The band was also composed of Jon Carroll (keyboards and vocals) and Margot Chapman (vocals). Carroll and Chapman were also married after meeting as members of the group, but later divorced. They had one son, Ben Carroll, who is also a musician.
Their debut was the self-titled Starland Vocal Band, which included "Afternoon Delight". The song was a hit, reaching #1 and the album also charted. They were nominated for five Grammy Awards and won two - Best arrangement (voices) and Best New Act. The follow-up, Rear View Mirror was a failure in comparison, although it was a minor chart entry, spending 13 weeks on the Billboard 200 (reaching a peak of #104).
The band hosted a self-titled variety show that ran on CBS for six weeks in the summer of 1977. David Letterman, then unknown, also participated in the show, as did Mark Russell, Jeff Altman, and Proctor and Bergman.
The band broke up by the early 1980s, unable to match their previous success. Danoff and Nivert divorced shortly afterwards.
Each of the band members has gone on to a solo career.
As recently as 1998 Starland Vocal Band has reunited for a few concerts, often featuring the children of the four original members as vocalists.
California Day
Starland Vocal Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh yes
To be glad to be alive
Like a bee out of the hive
I don't know how I have survived
But here I am (Here I am)
It's a California day (California day)
California weather (California weather)
I feel a whole lot better
California day
There's nothing like the sunshine
To get me out of doors
And I'd paddle you in my canoe
If I could find some oars
Good-bye big time
Hello windchimes
Yea esprit d'corp
It's a California Day (California day)
California weather (California weather)
Take the clouds away (take the clouds away)
I feel a whole lot better
California day
I ran into an old dream I remember well (I remember well)
It used to be a daydream
Now it's beginning to feel so real
California Day
California weather
Take the clouds away
I feel a whole lot better
California
California day
California weather
Take the clouds away
I feel a whole lot better
California day
To be blessed with forgetfulness
Woh yes
To be glad to be alive
Like a bee out of the hive
I don't know how I have survived
But here I am (Oh here I am)
Blown away and gone again
Blown away and gone again
Blown away and gone again
Blown away and gone again
The song "California Day" by Starland Vocal Band is a celebration of living in California, with lyrics that evoke a carefree, breezy lifestyle. The lyrics express an appreciation for the state's warm weather, beautiful scenery, and outdoor activities, as well as a desire for a stress-free life. The opening lines of the song, "To be blessed with forgetfulness, oh yes, to be glad to be alive, like a bee out of the hive," set the tone for a lighthearted and joyful song.
The chorus repeats the refrain "It's a California day" several times, emphasizing the carefree and sunny spirit of the song. The line "Take the clouds away, I feel a whole lot better" suggests that sunshine is a mood booster and that the weather has a significant impact on the singer's emotional state. The song also includes references to outdoor activities like canoeing and wind chimes, as well as a dreamlike quality that suggests the singer is living out a fantasy of idealized California living.
Overall, "California Day" is an upbeat and optimistic song that celebrates the easygoing lifestyle of California and the power of warm weather to make us feel better. It's a nostalgic and wistful ode to a carefree existence without worries, drawing on the beauty and atmosphere that California provided to inspire the words.
Line by Line Meaning
To be blessed with forgetfulness
It's great to be able to forget past mistakes and enjoy the present.
Oh yes
The singer agrees strongly with the previous line.
To be glad to be alive
Feeling grateful for life and all that it has to offer.
Like a bee out of the hive
Feeling free and unencumbered like a bee outside of its hive.
I don't know how I have survived
Uncertainty about how they've made it this far, but still grateful to be here.
But here I am (Here I am)
Acknowledging their presence and the fact that they're still alive.
It's a California day (California day)
Describing the beautiful weather and setting of California.
California weather (California weather)
Reinforcing the fact that it's a beautiful day in California.
Take the clouds away (take the clouds away)
Expressing the joy that comes with the absence of clouds in the sky.
I feel a whole lot better
Feeling great due to the beautiful weather and setting.
There's nothing like the sunshine
Describing the wonderful feeling that comes with being in the sun.
To get me out of doors
The sunshine is a great motivator for them to go outside and enjoy nature.
And I'd paddle you in my canoe
If circumstances were different, the singer would love to take someone on a canoe ride.
If I could find some oars
Acknowledging that they don't currently have the necessary equipment to go on a canoe ride.
Good-bye big time
Leaving behind the high-pressure and fast-paced lifestyle of the city.
Hello windchimes
Welcoming the peaceful and calming sound of windchimes in the quiet Californian setting.
Yea esprit d'corp
Expressing a feeling of liveliness and liveliness of spirit that comes with being in California.
I ran into an old dream I remember well (I remember well)
Recalling an old dream that they used to have and that still brings them joy.
It used to be a daydream
The dream they recall was once just a fleeting thought, but now it feels more tangible.
Now it's beginning to feel so real
Describing the feeling of the old dream becoming more tangible and achievable.
Blown away and gone again
Ending the song with a repetition of the refrain that expresses how the singer is carried away by the beauty and tranquility of California.
Writer(s): DANOFF WILLIAM T
Contributed by Ava V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MikeBlitzMag
For my money, California Day and Hail Hail Rock And Roll are even more stellar examples of vocal harmony euphoria than the obvious 45 that preceded them. We really, really didn't know just how good we had it. Ah, hindsight.......
StarlandandMore
Thanks ,right there with you