Learn the Best Lovin’ Spoonful Songs on Acoustic Guitar

On this page, you’ll find 7 Lovin’ Spoonful guitar lessons featuring some of their most popular and feel-good songs. Each tutorial includes chord breakdowns, rhythm tips, and a full video performance to help you learn them at your own pace.

Whether you're drawn to the summer vibe of “Summer In The City” or the heartfelt message of “Darlin’ Be Home Soon,” these songs are perfect for acoustic players looking to expand their 60s collection.

Darlin' Be Home Soon was written by John Sebastian and released in 1967. It was one of the band's biggest hits, reaching #15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The song is a love ballad in which the singer is pleading with his lover to come home soon. The lyrics express a deep longing and a sense of urgency to be reunited with the person he loves. The song features a gentle melody with a distinctive harmonica riff and vocal harmonies.

"Darlin' Be Home Soon" has been covered by a number of artists over the years, including Joe Cocker, Cass Elliot, and Tedeschi Trucks Band. The song has also been featured in several movies and TV shows, including "The Simpsons," "Mad Men," and "The Vampire Diaries."

Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind is another hit song by The Lovin' Spoonful, written by the band's lead singer and songwriter, John Sebastian. It was released in 1966 as a single from their debut album, "Do You Believe in Magic."

The song features a catchy melody with a mix of folk and rock elements, and its lyrics deal with the uncertainty of making decisions in love. The singer advises a friend who is struggling to choose between two romantic prospects, encouraging him to make up his mind before it's too late.

"Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?" became a major hit for The Lovin' Spoonful, reaching #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remains one of the band's most popular and recognizable songs, and has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including The Beach Boys and Yo La Tengo.

Do You Believe In Magic is a single from the bands catalog from 1965. John Sebastian wrote the song in May 1965 after noticing a girl that was watching one of their performances and dancing to their vibe.

The song peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was the first single from their album of the same name.

Shaun Cassidy covered a version in the last 1970s and Disney re-wrote some of the lyrics for their 2007 film The Game Plan.

Nashville Cats by The Lovin' Spoonful was written by the band's leader John Sebastian. It was released in 1966 as a single and later included on their album "Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful."

" Nashville Cats" was a hit for The Lovin' Spoonful, reaching #8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has since become a beloved classic of the folk-rock genre, and has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including John Denver, Waylon Jennings, and Steve Wariner.

Rain On The Roof  was released in 1966 as a single and later included on their album "Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful." The song was written by the band's leader John Sebastian.

"Rain on the Roof" was a moderate hit for The Lovin' Spoonful, reaching #10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The song has been covered by several artists over the years, including The Cowsills and Eric Clapton.

Summer in the City was a  1966 single and later included on their album "Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful." The song was written by the band's leader John Sebastian, along with Mark Sebastian (John's brother) and Steve Boone.

"Summer in the City" was a major hit for The Lovin' Spoonful, reaching #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remains one of the band's most popular and recognizable songs, and has been featured in numerous movies and TV shows over the years.

The song's innovative use of horns and other instruments, as well as its vivid depiction of city life, helped to establish The Lovin' Spoonful as one of the most innovative and influential bands of the 1960s folk-rock scene.

Wild About My Lovin' is a traditional blues song that was popularized in the 1920s and 1930s by various artists, including Mississippi John Hurt and Jimmie Rodgers. The song was later covered by The Lovin' Spoonful, who included it on their self-titled debut album in 1965.

The Lovin' Spoonful's rendition of "Wild About My Lovin'" was well-received by fans and critics alike, and helped to establish the band's reputation as a skilled interpreter of traditional folk and blues songs.

The song remains a popular part of The Lovin' Spoonful's catalog, and has been covered by other artists over the years, including Taj Mahal and Bonnie Raitt.

You Didn't Have To Be So Nice is a song by The Lovin' Spoonful, released in 1965 as a single and later included on their album "Daydream." The song was written by the band's leader John Sebastian, along with his friend and fellow musician Zal Yanovsky.

"You Didn't Have to Be So Nice" was a hit for The Lovin' Spoonful, reaching #10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has since become one of the band's most beloved and enduring classics, and has been covered by numerous artists over the years.