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California Dreamin'
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = California Dreamin'
| cover = Disco de vinilo - California dreamin'.jpg
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = the Mamas and the Papas
| album = If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
| B-side = Somebody Groovy
| released = December 8, 1965
| recorded = November 4, 1965
| studio = United Western, Hollywood
| genre =
| length =
| label = Dunhill • RCA Victor
| writer = John Phillips, Michelle Phillips
| producer = Lou Adler
| prev_title = Go Where You Wanna Go
| prev_year = 1965
| next_title = Monday, Monday
| next_year = 1966
| misc =
}}
"'California Dreamin'
"California Dreamin'" became a signpost of the California sound, heralding the arrival of the nascent counterculture era. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in June 1966 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. The song is No. 89 in 'Rolling Stone' list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
History
The song was written in 1963 while John Phillips and Michelle Phillips were living in New York City during a particularly cold winter, and she was missing sunny California. He would work on compositions late at night and one morning brought her the first verse. At the time, John and Michelle Phillips 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 Barry McGuire. In thanks to Adler, they sang the backing vocals to "California Dreamin with members of the session band The Wrecking Crew on McGuire's album 'This Precious Time'. Adler, impressed with the Mamas and the Papas, then had the lead vocal track re-recorded with Denny Doherty singing and paired with the same instrumental and backing vocal tracks and an alto flute solo by Bud Shank, reportedly improvised. The guitar introduction was performed by P. F. Sloan. McGuire's original vocal can be briefly heard on the left channel at the beginning of the record, having not been completely erased.Rock Family Trees, BBC, interview with McGuire, 1999. McGuire's original harmonica solo can also just be made out under the flute solo.
The single was released in late 1965 but was not an immediate breakthrough. After gaining little attention in Los Angeles upon its release, a radio station in Boston was the catalyst to break the song nationwide. After making its chart debut in January 1966, the song peaked at No. 4 in March on both the 'Billboard' Hot 100, lasting 17 weeks, and 'Cashbox', lasting 20 weeks. "California Dreamin'" and SSgt. Barry Sadler's "Ballad of the Green Berets" tied for #1 on the Cashbox end-of-the-year survey for 1966. "California Dreamin" also reached number 23 on the UK charts upon its original release, and re-charted after its use in a Carling Premier commercial in 1997, peaking at number nine there. 'Billboard' described the song as having "a fascinating new sound with well written commercial material" and praised Lou Adler's production." 'Cash Box' described it as a "medium-paced, rhythmic shufflin romantic woeser with a plaintive, lyrical undercurrent."
The song is repeatedly used in the 1994 Hong Kong film 'Chungking Express' as a central plot point [https://film.avclub.com/song-and-vision-no-5-california-dreamin-and-chungki-1798217949 Song And Vision No. 5: "California Dreamin'" and Chungking Express], Steven Hyden and on season 4 of 'Stranger Things'.
Michelle Phillips wrote the lyrics, "Well, I got down on my knees, and I pretend to pray," but Cass Elliot had sung "began" on the original recording and had continued doing so on tour until corrected by Phillips.
Chart history
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Other versions
America version
In the spring of 1979, the band America reached No. 56 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 with their remake of "California Dreamin'" which was the first studio recording by America as the duo of Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell without third founding member Dan Peek, who had departed the group in 1977. Bunnell who sang lead and Beckley who sang background self-produced the track which featured America's touring musicians: David Dickey, drummer Willie Leacox, guitarist Michael Woods, percussionist Tom Walsh, and Jim Calire who played keyboards and also saxophone.
America performed "California Dreamin at least once in concert in 1974, "California Dreamin'" being a sentimental favorite of the band's members having been a setlist staple of the cover band in which all three had performed while London Central High School students in the late 1960s. The recording of "California Dreamin'" by America was specifically made to play under the closing credits of the American International Pictures (AIP) movie release 'California Dreaming' which had been shot in the final months of 1977 for release in the summer of 1978 although the movie was held back from wide release until 16 March 1979 with America recording the song "California Dreamin'" in the autumn of 1978:'Detroit Free Press' "Shirlebreties" by Shirley Eder 30 November 1978 p.17B Beckley and Bunnell agreed to record the song after being (at least partially) shown the movie (Gerry Beckley quote:) "We liked what we saw" and the track was recorded at Studio 55 (Hollywood): (Gerry Beckley quote:) "We did it more as a rock thing [compared to the original], [with] a full sound but reliant on the harmonies."
The track was originally scheduled for a 15 January 1979 release which was delayed until after AIP's February 1979 pacting with Casablanca Records to distribute the 'California Dreaming' soundtrack, Casablanca having recently managed to bolster the modest success of the film 'Thank God It's Friday' through a hit soundtrack album:'Billboard' Vol 91 #9 (3 Mar 1979) "Soundtrack lp for Casablanca" p. 19 the recording of "California Dreamin'" by America was therefore given parallel release with the movie, another soundtrack item: "See It My Way" by session group F.D.R., serving as B-side. Both the America single and (in April 1978) the soundtrack album were issued by AIP on its own label (distributed by Casablanca): outside the US and Canada, Casablanca acted as label of release.
