Welcome Back (Theme from Welcome Back, Kotter)

Sebastian wrote this as the theme song for the ABC TV series Welcome Back, Kotter, starring Gabe Kaplan as a teacher who returns to his old school and is placed in a class of misfits known as The Sweathogs. The show was a big break for John Travolta, who played one of The Sweathogs.

Since it was written for the TV show, the song was less than a minute long. Viewers loved the song and related to the message about returning to the place where you laughed and your dreams were born. It became clear that there was demand for a full-length song, so Sebastian wrote a second verse and it was released as a single. Although the song does not have the word "Kotter" anywhere in the lyrics or title, the first pressings of the single were released as "Welcome Back, Kotter," to make sure everyone connected the song with the TV show.

Sebastian was a member of The Lovin' Spoonful, one of the most successful bands of the '60s, but one that was extant for only a few years. With this song, listeners welcomed him back to charts, giving him his only major hit as a solo artist.