Honestly, the misheard lyrics always made sense to me. The guy was pretending to pray because he didn’t want the preacher to toss him out of the church because he was just there to warm up, and the preacher liked the cold because it brought people into his church who wouldn’t otherwise be there.
I became a friend of Barry McGuire’s in 1971 and toured, performed, and even wrote songs with him. He tells part of the story the same way you do; the part where he told John it was his song and to go ahead and record it. But Barry never expressed any antagonism towards John to me. He never seemed angry or bitter at all. And as far as I could tell he remained friends with them all. In fact, while working on his album “Seeds” Barry took me over to Denny’s house one day when we had some time off. They seemed to be good friends. I’ve only ever heard him say good things about any of The Mama & Papas. I’m still friends with Barry and talked to him about a month ago.
They must have been friends. My favourite Track is Creeque Alley where constantly sing about Mcguinn and McGuire still getting higher and catching fire in LA.
Maybe Mister McGuire stopped being upset about his voice disappearing from "California Dreaming" when it reappeared on the Fireballs's "Bottle Of Wine". (wink,wink)
Is it correct that after Mama Cass died there was some live stuff recorded with the beautiful Spanky McFarlane taking her place? Not singing at her best though!
Loved his song Eve Of Destruction, it was so "of it's time" I bought a compilation "Summer of Love" featuring tunes of that time and his song was on it, it felt relevant again (in 1990) and fresh! His vocals sound OK on California Dreamin' but not quite right for the song - it is interesting to hear it for prosperity!
the guy who basically named the Wrecking Crew and member of the Hollywood Golden Trio Hal Blaine was offered a chance to produce the Carpenters but he was too busy recording over 35,000 songs on drums...is responsible for Karen's wonderful voice.....in their very first recording session, Hal could tell something was off in the way she sang.....so he suggested during the session that she sing in a lower register.....her domineering mother said "Well that's just the way she sings".....they took a session break and when they came back after break she was singing how you remember her.....all thanks to Hal Blaine.....
The jazz iconic classy artist recording down the hall , like a professor of his craft, willingly and with out stooping down to a less technical musical tune, he just coolly walks down and listens, really listens, then as only a true master can do, he selects the perfect one, and then does it in one take....and then goes back to what he was doing no doubt.....that's class, and is just a memory.
I remember seeing the Mamas and Poppas on the Ed Sullivan Show. I thought Michelle Phillips was beautiful! But even better was their singing , especially Cass Elliot. When she was on the Midnite Special, with John Denver, she sang a duet with him and she nails it with such power and grace. What a performer. I hope she is always remembered for her beautiful voice and smile.🙏🕊
Deleting Barry McGuire's vocals was a genius step. He might have understandably felt betrayed, but the song would have done nothing had it been left intact - his voice simply doesn't fit. Thanks, Professor, for yet another Rock-and-Roll history lesson!
I always heard it as: The preacher, like the cold, knows I’m going to stay. Pretend to pray makes sense in that context, as one might pretend to pray if they were only using the church to shelter from the cold.
The preacher, like the cold Or..the preacher Likes the cold..? And the "pretend to pray " is what I hear..but 'Began to pray " makes more sense. SIDE NOTE;; With respect to religion in general, I think Catholic schools probably have driven more people Away from religion than they ever helped.
"The preacher likes the cold, He knew I was gonna stay" The cold sends people into the church for warmth. This gives the preacher an opportunity to interact with the flock, and he knew the person would stay to keep warm, extending the interaction.
That's how I've always understood the line alongside the 'pretend' version of the lyrics. He likes the cold for bringing them through the doors for warmth and they pretend to pray to continue enjoying the warmth whilst dreamin' of being in California. Makes perfect sense to me.
When I was in Grade 3 or 4, our school's music teacher was able somehow to get Cass Elliot to come and entertain us. I remember her talking to the smaller children and saying she had a daughter that she was missing. I also remember her singing Dream a little Dream of Me. Our music teacher played our school piano and other people played the guitar and drums. They really had to tone it back for our little gym. I was given an autograph book earlier that year and had her autograph in it. It was only about 6 months to a year before she died. I remember Mrs. Harrison being so upset and crying. It wasn't until years later, I wondered how they ever got someone who was on Ed Sullivan Show to our little community school in a small backwater of 1970's Ontario, Canada. Unfortunately, the autograph book was lost in a house fire in the '80.
Thanks for sharing your sweet memory. I can't tell you how many bits of ephemera I planned to keep when I was little that are long gone, so I feel for you. The memories are still great, though.
Thank you for sharing that special memory of a very special time ,place & event! I feel sorry for people who will never really know what the 60's & 70's felt like- it was literally a completely different world- in a very good way- it was just the world in a much more relaxed, naturally beautiful state that could be felt in the air... sad to say, but the current state of things is just a crying shame in comparison....
@@jerald6023 Thank you for the comment and I hope everyone has special memories from their childhood. However, those times were not without hardships, conflict and scary, frightening and unsettling happenings. The Vietnam war and the losses from that, the protest songs of the 60's and 70's were created reflecting that. The assassinations of prominent political people, Watergate, the race riots, the serial killers. Do you know that between the middle 60's and the middle 80's there were at least 10 serial killers (that were caught) running around the US alone??! And add to all of that, there was the threat of nuclear war between US and Russia which of course meant the informed worried, as well.. I was pretty young when Mama Cass came for a visit and look at that with fondness but despite that, the world was a troubled messed up place, where most people worked hard for what they had. My parents tried to keep the rose-coloured glasses on my siblings and I as long as possible but we were poor and they gave us what they could. I am glad I have never had some of the experiences my parents had and I hope I helped my children to grow up with experiences better than mine, despite the divorce. I wish that everyone can see their life as a great time but don't confuse your own life experience as the same for everyone, please.
Their harmonies on Dedicated to the One I Love are unmatched. They nailed it, and when you listen thru headphones, there is not another song that compares. It is the greatest song sung by 2 guys and 2 girls ever. No auto tune, no anything but their voices. I dare anyone to use the technology of their time and sound like they do. It will never be duplicated.
Karen Carpenter could nail it in one take, but by then, they had the benefit of instant audio playback, and she could opt for another shot at it, despite the audio engineers getting flustered about the perfection she exhibited on Take 1…
I called a local radio station in response to them asking people to sing the opening lines to California Dreamin. The lead by Ms & Ps had been erased. Everyone’s attempt failed as they started singing when they heard the refrain to the opening lyric. I’m not a musician or much of a singer, but I know when the singing is supposed to start. I nailed it. This is back when TV networks signed off at midnight, with the National Anthemn playing and the flag flying. Then all you saw was “snow” on the screen until the next morning.
@@disneyfan8178 Maybe it depended on the station? The big national networks vs. smaller local stations? I remember the colored test pattern but I can't say for sure it was on all stations, or if it stayed on all night.
I think Adam is spot on when he says that, whatever Philips' original intention, the song has come to represent an escape to an idyllic world.The haunting melodies help create this nostalgic, melancholy feeling. Very well put by the Professor.
@@tammylewis2408 Denny's vocal was iconic - and Momma Cass is finally getting her due - She was great - and that's an understatement - Frank Sinatra paid her the ultimate compliment regarding her vocalization -
And they all knew the harmonica wasn't the right thing, & Mr. Jazz picked the perfect instrument for the sound he wanted. I love music so much, when gifted people do what they naturally do AND the sum ends-up greater than the (already great) parts.
Hey Professor! I just want to thank you for not perpetuating the decades-long myth that Cass Elliott died from choking on a ham sandwich! I knew you'd get it right! 😎
I think the Preacher likes it cold because he knows people don't want to go back out into it. He's got a captive audience for his sermon. Makes perfect sense to me. As a Vancouverite I've always liked the song. Because our summers are like California but our winters are so dreary!
I instantly understood the song.when I was 18 living in Los Angeles. My father had been dreaming of living in LA while we lived a a lake in Michigan from 1954 to 1956. One day he came home, grabbed the mail and it was a solid offer to come to LA ASAP and work for an Aerospace company..He was as ecstatic as a kid on Christmas Day. We eventually settled into the CA dream. The song brought me back to that day when my father announced we were going to the Magical state of California and the dream of sunny Los Angeles.
