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Lyr Req: California Dreamin' (J & M Phillips)

20 Jun 99 - 12:05 AM (#88102)
Subject: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Dana

Looks like this is the place to settle a dispute regarding lyrics to California Dreaming by the Mammas and the Pappas.

.....I stopped into a church I passed along the way, well, I got down on my knees, and I pretend to pray. (Ok, what's next?)

Thanks for any help!

20 Jun 99 - 02:29 AM (#88124)
Subject: Lyr Add: CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' (J & M Phillips)
From:

A quick web search found the lyrics in dozens of places, including http://www.oxygenrec.com/america/song157.htm

Lyrics: California Dreamin'

California Dreamin' (chord)
Written by John and Michelle Phillips, © late 1960's
Found on America In Concert (95) and Heard.

All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I went for a walk
On a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm
If I was in L.A.
California dreamin'
On such a winter's day

I stopped into a church (stopped into a church)
I passed along the way (passed along the way)
You know, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)
Oh, the preacher likes the cold (preacher likes the cold)
He knows I'm gonna stay (knows I'm gonna stay)
Oh, California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day

All the leaves are brown (the leaves are brown)
And the sky is grey (and the sky is grey)
I went for a walk (I went for a walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)
If I didn't tell her (if I didn't tell her)
I could leave today (I could leave today)

Oh, California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day

^^

In the soundtrack version of this song, the words "I pretend to pray" have been changed to "I began to pray".

20 Jun 99 - 02:35 AM (#88125)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Charlie Baum

Oops-should probably credit myself with the above bit of unsigned web-searching. Sorry the photo embedded in the original site won't work here, and now it's stuck in the coding of this page (Unless Joe Offer or someone else removes it!). This is submitted from the computer that (unlike the other two in my life) has cookies turned off and therefore doesn't automatically append my moniker, which is:

--Charlie Baum

20 Jun 99 - 10:42 AM (#88178)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Peter T.

If you check the Forum Search, you will find a huge thread on California Dreaming from a couple of years ago. The quiet now is deafening.
Yours, Peter T.

20 Jun 99 - 07:08 PM (#88295)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From:

well, for years while i sang along with the mamas and papas, i could swear the words were 'the preacher locked (or locks) the door, he knows i'm gonna stay' BUT who am i to argue with the guru(s) of lyrics.

Thanks for all who responded! Dana

20 Jun 99 - 09:47 PM (#88315)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: alison

Hi,

and I always thought it was "you know the preacher likes the cold."

slainte

alison

17 Mar 03 - 06:42 AM (#911772)
Subject: California Dreaming (reprise)
From: Steve Parkes

I've been using this as an exercise in multi-tracking on my PC. But I've found discrepant versions of the lyrics on the 'Net. Can anyone clear this one up: is it "the preacher likes the cold" or "the preacher lights the coal"? The "coal" version makes more sense, all things considered, but that's not always a criterion for song lyrics!

Steve

17 Mar 03 - 07:06 AM (#911777)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Joe Offer

Hi, Steve - my Hal Leonard Pop-Rock Fakebook says "preacher likes the cold." The fakebooks are usually pretty accurate.
Mrs. Mondegreen may prefer otherwise.
-Joe Offer-

17 Mar 03 - 08:30 AM (#911810)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Ferrara

alison - on my LP, it was "You know the preacher likes the cold," I'm pretty sure of that.

Always assumed it meant he likes the cold because it's bringing people into his church (to get warm).

Rita

17 Mar 03 - 08:39 AM (#911816)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Steve Parkes

Wow -- you have heated churches in the States?! Thanks for the info, folks.

Steve

17 Mar 03 - 08:56 AM (#911826)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Wolfgang

I don't think this thread is quite complete without a link to
the first Mudcat thread asking for this song (1997)

Wolfgang

18 Mar 03 - 05:53 AM (#912379)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Dita

I always heard the lirics as

"The preacher likes the call"

(as in his call to the religion).

I guess this is what we call the oral tradition.

cherrs, john.

18 Mar 03 - 07:58 AM (#912423)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Allan C.

My "official" Mammas and Pappas songbook shows the words as "You know the preacher likes the cold."

18 Mar 03 - 09:05 AM (#912484)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: GUEST,Peter T.

What is this doing here? I thought this was a folk music site! yours, Peter T. (couldn't resist)

18 Mar 03 - 09:21 AM (#912499)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Wolfgang

Peter, that's only a lame parody (sorry about that). Here comes the original citation from April 1997 from the unimitable Elsie, 'the narrow-minded twit' (as she called herself mockingly) when there was the first request for this song:

this is NOT appropriate for this group...it is NOT -it is NOT- it is NOT!!! I don't care who starts what discussion all over again--!! THIS IS NOT THE PLACE TO POST THAT REQUEST!!! Sorry, folks- I know it's not up to me, but NOBODY can justify calling 'The Mamas & Papas' folk music or anything close to folk music! I cant stop them from doing it, and they cant stop my complaining about it!

Do I feel better for my outburst? No,not really-it will do me no good! But I AM right! (end of citation)

Wolfgang

18 Mar 03 - 10:03 AM (#912533)
Subject: RE: Lyrics to California Dreaming
From: Steve Parkes

Well, I'm very sorry -- I seem to have opened up a real can of worms! I freely admit: I am not now, nor never have been, under the misaprehension that The Mamas & The Papas are folk music. BUT I DONT CARE, I TELL YOU!! YOU CAN TAKE ME AWAY, YOU CAN LOCK ME UP AND THROW AWAY THE KEY, BUT YOU'LL NEVER STOP PEPOLE LIKE ME FROM LISTENING TO THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS!!! BWA-HA-HA-HA!!!!






Oh ... sorry. I just seem to get these headaches, and when they stop, there's blood everwhere, and I don't know whose it is ...