California Dreamin'
Written by John and Michelle Phillips, © 1966
Found on America In Concert (95), Heard, Live, Highway, Hits You Remember Live, and The Complete Greatest Hits.

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".



Click on the image above to see a much larger version

Highway Highlight (from the box set booklet)
The band was back on the charts in March of '79 with an updated cover of The Mamas & The Papas' hit "California Dreamin'," taken from the soundtrack to the film of the same title. Sparked by Jim Calire's sax work, the tune made it to #56. "The movie was a coming-of-age story starring Dennis Christopher, who had been in Breaking Away," says Beckley. "We liked what we saw, and we loved the song. We did it more as a rock thing, [with] a full sound but reliant on the harmonies. Dewey sang the lead; I did all the backgrounds. We still play that song onstage, and it goes down very well."


Last Revised: 12 July 2003