SUTC California Dreamin
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Artist:
Here covered by America - sorry, I like the original better :-)
According to John Phillips in a Bravo documentary, and Michelle in an NPR piece, the song was written in 1963 while they were living in New York. He dreamed about the song and woke her up to help him write. She had stopped in St. Patrick's a few days earlier, which led to the second verse. At the time, the Phillipses were members of the folk group The New Journeymen which evolved into The Mamas and the Papas.
They earned their first record contract after being introduced to Lou Adler, the head of Dunhill Records, by the singer Barry McGuire. In thanks to Adler, they sang the backing vocals to "California Dreamin'" on McGuire's album This Precious Time. The Mamas and the Papas then recorded their own version. The single was released in late 1965 but it was not an immediate breakthrough. After gaining little attention in Los Angeles upon its release, Michelle Phillips remembers that it took a radio station in Boston to break the song nationwide. By early 1966, the song peaked at # 4 and it stayed on the charts for 17 weeks. McGuire later claimed that you can hear his vocals in the background on the record
Locating MOG account...
Comments (10)
Great tune, hard to ruin
Yeah.....If one has never seen Rhode Island dreaming of california is acceptable
America's version isn't bad, but that said The Mamas and The Papas version is classic so it is very hard to top.
It's unanimous. Mamas and Papas beat America. Preferably, to death. :)
I do like The Mamas and Papas' version better, but unlike Mark (apparently), I still really like America. Many of their original songs are close to my heart, especially Ventura Highway and Tin Man.
lucky songs :-)
:) :)
Hard to ruin, but not impossible.
Yes Anna, as you so succinctly put it, nothing is impossible!
Now excuse me whilst I pick my coffee cup up off the floor. Damn girl!