Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From '' Que Chica Tan Formal ''
Label: Sonoplay – SBP - 10.021
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, EP
Country: Spain
Released: 1966
Tracklist
A1 Que Chica Tan Formal
Written-By – O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley
A2 My Girl
Written-By – Chris Montez, Julio Guiu Clara
B1 La Droga
Written-By – Dick Taylor, Phil May
B2 California Dream
Written-By – John Phillips
Voice – Fernando Chica
Drums – Alberto López
Notes
Versions originally composed and performed by:
A1 The Isley Brothers - Respectable
B1 The Pretty Things - L.S.D.
B2 Barry McGuire - California Dreamin'
The vinyl was re-released in 2019 on Madmua Records (MAD021).
© 2013 © 2014 Warner Music Spain, S.L.
℗ 2013 ℗ 1966 Fonomusic, S.A.
💿 [SONG INFO]
"California Dreamin'" is a song written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips in 1963 and first recorded by Barry McGuire.
The best-known version is by the Mamas & the Papas, who sang backup on the original version and released it as a single in December 1965.
The lyrics express the narrator's longing for the warmth of Los Angeles during a cold winter in New York City.
It is recorded in the key of C-sharp minor.
"California Dreamin'" became a signpost of the California sound, heralding the arrival of the nascent counterculture era.
It was certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in June 2023 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.
In 2021, Rolling Stone placed the song at number 420 in its "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
History
The song was written in 1963 while John Phillips and Michelle Phillips were living in New York City during a particularly cold winter, and the latter was missing sunny California.
John would work on compositions late at night and brought Michelle the first verse one morning.
At the time, John and Michelle Phillips were members of the folk group the New Journeymen, which evolved into the Mamas and the Papas.
They earned their first record contract after being introduced to Lou Adler, the head of Dunhill Records, by Barry McGuire.
In thanks to Adler, they sang the backing vocals to "California Dreamin'", with members of the session band The Wrecking Crew, on McGuire's album This Precious Time.
Adler, impressed with the Mamas and the Papas, then had the lead vocal track re-recorded with Denny Doherty singing, but paired with the same instrumental and backing vocal tracks, and an alto flute solo by Bud Shank, reportedly improvised.
The guitar introduction was performed by P. F. Sloan.
McGuire's original vocal can be briefly heard on the left channel at the beginning of the record, having not been completely erased.
The single was released in late 1965 but was not an immediate breakthrough.
After gaining little attention in Los Angeles, a radio station in Boston was the catalyst to break the song nationwide.
After making its chart debut in January 1966, the song peaked at No. 4 in March on both the Billboard Hot 100, lasting 17 weeks, and Cashbox, lasting 20 weeks.
"California Dreamin'" was the top single on the Billboard end-of-the-year survey for 1966.
As well, it tied for No. 1 on the Cashbox end-of-the-year survey with SSgt. Barry Sadler's "Ballad of the Green Berets".
The song is used repeatedly in the 1994 Hong Kong film Chungking Express as a central plot point.
Michelle Phillips wrote the lyrics, "Well, I got down on my knees, and I pretend to pray," but Cass Elliot had sung "began" on the original recording and had continued doing so on tour until corrected by Phillips.
Other versions
America version
In the spring of 1979, the band America reached No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 with their remake of "California Dreamin'" which was the first studio recording by America as the duo of Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell without third founding member Dan Peek, who had departed the group in 1977.
Bunnell – who sang lead – and Beckley – who sang background – self-produced the track which featured America's touring musicians: David Dickey, drummer Willie Leacox, guitarist Michael Woods, percussionist Tom Walsh, and Jim Calire who played keyboards and also saxophone.
Beach Boys version
The Beach Boys recorded "California Dreamin'" in 1986 for their greatest hits compilation Made in U.S.A.
It was produced by Terry Melcher and featured Roger McGuinn of the Byrds on 12-string guitar. This version of the song was referenced in the lyrics of the Dead Milkmen's 1988 novelty hit "Punk Rock Girl".
Although the song only charted at a modest number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100, it reached number 8 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary and it was supported by a music video that saw heavy rotation on MTV.
This version would later appear in the fourth season of Stranger Things.