"The preacher likes the cold, he knows I'm gonna stay" makes perfect sense. It's also a brilliant lyric because the logic of it is so interesting: The need for shelter in bitter weather brings people into the church in an already vulnerable state, where they can be comforted and perhaps cajoled into joining the flock. I always viewed it as a comment on how religion thrives on people's desperation.
agree. The cold drove her inside, and is keeping her there. Getting folks through the door is step one. And, "pretend to pray" is a better lyric. It's a great verse.
I was 12 years old when my family moved to California from SW Michigan in 1957. Need I say more? California was just starting to ride a giant wave of rock and roll California style music and we all jumped on it. I went to Pacoima Jr. High where Richie Valens had gone to school and showed up in 1958 to give a freebee concert at the school. Those were the days indeed! I could write a book on it. My heart skips a beat when I recall it all. I'm 79 now and do understand that I was somewhat of a lucky guy to have lived in LA and California at that time.😎
Denny Doherty was another great artist from Nova Scotia, Canada. His smooth voice added another dimension to their sound. Denny is one of many Nova Scotia performers that made it big- Anne Murray, Hank Snow, Wilf Carter (Montana Slim in the US), Leslie Fiest, Sarah McLachlan, Stan Rogers, Classified, Myles Goodwyn (April Wine), Rita MacNeil, The Rankin Famly and many others. We in NS are proud of our artists and proudly share them with the world.
Technically you are correct, but Both his parents were from NS. He and his family spent a lot of time in NS and if you listen to his songs- most use the sea/ocean as subject matter. The Stan Rogers Festival is in Canso, NS, not in Ontario. @@halcooper3070
Denny started out with the Colonials in Halifax. I played a few venues with a former band mate of his and Richard told me a few stories of the early days when they played in the coffee shops in NYC.
@@halcooper3070 Both, actually. He was born in Hamilton and raised nearby in Binbrook. But his parents were Maritimers, and he often spent summers visiting relatives in Guysborough. Helps to explain why so much of his music has connections to either the Maritimes or the Great Lakes.
California Dreamin' is my 81-year-old mom's ringtone😊. She's always loved it. My 82-year-old dad's is We Will Rock You 😁 My parents had a big part in forming my musical tastes and listening to their favs always brings a smile to my face☺.
As a musician, songwriter and recording engineer/producer I've always loved the sound of that record along with the powerful song. Every time I hear California Dreamin' I think about that fabulous flute solo and how much work it must have taken to compose and develope it. Now, because of your music history research, I learn it was made up on the spot... and recorded in one take! Now that blows my mind. Thanks Professor of Rock, I always enjoy your show and learn something new.
I don’t remember much of my early life, but as a six or seven year old in the sixties, I still have a very strong memory of listening to California Dreaming. It’s a song that has stuck with me growing up and throughout my adult life to the point now when I am well into to my 60’s, that every time I listen to California Dreaming, it brings out emotions and nostalgic memories of my life.
The Mamas and the Papas had absolute killer harmonies. John was a stickler for perfection. If it didn’t sound to his liking he made them sing it again and again and again. I was in nursing school in Germany when the song came out, all of us loved the song! I like just about all songs they ever did, except for their last album, their heart was no longer in it. California Dreaming was covered by many artists, but nobody comes even remotely close to the M&P version! And no, that isn’t Barry’s song, that vocal is very much Denny‘s as it should be! BTW… John Phillips wrote a song for another artist who was a former band mate and childhood friend. . That song became super famous: San Francisco (be sure to wear some flowers in your hair). John was such a huge talent …. and such a humongous drug addict. There‘s a ride in the theme park “California Adventures” named in honor of the song. The ride is a super fast rollercoaster that turns a 360 degree loop, called “ California Screaming”.
Unfortunately, California Screamin’ is no longer the name of that coaster (it’s now called the Incredicoaster, bleh) I worked at Disney California Adventure as part of the opening group of cast members and loved that rollercoaster. In the entrance promenade there would be a continuous loop of pop songs all about California and “California Dreamin’” was in that rotation. There was just something magical listening to that song while walking through the empty park on the way home after a closing shift.
@@null0byte After some time most people would no longer be able to make the connection. They’re too young to know that song. They’ll have a different set of musical nostalgia than we did. I really enjoyed that park! That ride was my favorite. I’d go on it 5 times in a row! Thanks for the update!
This clarifies a everything! I was in a a band that played this song in C minor and kept saying it must be in the wrong key because that low note would be a Bb in the flute solo. Then I was told it's in C# minor which makes the low note a B natural that's not included on student model flutes. As I grew older I remember thinking "that sounds like an alto flute, but where's a rock n band gonna find someone who plays alto flute"? Great episode!
I absolutely loved the song from first hearing it on the radio - I was seven when it came out. As a native of Los Angeles, who later moved to Florida, and lived briefly in Europe, it's one of very few songs that immediately brings me back to the LA of my childhood, with all that entails. And it hits home even more today, on my mini farm in Tennessee, where we are indeed expecting snow today, and I am missing warmer climes. The magic of their vocal harmonies was what made the band so special, and the addition of the alto flute in the bridge was a masterstroke. I am glad they changed the lead vocal - Denny's vocal was far more in keeping with the mood of the song. Still one of my favorites. I still miss Cass Elliott. She was one of a kind.
The song captured so much more than than intended. The guitar intro and the alto flute set a mood that wasn't necessarily understood by the writers or singers. Even the misunderstood lyrics added a depth to the song. "The preacher liked the cold" made sense if you pictured the preacher as a lonely person trapped in a cold mundane life outside of California, alone all week except for Sunday morning. He would be cold and alone if it weren't for this down and out traveler. "Pretend to pray" works because the singer isn't religious and is just taking advantage of the church and preacher to get warm. They both are. That's part of the beauty of it. The meaning can change depending on how you hear it and what you personally understand. How many times have we heard a song later in life and suddenly thought, " wow, that means so much more than I ever knew when i loved it as a teenager".
Always enjoyed The Mamas & The Papas music. They were one of many great vocal harmonizing groups of the 1960's. California Dreaming has always been my favorite song from them. "Monday Monday" and "I Saw Her Again Last Night" are 2 of my other favorites they recorded.
Mamas and Papas "Farewell to the first golden era" was the first album I ever purchased, a kind of greatest hits collection. Loved that album and that song. Years and years later, after hearing "and I began to pray" ('cause no one 'pretends' to pray) all those times, I felt so cheated when I heard a live performance and it was pretended to pray.
You're killin' me here, with this episode featuring some of my all-time favorite people. I just. can't. hear "California Dreamin'" with McGuire out front. Nope. John and Denny are two of pop's finest vocalists, and the released version is absolutely perfect. Scott McKenzie and I were pals during the last two years of his MUCH too short life. We met through his FB page, and collaborated on some hijinks and silliness. But he also was a goldmine of info and back stories for this pop music fanatic. I met Barry, Mackenzie, Michelle, and many other of Scott's friends at his memorial at the Whisky a go go. ALL gracious, humble people. I never got to see the original group in concert, but have sweet memories of seeing later formations, with Leah Kunkel, Scott, and Spanky McFarlane filling in for absent friends. Now, you've got me submersed in Mama and Papaville for the rest of the day. Thanks, Prof.
I always thought it was “got down on my knees, and I began to pray” i prefer it to I pretend to pray, God blesses you with a great talent, give Him at least some glory.
Denny and John put together the Monterey Pop Festival that provided critical exposure to acts like The Who, Jimi Hendrix, and others. It was Laura Nyro's first major public performance.
That 1967 festival was also a contributor to the end for The Beach Boys' popularity. Because of dissention, drugs, and despondency, Brian Wilson cancelled the release of the SMiLE album, and cancelled their performance at The Monterey Pop Festival. Fans, critics, and disc jockeys turned on them, and the growing FM culture proclaimed them passé. That is why the classic rock of The Beach Boys never gets played on "classic rock" stations: Those set lists are largely based on what FM deemed playable in the late 60s/early 70s. "Good Vibrations" has been acknowledged as one of the most influential rock songs ever, yet you will never hear it on a "classic rock" station (except, rarely, as a cover).
Also the world introduction to Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar. Janis Joplin with Big Brother & the Holding Company, Grateful Dead. Neil Young had dropped out of Buffalo Springfield, so David Crosby, who desperately wanted to join them, sang with them in addition to his band at the time, The Byrds. Sadly, Crosby made some lunatic comments during rants, so The Byrds performance at Monterey were cut from DA Pennebaker's docu-concert. I contend Monterey was a LOT more important historically than Woodstock.
