Starland Vocal Band is an American rock band, known primarily for "Afternoo… Read Full Bio ↴Starland Vocal Band is an American rock band, known primarily for "Afternoon Delight", one of the biggest singles in 1976. The group began as Fat City, a husband/wife duo of Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert.

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.

Starland
Starland Vocal Band Lyrics

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To be blessed with forgetfulness
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
And it's a

California Day

California weather
Take the clouds away

I'll 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
Goodbye big time, hello wind chimes
Yea, esprit de corps
It's a

California Day
California weather
Take the clouds away
I'll feel a whole lot better
California Day

I ran into an old dream
I remember well
It used to be a daydream
Not it's beginning to feel so real

California Day
California weather
Take the clouds away
I'll feel a whole lot better
California Day

To be blessed with forgetfulness
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
Blown away and gone again

Overall Meaning

The song "California Day" by Starland Vocal Band is a joyful, upbeat celebration of the California lifestyle. The opening lines, "To be blessed with forgetfulness, To be glad to be alive, Like a bee out of the hive, I don't know how I have survived," evoke a sense of carefree abandon and suggest that perhaps the singer has left behind a more stressful or difficult life and found solace in the sunny California weather. The chorus, "California Day, California weather, Take the clouds away, I'll feel a whole lot better," reinforces this idea, emphasizing the restorative power of the sun.

The second verse introduces the idea of outdoor adventure, with the lines "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." The imagery of canoeing on a calm, clear river is a perfect metaphor for the tranquil, idyllic quality of life in California. The reference to wind chimes and esprit de corps further emphasizes the idea of community and togetherness that is often associated with California culture.

The closing lines, "I ran into an old dream, I remember well, It used to be a daydream, Not it's beginning to feel so real," suggest that the singer has found a new level of fulfillment and happiness in California, perhaps even achieving a long-held ambition or life goal.

Overall, "California Day" is a sunny, optimistic celebration of the California lifestyle, with its focus on the healing power of nature and the joys of outdoor adventure.

Line by Line Meaning

To be blessed with forgetfulness
To be fortunate enough to forget the difficult parts of life

To be glad to be alive
To be joyous about the fact of being alive

Like a bee out of the hive
Like a bee enjoying the freedom outside of the colony

I don't know how I have survived
Unsure about how one has made it through tough times

But here I am
However, here I still am

And it's a California Day
A beautiful, sunny day in California

California weather
The West Coast's breathtaking weather

Take the clouds away
The sun clears the sky of clouds

I'll feel a whole lot better
One will feel much happier

There's nothing like the sunshine
Nothing quite compares to the warmth and brightness of the sun

To get me out of doors
To inspire one to get outside