🔗 [LINKS]
Available on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/album/0fiJ8p8tOadVxYhoPG2GsB
Apple Music:
music.apple.com/us/album/qu%C3%A9-chica-tan-formal-respectable/867599884?i=867600003
and Deezer:
deezer.com/us/album/7735399
#beat
From '' Que Chica Tan Formal ''
Label: Sonoplay – SBP - 10.021
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, EP
Country: Spain
Released: 1966
Tracklist
A1 Que Chica Tan Formal
Written-By – O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley
A2 My Girl
Written-By – Chris Montez, Julio Guiu Clara
B1 La Droga
Written-By – Dick Taylor, Phil May
B2 California Dream
Written-By – John Phillips
Voice – Fernando Chica
Drums – Alberto López
Notes
Versions originally composed and performed by:
A1 The Isley Brothers - Respectable
B1 The Pretty Things - L.S.D.
B2 Barry McGuire - California Dreamin'
The vinyl was re-released in 2019 on Madmua Records (MAD021).
© 2013 © 2014 Warner Music Spain, S.L.
℗ 2013 ℗ 1966 Fonomusic, S.A.
💿 [SONG INFO]
"California Dreamin'" is a song written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips in 1963 and first recorded by Barry McGuire.
The best-known version is by the Mamas & the Papas, who sang backup on the original version and released it as a single in December 1965.
The lyrics express the narrator's longing for the warmth of Los Angeles during a cold winter in New York City.
It is recorded in the key of C-sharp minor.
"California Dreamin'" became a signpost of the California sound, heralding the arrival of the nascent counterculture era.
It was certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in June 2023 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.
In 2021, Rolling Stone placed the song at number 420 in its "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.
History
The song was written in 1963 while John Phillips and Michelle Phillips were living in New York City during a particularly cold winter, and the latter was missing sunny California.
John would work on compositions late at night and brought Michelle the first verse one morning.
At the time, John and Michelle Phillips were members of the folk group the New Journeymen, which evolved into the Mamas and the Papas.
They earned their first record contract after being introduced to Lou Adler, the head of Dunhill Records, by Barry McGuire.
In thanks to Adler, they sang the backing vocals to "California Dreamin'", with members of the session band The Wrecking Crew, on McGuire's album This Precious Time.
Adler, impressed with the Mamas and the Papas, then had the lead vocal track re-recorded with Denny Doherty singing, but paired with the same instrumental and backing vocal tracks, and an alto flute solo by Bud Shank, reportedly improvised.
The guitar introduction was performed by P. F. Sloan.
McGuire's original vocal can be briefly heard on the left channel at the beginning of the record, having not been completely erased.
The single was released in late 1965 but was not an immediate breakthrough.
After gaining little attention in Los Angeles, a radio station in Boston was the catalyst to break the song nationwide.
After making its chart debut in January 1966, the song peaked at No. 4 in March on both the Billboard Hot 100, lasting 17 weeks, and Cashbox, lasting 20 weeks.
"California Dreamin'" was the top single on the Billboard end-of-the-year survey for 1966.
As well, it tied for No. 1 on the Cashbox end-of-the-year survey with SSgt. Barry Sadler's "Ballad of the Green Berets".
The song is used repeatedly in the 1994 Hong Kong film Chungking Express as a central plot point.
Michelle Phillips wrote the lyrics, "Well, I got down on my knees, and I pretend to pray," but Cass Elliot had sung "began" on the original recording and had continued doing so on tour until corrected by Phillips.
Other versions
America version
In the spring of 1979, the band America reached No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 with their remake of "California Dreamin'" which was the first studio recording by America as the duo of Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell without third founding member Dan Peek, who had departed the group in 1977.
Bunnell – who sang lead – and Beckley – who sang background – self-produced the track which featured America's touring musicians: David Dickey, drummer Willie Leacox, guitarist Michael Woods, percussionist Tom Walsh, and Jim Calire who played keyboards and also saxophone.
Beach Boys version
The Beach Boys recorded "California Dreamin'" in 1986 for their greatest hits compilation Made in U.S.A.
It was produced by Terry Melcher and featured Roger McGuinn of the Byrds on 12-string guitar. This version of the song was referenced in the lyrics of the Dead Milkmen's 1988 novelty hit "Punk Rock Girl".
Although the song only charted at a modest number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100, it reached number 8 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary and it was supported by a music video that saw heavy rotation on MTV.
This version would later appear in the fourth season of Stranger Things.
🔗 [LINKS]
Available on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/album/0fiJ8p8tOadVxYhoPG2GsB
Apple Music:
music.apple.com/us/album/qu%C3%A9-chica-tan-formal-respectable/867599884?i=867600003
and Deezer:
deezer.com/us/album/7735399
#beat