By the spring of 1979, America were involved in sessions for their Capitol Records debut album 'Silent Letter' and were either unable or uninterested in promoting their version of "California Dreamin'" which single proved unable to buoy its parent film's faltering box office take. However the publicity inherent in the film's release was evidently enough to afford minor hit status to America's soundtrack item (heard in the film's trailer, America's "California Dreamin was also cited in the movie's poster), and despite its lowly chart peak, America's "California Dreamin remake was more successful than any of their first five Capitol single releases, none of which ranked in the Hot 100 (the band's sixth Capitol single release, "You Can Do Magic" in 1982 afforded the band a sole latter-day top ten hit).
"California Dreamin continued to be featured in America's live gigs eventually being established as a mandatory America concert title. A live performance of the song by America is featured on 'In Concert', the band's 1996 album release of a 1982 live gig. The band's 1978 recording was included on the 2000 America retrospective box set 'Highway: 30 Years of America' as well as on 'The Complete Greatest Hits' in 2001.
Beach Boys version
Background
The Beach Boys recorded "California Dreamin'" in 1986 for their greatest hits compilation 'Made in U.S.A.' It was produced by Terry Melcher and featured Roger McGuinn of the Byrds on 12-string guitar. This version of the song was referenced in the lyrics of the Dead Milkmen's 1988 novelty hit "Punk Rock Girl".
Although the song only charted at a modest number 57 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100, it reached number 8 on the 'Billboard Adult' Contemporary and it was supported by a music video that saw heavy rotation on MTV. The video featured the Beach Boys along with John Phillips, Michelle Phillips and Roger McGuinn. Denny Doherty was on the East coast and declined; Cass Elliot had died in 1974. This version would later appear in the fourth season of 'Stranger Things'.
Personnel
Credits sourced from Craig Slowinski and Andrew G. Doe.
'The Beach Boys'
*Carl Wilson vocals
*Al Jardine vocals
*Mike Love vocals
*Brian Wilson vocals
*Bruce Johnston vocals
;Additional musicians and production staff
*Roger McGuinn 12-string lead guitar
*Jeff Foskett possible vocals
*Adrian Baker possible vocals
'unknown' bass, drums, acoustic lead guitar, saxophone, synthesizer
Jose Feliciano version
Credits sourced from Disco GS and Allmusic guide.
Released as a single on RCA Records in the summer of 1968, Jos Feliciano's arrangement reached number 43 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart and number 20 on the 'Billboard' Rhythm & Blues Singles chart. The song was the A-side of a single which became a big hit when radio stations started to play the B-side with his cover of "Light My Fire", which reached number 3 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and was popular in many other countries around the world. This elaborate string version with jazz Latin influences serves as the opening track of Feliciano's 1968 hit album 'Feliciano!' (gold status in 1968), and was heard in a key sequence in Quentin Tarantino's 2019 film 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' and is included on its soundtrack.
Personnel
Credits sourced from album 'Feliciano!'
*Jos Feliciano vocals, guitar
*Ray Brown bass
*Jim Horn flute, alto flute
*Milt Holland percussion
*Bruce Johnston vocals
;Additional musicians and production staff
*George Tipton orchestral arrangements
*Rick Jarrard producer
Freischwimmer version
A tropical house version by German DJ/remixer 'Freischwimmer' was released in 2015. This version reached number one on the 'Billboard' Dance Club Songs chart in its February 13, 2016 issue.[http://www.billboard.com/artist/6807308/freischwimmer/chart Chart history for Freischwimmer] from 'Billboard' "Dreamin" had never before hit No. 1 on any ranking, making this version the first in its nearly 50-year history to reach the top spot on a 'Billboard' chart.[http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6866868/california-dreamin-hits-no-1-dance-dj-freischwimmer "'California Dreamin' Hits No. 1 After 50 Years, Thanks to Dance Remix"] from 'Billboard' (February 4, 2016)This version was later used in the 'Star Trek: Picard' second season episode "Assimilation".
Other notable versions
*In 1966, the Wes Montgomery album with "California Dreamin'" as the title track, was released and reached No. 1 on the 'Billboard' Jazz chart, and No. 4 on the R&B chart.*In 1969, Bobby Womack's cover of "California Dreamin'" from his debut album 'Fly Me to the Moon' proved a hit, spending two weeks on the 'Billboard' Hot 100.
*In 1978, a disco version proved popular in European clubs for the Italian project Colorado, reaching 45 on the British charts.
*In 1996, Japanese punk band Hi-Standard released a cover on their 7" 'California Dreamin' on the Fat Wreck Chords label. This cover was later included on the Fat Wreck Chords compilation album Survival of the Fattest.
*In 2004, German techno house group Royal Gigolos sampled the song on a track by the same name from their 'Musique Deluxe' album. The song reached number 2 on the French charts and reached the top 40 of various charts across Europe.
*Sia recorded the song for the disaster film 'San Andreas'. The song came out in May 2015 and was featured in the movie's trailers. The song reached the top 20 in Lebanon, peaking at No. 14. The song also reached No. 92 on the UK Singles Chart, on the Scottish Singles Chart, and No. 87 on the SNEP singles chart.
*Jazz artist Aubrey Logan and former 'American Idol' contestant Casey Abrams recorded a new version in 2017, featured on Logan's album 'Impossible'.
*Gothic rock band Dead Artist Syndrome recorded a version of this song for their 1992 album 'Devils Angels & Saints'.
* Omar Apollo recorded an acoustic version of this song as a Spotify two-single exclusive as part of the platform's Spotify Singles in 2022.
See also
* List of Billboard Dance Club Songs number ones of 2016
References
Buy California Dreamin' now from Amazon
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