20:57 When I bough the first cassette recorder I ever owned in the fall of 1973, I recorded whatever happened to be on the radio on that day, which included California Dreaming, followed immediately by Jimmy Webb's "All I know", which was Art Garfunkle's hit at the time. To this day, whenever I hear the ending of California Dreaming, the piano intro to "All I Know" and the "I bruise you, you bruise me ... " lyrics creep into my head. It's as if that tinny sounding accidental mix tape is permanently etched in my brain.
Jim Webb + Art Garfunkle = magic. I love that song, the piano intro is perfect. I love your little tid-bit of brain burn-in, I hope it stay's with you forever. 👍
Even though they messed up the lyrics, this song is still one of the most perfect pop songs of all time. Barry's vocals being on it? Cant imagine it. Denny's lead was magical. And the harmonies are as incredible as we've heard on any song from any era. Thanks for covering this one, always interesting videos.
@@NessKey That's where some of the confusion came from. It wasn't explained well in this video - but Michelle Phillips wrote "I pretend to pray" and told the other band members. Cass Elliot must not have gotten the memo or had confused them, as she sings "began to pray" in the backing track. Barry McGuire had the right words (as he was probably using a written lyrics sheet), but on the re-recording it's a bit ambiguous due to the way it's mixed. Apparently Michelle didn't even know Cass sang the wrong words until months later, when they were on a tour bus and the topic came up and she was like "wait, it's 'pretend'? I sang 'began!'"
Thanks Professor for another great video. Thought I knew everything about this song but you have certainly enlightened us all. Cass Elliot had arguably the best purest voices of all time - what she might have achieved had she not died so young.
I worked with Barry in the ‘Christian’ days when he was in England. He was always happy to talk about those days and I never heard him bad mouth anyone. Great work and kudos to you for this.
I always heard “began to pray, not pretend to pray. I was 7 years old the first time that I heard California Dreaming. My mother had been watching American Bandstand since it started in the 50s, and my siblings and I were fortunate to hear rock music our entire lives. Thank you professor for reminding us of the music that helped to keep us closer to the truths in life. God Bless you and yours this coming year, and always!!! ❤❤❤❤❤☮️☮️🎶💯🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸
I was a 15 year old teenage boy and used to turn the radio waiting for that song. I lived just north of Seattle so I could relate to the cold and gray. Then I saw Michelle. OMG!!!
This was a very insightful and well written script! So much new information! I had no idea Michelle co-wrote anything. I thought she was eye candy only. Thanks for this! And the eating a banana thing was a big F.U. to the TV shows that made the performers lip sync for the show.
I always sang it; "I began to pray" this is a really beautiful story. Proffesor of Rock sure knows how to make something natural into something extraordinary! Pretty Amazing!
I love your channel!! How you break down these iconic songs, and tell the stories behind them is incredible. I grew up with a lot of the songs you spotlight... and in a day and age now where AI garbage is flooding TH-cam... Your channel is a breath of much needed fresh air... genuine, original, entertaining, and educational. Thank you for the hard work you do making these :) As for this song in this video... I was always amazed at how fast this song got its hooks into you.... "all the leaves are brown ..." then once the harmony enters... you are hooked. Its that fast! AMAZING song. California Dreaming has been a fave of mine for decades :)
Thank you, professor. Your honest analysis of the rock classics, coupled with your sincere admiration for the artists, makes this one of my favorite channels: education + entertainment.
I discovered this song as a teenager in the late 80s and loved it immediately. Epic and mythical! Oh, Barry’s original vocal version would not have become a big hit. Denny’s vocal strikes just the right tone.
I agree. His voice was just right for Eve of Destruction, but not for California Dreaming. Didn't Barry McGuire sing 4 Wheels on My Wagon with the New Christie Minstrels?
Barry's vocal sounds like someone doing Karaoke. Sticks out like a sore thumb. Definitely ruins the magic of the song. Denny not only sings it better but puts some heart and soul into it.
Carol Burnett had Cass Elliot, along with B'way Star Bernedette Peters as frequent Guests on Her Show. to Sing Solos or as a Group ... those Shows were Magic !
I can’t imagine California Dreamin being sung any other way. I believe John made the right call when he erased Barry’s vocals even though maybe a little under handed. The gruff voice of Barry would have completed changed the dynamics of the song. I grew up in that era when the now Golden Oldies were actually fresh of the press then. I really miss those days😊
The preacher liked the cold. Because it brought new people into his church and it would keep them inside longer. Possibly to hear more of his message. Makes perfect sense to me. What an Iconic song, thanks for bringing all this interesting backdrop to how this formed and eventually touched all of our ears, forever stuck in our hearts ❤!! Great job professor.🎉
I sincerely appreciate your thorough coverage of the 60s. That's when modern rock and pop music started to evolve rapidly. It's sad so many of today's classic rock stations leave out 60s music.
The last rock station in LA to play 60s songs is now a Christian music station. The last song the station played before the new format took over was the Beatles epic medley on side 2 of Abbey Road.
California Dreamin' is one of those magical songs that causes us to smile and sing along, any time it comes on. Great talent in the band but some seriously screwed up people in certain areas of their lives. Great story, Adam!
My parents loved Big Band music, classical, Herb Alpert, etc and I played The Beatles, Beach Boys, Mamas and the Papas, The Rascals, Simon & Garfunkel. To this day, I still enjoy my parents music as well!
Once you read Mackenzie Philips' book "High On Arrival", it becomes impossible to listen to Mamas and Papas when you know the things John has done, even to her. It's an incredibly disturbing book that includes a lot of stories about this band. Mackenzie was John's daughter, starred in the original "One Day at a Time" sitcom, and was a member of The (New) Mamas and the Papas from the early 80's.
Drugs, and Drug Addiction highjacks a person’s personality most times- violent tendencies, apathy, loss of love and care for anything but the substance, whatever addicts the person. Add her take, and possibly wanting to twist a little to her benefit & it’s all such a travesty . A loss of something special.
@@HughRailey I still listen and enjoy the song same as I ever did. It's a good, globally significant song and recording regardess, made years before any alleged incidents took place even if drugs did later affect the guy. Hopefully, everyone can still freely enjoy such a fine song.
At least Adam gave a tip of the hat to Chyna. I encourage all to view her video where she bares all and comes clean. She did NOT lead a charmed life and yet is a much better person in this modern day with 3/4's of the group deceased ! A songbird in her own right !
The Mamas And The Papas had such great harmony. I loved their songs. For those who don't know of it, I suggest checking out Creeque Alley, which tells the semi-biographical story of the band's formation in a catchy song written by John and Michelle Phillips. Another note of macabre trivia, Cass Elliot died at Harry Nilsson's apartment in London, the same place where Keith Moon later died.
Love Creeque Alley, which is actually the name of the place in the USVI (St Thomas), where Sparky’s Bar N Grille was located, that the band gigged at for pretty much food, and liquor, as they were trying to make it work as a group. They were pretty much maxing out John’s American Express card, when Michelle hit it big at a casino, which afforded them enough to get to California. Their producer Lou Adler asked John how they all came together, and the singer is what he wrote to explain it all. All the name drops were all of the NY folk scene musicians, and groups, that all melded together at that time. Loving Spoonful, The Byrds, Barry Maguire, were all formed during this period. The line everybody’s getting fat cept Mama Cass, alluded to the fact that they hadn’t become “fat” with success until California Dreaming hit. There are documentaries on the Mamas and the Papas that go into greater detail. BTW Duffy’s good vibrations, was a shout out to Hugh Duffy, the owner of Sparky’s in Creque Alley (correct spelling), who fed them food and liquor to play at his business.
Even more macabre trivia: The history of the song is murky and complicated but Philips is credited as writing the most played live song by the Grateful Dead, ironically a two and a half minute cowboy tune about a murderous thief called "Me and My Uncle."
After all these years, the Mamas and Papas greatest hits still and always sound amazing. Creeque Alley, Twelve-thirty, Dedicated to the One I Love, and so one. So great! An amazing two years.
I am so glad they did the cuts. Barry‘s voice and the harmonica did nothing for the song, it’s beautiful the way we know it. All those far too many years I spent stuck in the hell of Eastern Idaho, I would listen to that song often and dream of home.
