This post is essentially just an excuse to share with you this video of The Mamas and the Papas' Creeque Alley. I love this! The video has been on both my MySpace and Facebook profiles almost as long as I've had them, and I never tire of listening to The Mamas and the Papas' beautiful pop harmonies.
The song tells the story of the band's formation and time together; you can read more about it at this lovingly crafted site. Whilst you're at it, why not read more about the amazing Mama Cass over at Wikipedia.
And have you seen her in Pufnstuf The Movie?:...I then got to thinking about another of The Mamas and Papas' hits, and probably the best known of their songs, California Dreaming, and how this is much more than just a lovely hum-along-able pop ditty. Have you ever stopped to think about what it means? Listen to it and you realise that this is a song of wistful longing for home...being on the road and missing what is familiar to you.
Have another listen:
The Mamas and the Papas - California Dreaming (mp3)
And so off I trotted on a tangent of thinking about other songs that fit this theme of being homesick, and there are plenty. But amongst the very best has to be:
Simon and Garfunkel - Homeward Bound (mp3)
The Mamas and the Papas - California Dreaming (mp3)
And so off I trotted on a tangent of thinking about other songs that fit this theme of being homesick, and there are plenty. But amongst the very best has to be:
Simon and Garfunkel - Homeward Bound (mp3)
The story goes that this was written at Widnes train station...not a place, I'm sure, where many have been so inspired...but definitely a place to get you wishing to be somewhere else instead!
An honourable mention, because it doesn't really have anything to do with missing home, it is just a great song, goes to:
Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (mp3)
And how about, in the spirit of fairness, including the anthithesis...a song of longing for the road?:
Willie Nelson - On The Road Again (mp3)
An honourable mention, because it doesn't really have anything to do with missing home, it is just a great song, goes to:
Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (mp3)
And how about, in the spirit of fairness, including the anthithesis...a song of longing for the road?:
Willie Nelson - On The Road Again (mp3)
Well, it would be unlike me just to have posted a video and left, wouldn't it?
Only 3 days left to enter my CD giveaway, so get your answer in before it ends!
5 comments:
Mama Cass was one of a kind, such an amazing woman.
Yes' Leave It from '83 also has that wistful quality.
Funny you should mention California Dreaming because I just saw The Big Tease on dvd this weekend and it featured a pretty well done techno remake.
I always loved Mama!
Power to the big girls!
Hi Di,
Thanks for reminding me of how good M & P's were. What about a blog on 60's protest songs, not the rediscovered Mr Zimmerman but many of the neglected and long forgotten e.g Barry Mcguire, Eve of destruction to name but one.....
Keep up the good work
I love Mama Cass! She's due to be featuring in another blog I've got coing up, so watch this space! (So many plans, so little time to execute them!).
Welcome Dan and Patron Saint :oD
Patron Saint...good idea. I shall add it to my 'to do' list. Have you seen the blog I did on the covers of Malvina Reynolds' Little Boxes as featured on the TV show Weeds?:
http://divinylblogs.blogspot.com/2007/11/pass-dutchie-on-left-hand-side.html
The song (you probably know it by Pete Seeger, if not Malvina Reynolds) is about urbanisation...the building of communities of houses that all look the same...and some of the covers are great!
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