Wow, this is quite a thread with the perfect ending finally giving the lyrics. You can almost hear them singing. But there is a mistake in the lyrics that must be corrected. I sing folk songs and write some as well, and saw Arlo a couple of years ago finish a set with a story or him and Pete touring in Europe. Pete is the best at sing alongs and Arlo is second. So on this night he told this story that for an encore he decided he wanted the audience to sing along. So he told them that he was going to do a song from one of America's most famous folk singers --- Elvis Presley. He said he thought Pete was going to strangle him as he started in with "Wise men say, only fools rush in" he said he looked over at Pete and Pete was strumming his banjo. Pete knew it. With all the argument about folk songs, it was, Arlo said more important that folks sing -- together, for that brings us together. And so I thought California Dreaming would be perfect for that for as a single singer, I couldn't echo the lines back to myself but an audience could. So I looked up the lyrics on the internet and was given my first clue by the first sight I found that said they listened to the song and wrote the lyrics from that. The mistake is in the second verse. "You know the preacher likes the cold. He knows I'm gonna stay" it didn't make sense. I'd always sung it another way. And so I found an old vinyl album (remember vinyl?)of the Mamas and Papas and there were the words I remembered printed on the back, which I guess two generations from those of us who wandered this country with backpacks and our thumbs out, you wouldn't realize the mistake (and in reference to the lyrics above the first two line are not repeated.

Stopped into a church
I passed alone the way
Well I got down on my knees
And I pretend to pray
You know the preacher lights the coals
He knows I'm gonna stay
California Dreaming
On such a winters day

You see the difference. If we were all to sing together, get out on the road together again, we'd instinctively know the difference, I guess. That was a long time ago. Haven't played that song in years, but it did mean something once. It's cold here as I write this. A little dreaming never hurt.