I just truly appreciate all of the snippets of music inserted into your videos to let us hear the songs you're talking about. Some I know, many I don't, but they're all very interesting.
As a side note, Barry McGuire was a featured singer in the New Christy Minstrels before going solo with "Eve Of Destruction". ~ P.F. Sloan wrote quite a number of songs for that California scene of the time ... Thanks for another tremendous tutorial, Professor !!!
The usual excellence of documenting the song's history appreciated, the deletion of Barry's voice isn't as concerning as that of his harmonica, but because they got a real pro to make a home run out of the blank bars, it's a total improvement. John Phillips may have been a Machiavellian swindler, but he delivered the goods on this one.
Great commentary and very enlightening! One thing you didn't mention when you were talking about the various groups the members were in on their way to M&P's-Cass Elliot was in The Big Three. Their version of Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod is a great showcase of a younger Cass' voice and really shows where she was headed.
I just discovered this TH-cam channel and am now obsessed with it. In addition to your knowledge of the music and their creators, your commentary is erudite & polished. Thank you!
Another great episode. I agree with the other comments. The harmonies were otherworldly. The planets aligned for this foursome. They were a great 60s band.
the preacher likes the cold because it drives people into the church and gives a sharp visual for the well off members to see how much the church is helping the homeless, it makes perfect sense
Being steeped in the folk genre when California Dreaming came out, I never could figure out why it had such a strong impact. Your assessment that it was more about "escaping to an idyllic, mythical place" rang true. I truly appreciate your insights.
This documentary was very nice. The back-story to one of the 1960's greatest hits, just the right length, well edited, polished in a way that not even MTV can do anymore. Great post!
I remember carpooling to High School , 9th grade, and that song first came on the radio. It was such an unusual and harmonious sound, you just had to hear it again.
My husband’s father was in record distributing and my husband went to almost every concert imaginable. He met many people backstage. He knows so much but we learn tons watching you. Keep it coming.
This Group! Whenever I hear ANY of their songs I cannot HELP BUT SMILE…I also sing but you wouldn’t want hear my voice…. Their songs always make me smile in my heart sing.
My favorite the Mamas and the Papas tune is Creeque Alley. I used to hear it from time to time at a grocery store i worked at. Late 90s, I saw it on some Flashback VH1 show. After really hearing the words, it became a stable in my collection. Great video as always Professor.
On a road trip, I put in a Momas and the Papas cd. My youngest son had never heard them. He was covered in goose bumps because he said the songs were so beautiful.
Thanks for jogging my memory/ I remember my first time I heard this as a preteen in New Jersey. It inspired me to move to LA. in 1990. I am still here after 33 years!
Thought you’d enjoy this comment. A few years ago my hubby and I bought a small home in Tuscany. It rained for a month straight with only apart I am day off. A huge pine tree collapsed on our property missing our home by inches but blocking the road below our home. We got into our car to go shopping, turned on the radio and what was playing? Yep! California Dreaming. Perfect to want me to get back to my hometown - Los Angeles .
I read or heard somewhere that "the preacher likes it cold, he knows I'm going to stay" meant that when the weather was bad more people came in and/or stayed longer than in warmer weather. Until recently I thought it was began to pray not pretend. Great song, great voices. They did provide some fabulous music.
Poll: Who is your pick for the greatest vocal group of the rock era?
Fifth Dimension
The Beach Boys hands down (Drops Mic)
Beach Boys
Flying Pickets
The Hollies
Backstreet Boys
Honestly, the misheard lyrics always made sense to me. The guy was pretending to pray because he didn’t want the preacher to toss him out of the church because he was just there to warm up, and the preacher liked the cold because it brought people into his church who wouldn’t otherwise be there.
That is an excellent explanation! Makes sense to me, now that I've read your analysis.
That’s what I always thought too.
Yes, that was always my understanding. It made sense and really painted a vivid picture!
Zer gut.
it is also considered a mandela effect
I became a friend of Barry McGuire’s in 1971 and toured, performed, and even wrote songs with him. He tells part of the story the same way you do; the part where he told John it was his song and to go ahead and record it. But Barry never expressed any antagonism towards John to me. He never seemed angry or bitter at all. And as far as I could tell he remained friends with them all. In fact, while working on his album “Seeds” Barry took me over to Denny’s house one day when we had some time off. They seemed to be good friends. I’ve only ever heard him say good things about any of The Mama & Papas. I’m still friends with Barry and talked to him about a month ago.
They must have been friends. My favourite Track is Creeque Alley where constantly sing about Mcguinn and McGuire still getting higher and catching fire in LA.
Maybe Mister McGuire stopped being upset about his voice disappearing from "California Dreaming" when it reappeared on the Fireballs's "Bottle Of Wine". (wink,wink)
Love Barry's music.
Is it correct that after Mama Cass died there was some live stuff recorded with the beautiful Spanky McFarlane taking her place? Not singing at her best though!
Loved his song Eve Of Destruction, it was so "of it's time"
I bought a compilation "Summer of Love" featuring tunes of that time and his song was on it, it felt relevant again (in 1990) and fresh! His vocals sound OK on California Dreamin' but not quite right for the song - it is interesting to hear it for prosperity!
Cass Elliot's voice is one of those perfect sounds that always stops me in my tracks. Just like Karen Carpenter's voice would. Love her voice!
Agreed, Cass and Karen, the best
Cass often sounded just a couple of cents flat to me, especially on Monday Monday. But it worked.
Two ultimate female voices for sure. However let's not forget Stevie Nicks!
the guy who basically named the Wrecking Crew and member of the Hollywood Golden Trio Hal Blaine was offered a chance to produce the Carpenters but he was too busy recording over 35,000 songs on drums...is responsible for Karen's wonderful voice.....in their very first recording session, Hal could tell something was off in the way she sang.....so he suggested during the session that she sing in a lower register.....her domineering mother said "Well that's just the way she sings".....they took a session break and when they came back after break she was singing how you remember her.....all thanks to Hal Blaine.....
@@cwby2854: "her domineering mother"? Oh, man, let's not get started on what could have been. What should have been. Such tragedy. Karen. Cass too.
That flute solo is a masterclass in itself. It takes you on a journey. It's the musical highlight of the song for me.
What a weird instrument to pick, but it was perfect.
@flechette3782 that's why it is so important to collaborate and experiment. It's how you learn and grow.
The flute riff is dreamy, soft, and ethereal-that's why it enhanced the dreamin' motif of the song. A harmonica is so harsh and wrong for this part.
It's also in the lowest register of the instrument.
The jazz iconic classy artist recording down the hall , like a professor of his craft, willingly and with out stooping down to a less technical musical tune, he just coolly walks down and listens, really listens, then as only a true master can do, he selects the perfect one, and then does it in one take....and then goes back to what he was doing no doubt.....that's class, and is just a memory.
Cass Elliot is sorely missed. She was taken from us way too soon
Amen
I remember seeing the Mamas and Poppas on the Ed Sullivan Show. I thought Michelle Phillips was beautiful! But even better was their singing , especially Cass Elliot. When she was on the Midnite Special, with John Denver, she sang a duet with him and she nails it with such power and grace. What a performer. I hope she is always remembered for her beautiful voice and smile.🙏🕊
She was truly a great singer. Love Dream a Little Dream!
and her wicked sense of humor
RIP Mama Cass Elliott and John Phillips and Denny Doherty
I got to meet Michelle Phillips in the 90s when she was doing a charity function for kids at kaiser hospital San Diego. She was so nice! Great person!
So rabby-u as you were watching Michelle on Ed Sullivan, did you also watch Julie on THE MOD SQUAD?? ☮️😉
It's sad that Cass faced so much grief about her weight rather than how beautiful her voice and person was.
Her voice! WOW!
Go on a diet
People were so cruel.
It was the twiggy generation women everywhere in usa starved themselves ! Lots, like Mama cass- to death😢😢
In fact , dieting destroyed her heart. They had her on amphetamines for weight loss. Tragic.
Deleting Barry McGuire's vocals was a genius step. He might have understandably felt betrayed, but the song would have done nothing had it been left intact - his voice simply doesn't fit. Thanks, Professor, for yet another Rock-and-Roll history lesson!
This song still gives me goosebumps. Those harmonies were pure magic.
❤
I always heard it as: The preacher, like the cold, knows I’m going to stay.
Pretend to pray makes sense in that context, as one might pretend to pray if they were only using the church to shelter from the cold.
