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Lyr Req: Creeque Alley

24 Feb 01 - 01:59 PM (#405351)
Subject: Creeque Alley
From: Lonesome EJ

I saw an interesting program last night on TLC about the evolution of the Greenwich Village mid-sixties folk scene.It concentrated on John Phillips and his stints with The Journeymen, Mugwumps, and finally The Mamas and the Papas. Other seminal Folk-Rock and Blues artists like Barry McGuire, John Sebastian, Zal Yanofsky, and Al Kooper were also sighted in the documentary. I had never realized that the Mugwumps included John and Denny from the Mamas and Papas as well as John and Zal from the Spoonful. It occurred to me that the song by Mamas and Papas, Creeque Alley, documents this era, and I'm interested in re-examining it in the light of the program.

Anybody have the words? Or any additional info about this fascinating period in NYC?

24 Feb 01 - 03:01 PM (#405392)
Subject: Lyr Add: CREEQUE ALLEY
From: Lonesome EJ

Well, I found the lyrics myself on OLGA. Thought I'd post them for anyone who might be interested... 

CREEQUE ALLEY
  (John Phillips / Michelle Gilliam)    

[Note: acoustic 12-string is detuned 3 semitones and fingered in D]    

Intro:    

	(12-string [4X; drums and bass enter 4th time]):    

	B7
  	/ / / /  / / / /    

Verse 1:    

	 B7
  	John and Mitchie were gettin' kind of itchy
  	Just to leave the folk music behind
  	E7
  	Zal and Denny workin' for a penny
  	 B7
  	Tryin' to get a fish on the line
  	      F#7
  	In a coffee house Sebastian sat
  	     E7
  	And after every number they'd pass the hat
  	    B7
  	McGuinn and McGuire just a-gettin' higher
  	                               E7
  	In L.A., you know where that's at
  	                     D7               B7
  	And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass    

Verse 2:    

	Zally said "Denny, you know there aren't many
  	Who can sing a song the way that you do, let's go south"
  	Denny said "Zally, golly, don't you think that I wish
  	I could play guitar like you"
  	Zal, Denny and Sebastian sat (at the Night Owl)
  	And after every number they'd pass the hat
  	McGuinn and McGuire still a-gettin higher
  	In L.A., you know where that's at
  	And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass    

Verse 3:    

	When Cass was a sophomore, planned to go to Swarthmore
  	But she changed her mind one day
  	Standin' on the turnpike, thumb out to hitchhike
  	"Take me to New York right away"
  	When Denny met Cass he gave her love bumps
  	Called John and Zal and that was the Mugwumps
  	McGuinn and McGuire couldn't get no higher
  	But that's what they were aimin' at
  	And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass    

Verse 4:    

	Mugwumps, high jumps, slow slumps, big bumps
  	Don't you work as hard as you play
  	Make up, break up, everything is shake up
  	Guess it had to be that way
  	Sebastian and Zal formed the Spoonful
  	Michelle, John, and Denny gettin' very tuneful
  	McGuinn and McGuire just a-catchin' fire
  	In L.A., you know where that's at
  	And everybody's gettin' fat except Mama Cass    

Instrumental break:    

	(flute solo over verse chords [might be edited on 45])    

Verse 5:    

	Broke, busted, disgusted, agents can't be trusted
  	And Mitchie wants to go to the sea
  	Cass can't make it, she says we'll have to fake it
  	We knew she'd come eventually
  	Greasin' on American Express cards
  	Tent's low rent, but keeping out the heat's hard
  	Duffy's good vibrations and our imaginations
  	Can't go on indefinitely
  	And California dreamin' is becomin' a reality    

Coda:    

	(flute solo):    

	E7       D7        B7
  	/ / / /  / / / /   / / / /  / / / /    

	E7       D7        B7
  	/ / / /  / / / /   /

24 Feb 01 - 08:58 PM (#405614)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Creeque Alley
From: GUEST,The Lighthouse

Hey Lonesome I saw that show too. Seemed like an hour dissatation of "Creeque Alley"! At least I finally understand the line about the American Express card, but where does the title of this song come from? I also didn't see McGuinn on the show although Dylan was.

24 Feb 01 - 09:14 PM (#405625)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Creeque Alley
From: Lonesome EJ

Lighthouse, I don't know that Roger McGuinn was ever a part of the NY Folk scene. He hailed from Chicago and studied there at the Old Town School, and I do believe spent some time around Columbia University, but I don't know if he was a participant in the Greenwich scene with PP&M, Dylan, and the Mugwump offshoots. I think McGuinn moved to LA early on when he spent time in a duo(believe it or not) with Bobby Darin.

Since the Byrds came to the forefront of the new Folk/Rock movement in early 65, at the same time as Barry McGuire, my guess is that the two served as examples of the "Commercial success" that was suddenly available to folkies.

Still not sure what "Duffy's good vibrations" alludes to in the last verse.

25 Feb 01 - 02:46 PM (#406068)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Creeque Alley
From: Tiger

Everything you ever wanted to know about this song can be found at:

http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~rthorpe/creeque.html

25 Feb 01 - 03:41 PM (#406084)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Creeque Alley
From: Lonesome EJ

Thanks Tiger!