Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #234305 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .18 pounds

Customer Reviews

a fine boomer song!
"California Dreaming" is the best of the best of the West Coast songs of the Boomer Generation. In fact, over a dozen listings alone have the title "California Dreaming" in their title. But, of course, the best of those titles is owned by the Mamas and Papas.

According to Widipedia, the song is number 89 of the Top 500 by Rolling Stone and rates in the top of the genre of romantic songs. John Phillips first conceived the song in New York during the middle of the night. He awoke Michelle so they could put it on paper. She added the second verse because of a recent experience in St. Patrick's Cathedral. The rest is history.

This song all by itself is worth the cost of the CD. And I am ordering it for that song alone! The rest of the CD is just lagniappe!

Avoid this particular import
I wanted very much to have a good recording of this fantastic group. Unfortunately, this one doesn't fill the bill. This recording is an import, badly staged and recorded.

In the first place, it is a 'live' performance. Where, I can't tell. Maybe in Europe? The old voices are there but the backup accompaniment is awful. The worst is an electronic organ playing riffs sounding more like episodes of "The Jeffersons" than the Mama and The Papas. A tinkly piano and overbearing percussion complete the picture. The mixing is horrible, making those instruments dominate.

Amazon has many other, re-mastered, editions of the music of this group. Most have samples of the music to link to. Check them out.