That;s how I heard it, too. The preacher -- like the cold, he knows I'm gonna stay. It seemed to me to be a personification of "the cold."
@@CharleneShaw-ce3ux It always made sense to me.
The preacher, like the cold
Or..the preacher Likes the cold..?
And the "pretend to pray " is what I hear..but 'Began to pray " makes more sense.
SIDE NOTE;; With respect to religion in general, I think Catholic schools probably have driven more people Away from religion than they ever helped.
That's always what I thought the words were also. It makes sense.
"The preacher likes the cold, He knew I was gonna stay" The cold sends people into the church for warmth. This gives the preacher an opportunity to interact with the flock, and he knew the person would stay to keep warm, extending the interaction.
That’s EXACTLY what I thought
'Pretends to Pray" also works in this context, because they both have ulterior motives.
@wonkothesane7000 yes, yes, yes
That's how I've always understood the line alongside the 'pretend' version of the lyrics. He likes the cold for bringing them through the doors for warmth and they pretend to pray to continue enjoying the warmth whilst dreamin' of being in California. Makes perfect sense to me.
I thought the lyrics were "...and I began to pray. The preacher likes to call. He knows I'm gonna stay." I think my lyrics are better lol
When I was in Grade 3 or 4, our school's music teacher was able somehow to get Cass Elliot to come and entertain us. I remember her talking to the smaller children and saying she had a daughter that she was missing. I also remember her singing Dream a little Dream of Me.
Our music teacher played our school piano and other people played the guitar and drums. They really had to tone it back for our little gym. I was given an autograph book earlier that year and had her autograph in it.
It was only about 6 months to a year before she died. I remember Mrs. Harrison being so upset and crying.
It wasn't until years later, I wondered how they ever got someone who was on Ed Sullivan Show to our little community school in a small backwater of 1970's Ontario, Canada.
Unfortunately, the autograph book was lost in a house fire in the '80.
Autograph book is gone but your specific memories sure aren't!
Thanks for sharing your sweet memory. I can't tell you how many bits of ephemera I planned to keep when I was little that are long gone, so I feel for you. The memories are still great, though.
Thank you for sharing that special memory of a very special time ,place & event! I feel sorry for people who will never really know what the 60's & 70's felt like- it was literally a completely different world- in a very good way- it was just the world in a much more relaxed, naturally beautiful
state that could be felt in the air... sad to say, but the current state of things is just a crying shame in comparison....
@@jerald6023 Thank you for the comment and I hope everyone has special memories from their childhood.
However, those times were not without hardships, conflict and scary, frightening and unsettling happenings.
The Vietnam war and the losses from that, the protest songs of the 60's and 70's were created reflecting that. The assassinations of prominent political people, Watergate, the race riots, the serial killers. Do you know that between the middle 60's and the middle 80's there were at least 10 serial killers (that were caught) running around the US alone??! And add to all of that, there was the threat of nuclear war between US and Russia which of course meant the informed worried, as well..
I was pretty young when Mama Cass came for a visit and look at that with fondness but despite that, the world was a troubled messed up place, where most people worked hard for what they had. My parents tried to keep the rose-coloured glasses on my siblings and I as long as possible but we were poor and they gave us what they could. I am glad I have never had some of the experiences my parents had and I hope I helped my children to grow up with experiences better than mine, despite the divorce.
I wish that everyone can see their life as a great time but don't confuse your own life experience as the same for everyone, please.
Wonderful story. So sorry you lost your book. I have collected hockey players autographs from Ontario.
Their harmonies on Dedicated to the One I Love are unmatched. They nailed it, and when you listen thru headphones, there is not another song that compares. It is the greatest song sung by 2 guys and 2 girls ever. No auto tune, no anything but their voices. I dare anyone to use the technology of their time and sound like they do. It will never be duplicated.
Their version is delightful.
Great one. The Association are another group that could nail complex harmonies all day long. I saw them live in 1984 and they still had it.
Karen Carpenter could nail it in one take, but by then, they had the benefit of instant audio playback, and she could opt for another shot at it, despite the audio engineers getting flustered about the perfection she exhibited on Take 1…
@@twoblacklabs904 Yes, she was fantastic. My comment was about group harmonies, though. She is one of the greatest solo voices in history, I agree.
Beautiful because of Cass Elliot’s incredible voice!
I called a local radio station in response to them asking people to sing the opening lines to California Dreamin. The lead by Ms & Ps had been erased. Everyone’s attempt failed as they started singing when they heard the refrain to the opening lyric. I’m not a musician or much of a singer, but I know when the singing is supposed to start. I nailed it. This is back when TV networks signed off at midnight, with the National Anthemn playing and the flag flying. Then all you saw was “snow” on the screen until the next morning.
I remember those days.
Cool.
Actually they usually showed a test pattern or color bars, not snow.
@@disneyfan8178 Maybe it depended on the station? The big national networks vs. smaller local stations? I remember the colored test pattern but I can't say for sure it was on all stations, or if it stayed on all night.
Whenever I hear 'Dream a Little Dream of Me,' everything stops to just listen. An exquisitely beautiful song.
It's a really old song, from 1931.
And "Words of Love "
Cass Elliot was by far the best vocalist of the group.
No... Phillips was and it wasn't even close.
Did she really choke on a ham sandwich? That's what I've always heard.
Cass Elliot and Doherty.
It wasn’t a very big group.
her voice was as big as she was.
I think Adam is spot on when he says that, whatever Philips' original intention, the song has come to represent an escape to an idyllic world.The haunting melodies help create this nostalgic, melancholy feeling. Very well put by the Professor.
I could listen to him talk all day, he's amazing.
Barry’s vocal kills the magic of the song
It was horrible.
John Phillips made the right call, however, and Denny Doherty's vocals were perfect for the song.
@@dmitryowens my exact thought !!!
@@tammylewis2408 Denny's vocal was iconic - and Momma Cass is finally getting her due - She was great - and that's an understatement - Frank Sinatra paid her the ultimate compliment regarding her vocalization -
I agree. It doesn’t work at all. It makes sense they took it out.
No surprise that a professional jazz musician walked in and casually added the perfect solo, in one take
And they all knew the harmonica wasn't the right thing, & Mr. Jazz picked the perfect instrument for the sound he wanted. I love music so much, when gifted people do what they naturally do AND the sum ends-up greater than the (already great) parts.
The Mamas and the Papas were four people who became one on stage..i never get tired of hearing their music.
Hey Professor! I just want to thank you for not perpetuating the decades-long myth that Cass Elliott died from choking on a ham sandwich! I knew you'd get it right! 😎
Thanks! Ya too bad that has gotten so much traction.
I thought it was a Chicken leg
@@valeriesmith3218 I hadn't heard that one.
@@valeriesmith3218 I heard it was a whole chicken.
Were people making fun of her weight? It’s even worse because she was Jewish.
I think the Preacher likes it cold because he knows people don't want to go back out into it. He's got a captive audience for his sermon. Makes perfect sense to me.
As a Vancouverite I've always liked the song. Because our summers are like California but our winters are so dreary!
Wow - great thought!
The first verse alone really sets up the mood perfectly.
Wow, that makes so much sense! Never thought of that. Thanks for sharing those thoughts.
ChrisJohnson - that's how I've always understood it, too. It makes sense.
The “pretend to pray” makes perfect sense in that context. That’s what I thought they were singing all along.
I instantly understood the song.when I was 18 living in Los Angeles. My father had been dreaming of living in LA while we lived a a lake in Michigan from 1954 to 1956. One day he came home, grabbed the mail and it was a solid offer to come to LA ASAP and work for an Aerospace company..He was as ecstatic as a kid on Christmas Day. We eventually settled into the CA dream. The song brought me back to that day when my father announced we were going to the Magical state of California and the dream of sunny Los Angeles.
"The preacher likes the cold, he knows I'm gonna stay" makes perfect sense. It's also a brilliant lyric because the logic of it is so interesting: The need for shelter in bitter weather brings people into the church in an already vulnerable state, where they can be comforted and perhaps cajoled into joining the flock. I always viewed it as a comment on how religion thrives on people's desperation.
agree. The cold drove her inside, and is keeping her there. Getting folks through the door is step one. And, "pretend to pray" is a better lyric. It's a great verse.
Same as socialism/communism.
Famine breeds Fascism
@@testodude "Pretend to pray" is indeed the better lyric. Why would they pray for real if they are there to warm up and are presumably non-religious?
