitvated by this melodic classic. It's no exaggeration to say that it perfectly captures the navity of youth. It also captures the very mystery of infatuation.
Lovingly remastered with extension liner notes, Magic is restored to its former glory. While previous reissues sounded very good, this is the first time the album has been remastered from the original master tapes. Believed to be lost for the better part of a decade, it's nice to rediscover this fine album finally the way it was meant to be heard.
