McKenzie grew up in North Carolina and Virginia, where he became friends with the son of one of his mother's friends, John Phillips. In the mid 1950s, he sang briefly with Tim Rose in a high school group called The Singing Strings, and later, with Phillips, Mike Boran and Bill Cleary, he helped form a doo wop band, The Abstracts. In New York, The Abstracts became The Smoothies and recorded two singles with Decca Records, produced by Milt Gabler.
In 1961 Phillips and McKenzie met Dick Weissman and formed The Journeymen, which recorded three albums for Capitol Records. After the Journeymen disbanded in 1964, the members discussed forming a group called The Mamas & the Papas. McKenzie wanted to perform on his own, so Phillips formed the group with Denny Doherty, Cass Elliot and Michelle Phillips, his second wife. The group soon moved to California. Two years later, McKenzie followed from New York and signed with Lou Adler's Ode Records. Phillips wrote and produced "San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)" for McKenzie, which was released in 1967. Phillips played guitar on the recording and Michelle Phillips played bells. It became a top-five smash in the United States and a number one hit in many other countries in the world.
"San Francisco" became a hippie anthem in the United States and was popular around the world. It was played during the Summer of Love in San Francisco. McKenzie followed it with "Like An Old Time Movie", also written and produced by Phillips, which was a minor hit. His first album, The Voice of Scott McKenzie was followed with an album called Stained Glass Morning. He stopped recording about that time in the early-1970s and lived in Joshua Tree, California and Virginia Beach.
In 1986, McKenzie started singing with a new version of The Mamas and the Papas. In 1988 he co-wrote the Beach Boys hit "Kokomo" with Phillips, Mike Love and Terry Melcher; the song featured in the hit Tom Cruise movie Cocktail. In 1998 he retired from the road version of The Mamas and Papas.
McKenzie died on August 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA.
What's The Difference
Scott McKenzie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get out of bed, I got somethin' to say
Pack up a toothbrush, sneak down your stairway
You got no reason you should stay.
Hey, what's the difference if we don't come back?
Who's gonna miss us in a year or so?
Nobody knows us for the things we've been thinkin'
Hey, friend, wake up, I'm throwin' rocks at your window pane
Don't wake your friends, they'll probably start to cry
You leave behind all the dreams they have planned for you
Don't worry, friends, they'll know why.
What's the difference if we don't come back?
Who's gonna miss us in a year or so?
Nobody knows us for the things we've been thinkin'
So what's the difference if we go?
What's the difference if we go?
What's the difference if we go?
The lyrics of "What's the Difference (Chapter II)" by Scott Mckenzie tell a story of two friends who feel trapped and unfulfilled in their lives, and are contemplating leaving without saying goodbye to anyone. The singer is urging their friend not to hesitate and to leave everything behind, even the plans that their friends may have had for their future. They question the value of staying if nobody knows or understands them or what they've been thinking about. The chorus repeats the phrase "What's the difference if we go?", which serves as a rhetorical question about the meaning and purpose of their current situation.
The song can be interpreted as a deeply introspective and melancholic reflection on the human condition, where the search for identity and meaning is contrasted with the feeling of isolation and miscommunication. The use of rocks and windows as a metaphor for the act of waking up and taking action, as well as the passing of time and memory, adds a touch of poeticism to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, friend, wake up, I'm throwin' rocks at your window pane
I am trying to wake you up by throwing rocks at your window pane, my dear friend.
Get out of bed, I got somethin' to say
I want you to get out of bed because I have something important to share with you.
Pack up a toothbrush, sneak down your stairway
Bring your toothbrush and sneak out of the house without alerting anyone.
You got no reason you should stay.
There's no reason for you to stay here anymore.
Hey, what's the difference if we don't come back?
What's the point of worrying about not coming back?
Who's gonna miss us in a year or so?
No one will miss us after a year or so.
Nobody knows us for the things we've been thinkin'
Nobody knows us for the thoughts we've been having.
So what's the difference if we go?
So, what's the point in staying if we can leave?
Don't wake your friends, they'll probably start to cry
Don't awaken your friends, or they'll likely cry.
You leave behind all the dreams they have planned for you
You will abandon all the plans and aspirations they had for you.
Don't worry, friends, they'll know why.
Don't fret, your friends will understand why.
What's the difference if we don't come back?
What does it matter if we never return?
Who's gonna miss us in a year or so?
No one will miss us a year or so from now.
Nobody knows us for the things we've been thinkin'
No one is aware of the thoughts that we have been pondering.
So what's the difference if we go?
So, what's the point in remaining if we have the chance to leave?
What's the difference if we go?
What does it matter if we choose to leave?
What's the difference if we go?
What is the difference if we decide to go?
Writer(s): Scott Mckenzie
Contributed by Ethan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
joe gongora
A fantastic song even though it's the 1st time I've heard this one before. This song definitely is a great sounding song. Thanks for sharing this with us because it's a great Folk Song. Who knows perhaps Folk Music & Psychedelic Music might make a comeback one day. Who knows if things might be Far-Out!
Brian J. Mack
I was the Fifties and Sixties music freak. Older brothers so at 4 heard on the Radio Big Bopper, Buddy Holly etc. Sixties became an acid head, legal at that time, and heard this song on a jukebox, 45 rpm B side to SanFrancisco Flowers in Your Hair. I played th3 song every time I went into the Rockaway NY beach bars. Could never find the record or song until last year on the internet. Now, I listen to it every night again. Love the 45 mono version. Thank you.
Liz Doyle
ONE OF THE BEST SONGS EVER 🌟🌟⭐🌟⭐⭐🌟🌟🌟
SCOTT⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘ McKenzie⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
Linda Stoakes
I love this song the 60s were the best x
Mr. Mike
This is early 70s but Ian has many other great songs from the 1970s as well.
VICTOR JORGE JORGE
I will love this song until I'm gone.
Ian Millar
Great song, actually bought the single. What a vocalist. Lol from Glasgow.
Maria alves
Música linda e relaxante
Pierce Ryan
Excellent song to enjoy..Oui.
World Hallo
ahhhhh, very nice…. One day I got a lot of naked EP (so those were nearly trash)and I had also Japanese press version of this. The “side B” was so wrecked even I couldn’t play till end but I was sure that’s good shit to me. Yes, now I’m sure that was time capsule from 60s. Thanks a lot.