N≤2 is consistently analyzed, via the harmonic oscillator quark model, in terms of the spin-spin, spin-orbit, and tensor potentials for the residual quark-antiquark interaction. Single harmonic oscillator states generally well describe the meson mass states, except for the lowest pseudoscalar octet mesons, which require a strong mixing of radial excitation states. The physical consequences of this effect are given. SU(3) property of the spin-spin and spin-orbit potential strengths is to obey the octet assumption quite well, but not the case for the tensor potential.