I was 12 years old when my family moved to California from SW Michigan in 1957. Need I say more? California was just starting to ride a giant wave of rock and roll California style music and we all jumped on it. I went to Pacoima Jr. High where Richie Valens had gone to school and showed up in 1958 to give a freebee concert at the school. Those were the days indeed! I could write a book on it. My heart skips a beat when I recall it all. I'm 79 now and do understand that I was somewhat of a lucky guy to have lived in LA and California at that time.😎
Denny Doherty was another great artist from Nova Scotia, Canada. His smooth voice added another dimension to their sound. Denny is one of many Nova Scotia performers that made it big- Anne Murray, Hank Snow, Wilf Carter (Montana Slim in the US), Leslie Fiest, Sarah McLachlan, Stan Rogers, Classified, Myles Goodwyn (April Wine), Rita MacNeil, The Rankin Famly and many others. We in NS are proud of our artists and proudly share them with the world.
Denny also stared in the CBC children's series Theodore Tugboat as the The Harbourmaster .
Stan Rogers was not from Nova Scotia. Ontario
Technically you are correct, but Both his parents were from NS. He and his family spent a lot of time in NS and if you listen to his songs- most use the sea/ocean as subject matter. The Stan Rogers Festival is in Canso, NS, not in Ontario. @@halcooper3070
Denny started out with the Colonials in Halifax. I played a few venues with a former band mate of his and Richard told me a few stories of the early days when they played in the coffee shops in NYC.
@@halcooper3070 Both, actually. He was born in Hamilton and raised nearby in Binbrook. But his parents were Maritimers, and he often spent summers visiting relatives in Guysborough. Helps to explain why so much of his music has connections to either the Maritimes or the Great Lakes.
California Dreamin' is my 81-year-old mom's ringtone😊. She's always loved it. My 82-year-old dad's is We Will Rock You 😁
My parents had a big part in forming my musical tastes and listening to their favs always brings a smile to my face☺.
They sound really cool Linda! Where do they live?
@@ProfessorofRock we live in Tucson 😊!
Very cool!@@lindamcfarland9656
One of my teachers has her mom’s ringtone set to John Lennon’s Imagine.
🤣🤣🤣 That's too funny/cool!
Growing up in California in the 60’s and 70’s exposed me to some of the greatest music. This is definitely one of those tracks.
Must have been the place to go!
Great song. It'll still be loved for years and years after we are all gone. Imagine writing something like that.
As a musician, songwriter and recording engineer/producer I've always loved the sound of that record along with the powerful song. Every time I hear California Dreamin' I think about that fabulous flute solo and how much work it must have taken to compose and develope it. Now, because of your music history research, I learn it was made up on the spot... and recorded in one take! Now that blows my mind. Thanks Professor of Rock, I always enjoy your show and learn something new.
I don’t remember much of my early life, but as a six or seven year old in the sixties, I still have a very strong memory of listening to California Dreaming. It’s a song that has stuck with me growing up and throughout my adult life to the point now when I am well into to my 60’s, that every time I listen to California Dreaming, it brings out emotions and nostalgic memories of my life.
As someone who grew up in California this song always makes me miss it. Not that I want to go back there now, but the California I grew up in.
RIght!
My dad has family in California.
Same here. Grew up there in the '60's and '70's. Left in '92 and will never go back. Just ain't the same.
The Mamas and the Papas had absolute killer harmonies. John was a stickler for perfection. If it didn’t sound to his liking he made them sing it again and again and again. I was in nursing school in Germany when the song came out, all of us loved the song! I like just about all songs they ever did, except for their last album, their heart was no longer in it.
California Dreaming was covered by many artists, but nobody comes even remotely close to the M&P version! And no, that isn’t Barry’s song, that vocal is very much Denny‘s as it should be! BTW… John Phillips wrote a song for another artist who was a former band mate and childhood friend. . That song became super famous: San Francisco (be sure to wear some flowers in your hair). John was such a huge talent …. and such a humongous drug addict. There‘s a ride in the theme park “California Adventures” named in honor of the song. The ride is a super fast rollercoaster that turns a 360 degree loop, called “ California Screaming”.
I love that song & didn't know J.P. wrote that! S.F.
Unfortunately, California Screamin’ is no longer the name of that coaster (it’s now called the Incredicoaster, bleh) I worked at Disney California Adventure as part of the opening group of cast members and loved that rollercoaster. In the entrance promenade there would be a continuous loop of pop songs all about California and “California Dreamin’” was in that rotation. There was just something magical listening to that song while walking through the empty park on the way home after a closing shift.
@@null0byte After some time most people would no longer be able to make the connection. They’re too young to know that song. They’ll have a different set of musical nostalgia than we did. I really enjoyed that park! That ride was my favorite. I’d go on it 5 times in a row! Thanks for the update!
Cass Elliott was a Baltimore girl, so she got a lot of recognition here. The airwaves and papers here mourned her loss.
This clarifies a everything! I was in a a band that played this song in C minor and kept saying it must be in the wrong key because that low note would be a Bb in the flute solo. Then I was told it's in C# minor which makes the low note a B natural that's not included on student model flutes. As I grew older I remember thinking "that sounds like an alto flute, but where's a rock n band gonna find someone who plays alto flute"? Great episode!
The songs of the Momma' and the Papa's are almost a time machine for me. When I hear their music, Im 7 years old again.
Barry McGwire’s voice is totally out of place with the harmonies of the Mamas and the Papas.
The final version is still magical.
Thanks Professor!
The song may have charted with Barry’s McGwire’s but maybe a top 100 hit.
I absolutely loved the song from first hearing it on the radio - I was seven when it came out.
As a native of Los Angeles, who later moved to Florida, and lived briefly in Europe, it's one of very few songs that immediately brings me back to the LA of my childhood, with all that entails.
And it hits home even more today, on my mini farm in Tennessee, where we are indeed expecting snow today, and I am missing warmer climes.
The magic of their vocal harmonies was what made the band so special, and the addition of the alto flute in the bridge was a masterstroke.
I am glad they changed the lead vocal - Denny's vocal was far more in keeping with the mood of the song.
Still one of my favorites.
I still miss Cass Elliott. She was one of a kind.
Thanks!
Here in my town, we haven’t gotten any snow since January 2022. The weather in the South can be so blistering sometimes!
@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 Indeed it can!
We didn't get any snow today, or if we did, I missed it completely.
@@Keyspoet27 I’ve never had a white Christmas in my town.
The song captured so much more than than intended. The guitar intro and the alto flute set a mood that wasn't necessarily understood by the writers or singers. Even the misunderstood lyrics added a depth to the song. "The preacher liked the cold" made sense if you pictured the preacher as a lonely person trapped in a cold mundane life outside of California, alone all week except for Sunday morning. He would be cold and alone if it weren't for this down and out traveler. "Pretend to pray" works because the singer isn't religious and is just taking advantage of the church and preacher to get warm. They both are.
That's part of the beauty of it. The meaning can change depending on how you hear it and what you personally understand. How many times have we heard a song later in life and suddenly thought, " wow, that means so much more than I ever knew when i loved it as a teenager".
Mr.Parr is an amazing human being. Super humble and super grateful. Such strength!! .....gave me strength to soldier on. Thank you John!
Always enjoyed The Mamas & The Papas music. They were one of many great vocal harmonizing groups of the 1960's. California Dreaming has always been my favorite song from them. "Monday Monday" and "I Saw Her Again Last Night" are 2 of my other favorites they recorded.
These guys and the 5th Dimension had harmonies like pure bliss.
Mamas and Papas "Farewell to the first golden era" was the first album I ever purchased, a kind of greatest hits collection. Loved that album and that song. Years and years later, after hearing "and I began to pray" ('cause no one 'pretends' to pray) all those times, I felt so cheated when I heard a live performance and it was pretended to pray.
Another group my mom played incessantly when I was a kid. I get goosebumps when I hear the first notes… great pick!!
Very cool!
You're killin' me here, with this episode featuring some of my all-time favorite people. I just. can't. hear "California Dreamin'" with McGuire out front. Nope. John and Denny are two of pop's finest vocalists, and the released version is absolutely perfect.
Scott McKenzie and I were pals during the last two years of his MUCH too short life. We met through his FB page, and collaborated on some hijinks and silliness. But he also was a goldmine of info and back stories for this pop music fanatic. I met Barry, Mackenzie, Michelle, and many other of Scott's friends at his memorial at the Whisky a go go. ALL gracious, humble people.
