Platinum & Gold Collection

Performer: The Lovin' Spoonful
Distributor: BMG (distributor)

Notes: Producer: Erik Jacobsen. Compilation producer: Rob Santos. Recorded between 1965 & 1967. Includes liner notes by Bruce Pollock. Liner Note Author: Bruce Pollock. Photographer: Chuck Stewart. One of the most joyful bands of the mid- to late-'60s, the Lovin' Spoonful, led by John Sebastian's songwriting and singing, had a string of good-time hits in the latter part of the decade, all of which are here, including the classics "Do You Believe in Magic," "Daydream," and the thundering "Summer in the City," as well as the infectious did/didn't series, "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind," "Didn't Want to Have to Do It" and "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice," all three of which have refreshingly simple melodies and approaches. There are several other Spoonful collections on the market, though, and most of them will have these same songs, so there's no particular reason to seek this one out over any of the others -- it has the exact same sequence (but a different cover) as Buddha's Platinum & Gold Collection from 2003. ~ Steve Leggett The BMG Heritage budget series Platinum & Gold Collection works best when it covers those artists who have a short discography of prize-winners, since 12 songs may be all that most listeners need to hear of the Real McCoy or the Verve Pipe. The Lovin' Spoonful, of course, enjoyed a long, fruitful career and easily fill up a compilation with more than two dozen excellent songs. Their edition of the Platinum & Gold Collection may satisfy a few listeners who need the most basic introduction available, but a true appreciation for the group necessitates something on the order of Buddha's Greatest Hits volume of 2000. Here, alongside the group's biggest hits -- "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice," "Do You Believe in Magic?," "Daydream," and "Summer in the City" -- appear a bare few more of their standards: "Didn't Want to Have to Do It," "Six O'Clock," and "Younger Girl." ~ John Bush

Combining folk and jug-band music with exuberant, Beatles-influenced pop, the Lovin' Spoonful possessed one of the freshest sounds on the radio in the mid-1960s. Prime architects of the folk-rock genre, the group splintered after a short run of amazing albums and hit singles. Leader John Sebastian continued on as a solo artist in a more personal singer/songwriter vein. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Guitarist Zal Yanovsky passed away two years later, effectively ending any hopes of a full-scale reunion.

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