“California Dreamin'” is a song written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips and first recorded by Barry McGuire] However, the best-known version is by the Mamas and the Papas, who sang backup on the original version and released it as a single in 1965. The lyrics of the song express the narrator’s longing for the warmth of Los Angeles during a cold winter in New York City. The song became a signpost of the California sound,[ heralding the arrival of the nascent counterculture era. “California Dreamin'” was certified as a Gold Record (single) by the Recording Industry Association of America in June 1966 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. The song is recorded in the key of C-sharp minor.
Songs with Banjo from Harold Hagler