I never got to see the original group in concert, but have sweet memories of seeing later formations, with Leah Kunkel, Scott, and Spanky McFarlane filling in for absent friends. Now, you've got me submersed in Mama and Papaville for the rest of the day. Thanks, Prof.
Love the song...the brilliant intro...the gorgeous harmony...the evocative lyrics...the flute solo...everthing
I always thought it was “got down on my knees, and I began to pray” i prefer it to I pretend to pray, God blesses you with a great talent, give Him at least some glory.
Just gorgeous harmonies; quintessential Laurel Canyon music. Wish I didn't know what I know about JP.
It's very sick.
Ugh…the man was gross.
@JaySmith-pv2mw - I agree. That saddened me when I heard about that.
Denny and John put together the Monterey Pop Festival that provided critical exposure to acts like The Who, Jimi Hendrix, and others. It was Laura Nyro's first major public performance.
THat's right. You know your history.
Thank God for this festival!
That 1967 festival was also a contributor to the end for The Beach Boys' popularity. Because of dissention, drugs, and despondency, Brian Wilson cancelled the release of the SMiLE album, and cancelled their performance at The Monterey Pop Festival. Fans, critics, and disc jockeys turned on them, and the growing FM culture proclaimed them passé.
That is why the classic rock of The Beach Boys never gets played on "classic rock" stations: Those set lists are largely based on what FM deemed playable in the late 60s/early 70s. "Good Vibrations" has been acknowledged as one of the most influential rock songs ever, yet you will never hear it on a "classic rock" station (except, rarely, as a cover).
Also the world introduction to Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar. Janis Joplin with Big Brother & the Holding Company, Grateful Dead. Neil Young had dropped out of Buffalo Springfield, so David Crosby, who desperately wanted to join them, sang with them in addition to his band at the time, The Byrds. Sadly, Crosby made some lunatic comments during rants, so The Byrds performance at Monterey were cut from DA Pennebaker's docu-concert. I contend Monterey was a LOT more important historically than Woodstock.
You kind of blew over the hiring of Cass Elliott. That's a great story on its own!
20:57 When I bough the first cassette recorder I ever owned in the fall of 1973, I recorded whatever happened to be on the radio on that day, which included California Dreaming, followed immediately by Jimmy Webb's "All I know", which was Art Garfunkle's hit at the time. To this day, whenever I hear the ending of California Dreaming, the piano intro to "All I Know" and the "I bruise you, you bruise me ... " lyrics creep into my head. It's as if that tinny sounding accidental mix tape is permanently etched in my brain.
Jim Webb + Art Garfunkle = magic. I love that song, the piano intro is perfect. I love your little tid-bit of brain burn-in, I hope it stay's with you forever. 👍
This song still gives me goosebumps! I get flashbacks to 1966-67 each time I hear it. Love your program!
Even though they messed up the lyrics, this song is still one of the most perfect pop songs of all time. Barry's vocals being on it? Cant imagine it. Denny's lead was magical. And the harmonies are as incredible as we've heard on any song from any era. Thanks for covering this one, always interesting videos.
His version is on TH-cam. I laughed all the way through. Way too rough for this song.
That flute solo is killer too. The original lyric was "I pretend to pray" and they thought it said began to pray?
@@NessKey That's where some of the confusion came from. It wasn't explained well in this video - but Michelle Phillips wrote "I pretend to pray" and told the other band members. Cass Elliot must not have gotten the memo or had confused them, as she sings "began to pray" in the backing track. Barry McGuire had the right words (as he was probably using a written lyrics sheet), but on the re-recording it's a bit ambiguous due to the way it's mixed.
Apparently Michelle didn't even know Cass sang the wrong words until months later, when they were on a tour bus and the topic came up and she was like "wait, it's 'pretend'? I sang 'began!'"
Thanks Professor for another great video. Thought I knew everything about this song but you have certainly enlightened us all.
Cass Elliot had arguably the best purest voices of all time - what she might have achieved had she not died so young.
She was an angel!
I feel bad for PJ’s abused daughter and can never look at him or others complicit with it 😢
So very sad. Love your screen name!
Music stars are often very bad people, who should not be admired. They definitely shouldn't be "the voice of a generation."
Not heard about this?
Drugs/alcohol/psychedelics/over indulgences do horrible things to minds and numb values and morals…
I can't think about this song without thinking about what John did to his daughter
I absolutely love this song. Reminds me of when our mom would take us for cruises. Them, The Association, and of course The Beatles. Thanks mom! 💜💜
I worked with Barry in the ‘Christian’ days when he was in England. He was always happy to talk about those days and I never heard him bad mouth anyone.
Great work and kudos to you for this.
I always heard “began to pray, not pretend to pray. I was 7 years old the first time that I heard California Dreaming. My mother had been watching American Bandstand since it started in the 50s, and my siblings and I were fortunate to hear rock music our entire lives. Thank you professor for reminding us of the music that helped to keep us closer to the truths in life. God Bless you and yours this coming year, and always!!! ❤❤❤❤❤☮️☮️🎶💯🙏🙏🇺🇸🇺🇸
Me too "began to pray". I also heard "the preacher likes to call", instead of "Likes to call""
@@whodidit99 I think it's "preacher likes the cold"-- so they'll stay for a while where it's warm.
I was a 15 year old teenage boy and used to turn the radio waiting for that song. I lived just north of Seattle so I could relate to the cold and gray. Then I saw Michelle. OMG!!!
This was a very insightful and well written script! So much new information! I had no idea Michelle co-wrote anything. I thought she was eye candy only. Thanks for this! And the eating a banana thing was a big F.U. to the TV shows that made the performers lip sync for the show.
I always sang it; "I began to pray" this is a really beautiful story. Proffesor of Rock sure knows how to make something natural into something extraordinary! Pretty Amazing!
I love your channel!! How you break down these iconic songs, and tell the stories behind them is incredible. I grew up with a lot of the songs you spotlight... and in a day and age now where AI garbage is flooding TH-cam... Your channel is a breath of much needed fresh air... genuine, original, entertaining, and educational. Thank you for the hard work you do making these :)
As for this song in this video... I was always amazed at how fast this song got its hooks into you.... "all the leaves are brown ..." then once the harmony enters... you are hooked. Its that fast! AMAZING song. California Dreaming has been a fave of mine for decades :)
This takes me back to my youth in the 70's. My mother was a big fan of this band and song. Thanks for this episode Professor!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you, professor. Your honest analysis of the rock classics, coupled with your sincere admiration for the artists, makes this one of my favorite channels: education + entertainment.
I discovered this song as a teenager in the late 80s and loved it immediately. Epic and mythical!
Oh, Barry’s original vocal version would not have become a big hit. Denny’s vocal strikes just the right tone.
Agreed. Thanks for watching!
Barry’s voice might not have been the right fit. They found the perfect singers for this song.
I agree. His voice was just right for Eve of Destruction, but not for California Dreaming. Didn't Barry McGuire sing 4 Wheels on My Wagon with the New Christie Minstrels?
Barry's vocal sounds like someone doing Karaoke. Sticks out like a sore thumb. Definitely ruins the magic of the song. Denny not only sings it better but puts some heart and soul into it.
@@AnneDowson-vp8lgGreen Green
Carol Burnett had Cass Elliot, along with B'way Star Bernedette Peters as frequent Guests on Her Show. to Sing Solos or as a Group ... those Shows were Magic !
I just found this channel. Might be my new favorite. YOU ARE A MASTER. I can’t turn these off!!! WOW… So good.
I can’t imagine California Dreamin being sung any other way. I believe John made the right call when he erased Barry’s vocals even though maybe a little under handed. The gruff voice of Barry would have completed changed the dynamics of the song. I grew up in that era when the now Golden Oldies were actually fresh of the press then. I really miss those days😊
Cass's vocal really stands out in this song.
Man, I really like rock history. Keep'em coming.
Thanks for watching!
The preacher liked the cold. Because it brought new people into his church and it would keep them inside longer. Possibly to hear more of his message. Makes perfect sense to me.
What an Iconic song, thanks for bringing all this interesting backdrop to how this formed and eventually touched all of our ears, forever stuck in our hearts ❤!! Great job professor.🎉
I'd like to see a retrospective on the career of Cass Elliot. Thanks for all you do Adam.
I sincerely appreciate your thorough coverage of the 60s. That's when modern rock and pop music started to evolve rapidly. It's sad so many of today's classic rock stations leave out 60s music.
Thanks.
The last rock station in LA to play 60s songs is now a Christian music station. The last song the station played before the new format took over was the Beatles epic medley on side 2 of Abbey Road.
California Dreamin' is one of those magical songs that causes us to smile and sing along, any time it comes on. Great talent in the band but some seriously screwed up people in certain areas of their lives. Great story, Adam!
My parents loved Big Band music, classical, Herb Alpert, etc and I played The Beatles, Beach Boys, Mamas and the Papas, The Rascals, Simon & Garfunkel. To this day, I still enjoy my parents music as well!
Thanks.
Same here... Glen Miller rocked... or swang?... swung?... swinged? I still love his music.
@@karentrimmer "it don't mean a thing... if it aint got that swing"
Thank you for this, I never understood that one line. "Lights the coals" makes so much more sense!
“She couldn’t understand how anyone would want to live in such a cold climate.”
I still can’t.
Once you read Mackenzie Philips' book "High On Arrival", it becomes impossible to listen to Mamas and Papas when you know the things John has done, even to her. It's an incredibly disturbing book that includes a lot of stories about this band.
Mackenzie was John's daughter, starred in the original "One Day at a Time" sitcom, and was a member of The (New) Mamas and the Papas from the early 80's.
What did John Phillips say about the account?
Drugs, and Drug Addiction highjacks a person’s personality most times- violent tendencies, apathy, loss of love and care for anything but the substance, whatever addicts the person. Add her take, and possibly wanting to twist a little to her benefit & it’s all such a travesty . A loss of something special.
@@HughRailey I still listen and enjoy the song same as I ever did. It's a good, globally significant song and recording regardess, made years before any alleged incidents took place even if drugs did later affect the guy. Hopefully, everyone can still freely enjoy such a fine song.
I was wondering when someone was going to bring her up. Unless I missed it, the Professor mentioned everyone BUT her.
At least Adam gave a tip of the hat to Chyna. I encourage all to view her video where she bares all and comes clean. She did NOT lead a charmed life and yet is a much better person in this modern day with 3/4's of the group deceased ! A songbird in her own right !
The Mamas And The Papas had such great harmony. I loved their songs. For those who don't know of it, I suggest checking out Creeque Alley, which tells the semi-biographical story of the band's formation in a catchy song written by John and Michelle Phillips.
Another note of macabre trivia, Cass Elliot died at Harry Nilsson's apartment in London, the same place where Keith Moon later died.
Love it!
🎵🎶And no one's getting fat except Mama Cass! 🎶🎵 I remember my dad playing this for me for the first time and thought it was so funny 😂
Love Creeque Alley, which is actually the name of the place in the USVI (St Thomas), where Sparky’s Bar N Grille was located, that the band gigged at for pretty much food, and liquor, as they were trying to make it work as a group. They were pretty much maxing out John’s American Express card, when Michelle hit it big at a casino, which afforded them enough to get to California. Their producer Lou Adler asked John how they all came together, and the singer is what he wrote to explain it all. All the name drops were all of the NY folk scene musicians, and groups, that all melded together at that time. Loving Spoonful, The Byrds, Barry Maguire, were all formed during this period. The line everybody’s getting fat cept Mama Cass, alluded to the fact that they hadn’t become “fat” with success until California Dreaming hit. There are documentaries on the Mamas and the Papas that go into greater detail. BTW Duffy’s good vibrations, was a shout out to Hugh Duffy, the owner of Sparky’s in Creque Alley (correct spelling), who fed them food and liquor to play at his business.
@@smffeb58 Thanks for the background details!
Even more macabre trivia: The history of the song is murky and complicated but Philips is credited as writing the most played live song by the Grateful Dead, ironically a two and a half minute cowboy tune about a murderous thief called "Me and My Uncle."
After all these years, the Mamas and Papas greatest hits still and always sound amazing. Creeque Alley, Twelve-thirty, Dedicated to the One I Love, and so one. So great! An amazing two years.
Loved Creeque Alley
I am so glad they did the cuts. Barry‘s voice and the harmonica did nothing for the song, it’s beautiful the way we know it. All those far too many years I spent stuck in the hell of Eastern Idaho, I would listen to that song often and dream of home.
I just truly appreciate all of the snippets of music inserted into your videos to let us hear the songs you're talking about. Some I know, many I don't, but they're all very interesting.
As a side note, Barry McGuire was a featured singer in the New Christy Minstrels before going solo with "Eve Of Destruction". ~ P.F. Sloan wrote quite a number of songs for that California scene of the time ... Thanks for another tremendous tutorial, Professor !!!
Also... he didn't mention that P.F. Sloan played the guitar intro on California Dreamin
The usual excellence of documenting the song's history appreciated, the deletion of Barry's voice isn't as concerning as that of his harmonica, but because they got a real pro to make a home run out of the blank bars, it's a total improvement. John Phillips may have been a Machiavellian swindler, but he delivered the goods on this one.
Flutes enhance great songs so much. They're beautiful and haunting.
I agree. It was a nice touch.
Undun is proof!
Great commentary and very enlightening! One thing you didn't mention when you were talking about the various groups the members were in on their way to M&P's-Cass Elliot was in The Big Three. Their version of Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod is a great showcase of a younger Cass' voice and really shows where she was headed.
I just discovered this TH-cam channel and am now obsessed with it. In addition to your knowledge of the music and their creators, your commentary is erudite & polished. Thank you!
Another great episode. I agree with the other comments. The harmonies were otherworldly. The planets aligned for this foursome. They were a great 60s band.
gotta say Professor - you always tell the greatest stories !!!
Thanks for watching!
the preacher likes the cold because it drives people into the church and gives a sharp visual for the well off members to see how much the church is helping the homeless, it makes perfect sense
I agree with that!
Being steeped in the folk genre when California Dreaming came out, I never could figure out why it had such a strong impact. Your assessment that it was more about "escaping to an idyllic, mythical place" rang true. I truly appreciate your insights.
This documentary was very nice. The back-story to one of the 1960's greatest hits, just the right length, well edited, polished in a way that not even MTV can do anymore. Great post!
I remember carpooling to High School , 9th grade, and that song first came on the radio. It was such an unusual and harmonious sound, you just had to hear it again.
Hearing that guitar intro was enough to take you to another planet.
The late 1960's is the best musical era ever. Happy new year's Adam.
I agree. the 80s are my favorite but the 60s are the best!
My husband’s father was in record distributing and my husband went to almost every concert imaginable. He met many people backstage. He knows so much but we learn tons watching you. Keep it coming.
That's so cool to hear! Thanks for watching. Tell him Hello!
Has he met any of the band members?
This Group! Whenever I hear ANY of their songs I cannot HELP BUT SMILE…I also sing but you wouldn’t want hear my voice…. Their songs always make me smile in my heart sing.
My favorite the Mamas and the Papas tune is Creeque Alley. I used to hear it from time to time at a grocery store i worked at. Late 90s, I saw it on some Flashback VH1 show. After really hearing the words, it became a stable in my collection. Great video as always Professor.
On a road trip, I put in a Momas and the Papas cd. My youngest son had never heard them. He was covered in goose bumps because he said the songs were so beautiful.
Thanks for jogging my memory/ I remember my first time I heard this as a preteen in New Jersey. It inspired me to move to LA. in 1990. I am still here after 33 years!
I love Creeque Alley by the Mamas and the Papas. It tells the history of the group up to that point in one clever song.
Thought you’d enjoy this comment. A few years ago my hubby and I bought a small home in Tuscany. It rained for a month straight with only apart I am day off. A huge pine tree collapsed on our property missing our home by inches but blocking the road below our home. We got into our car to go shopping, turned on the radio and what was playing? Yep! California Dreaming. Perfect to want me to get back to my hometown - Los Angeles .
great story.
Cass Elliot "s loss was a real tragedy . I loved her voice.
I read or heard somewhere that "the preacher likes it cold, he knows I'm going to stay" meant that when the weather was bad more people came in and/or stayed longer than in warmer weather. Until recently I thought it was began to pray not pretend. Great song, great voices. They did provide some fabulous music.
Nah, I think it was an error. Cass Elliot sand "began" for awhile.