Creeque Alley
The Magic Time Travelers Lyrics
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Just to leave the folk music behind
Zal and Denny workin' for a penny
Tryin' to get a fish on the line
In a coffee house Sebastian sat
And after every number they'd pass the hat
McGuinn and McGuire just a-gettin' higher
In L.A., you know where that's at
Zally said "Denny, you know there aren't many
Who can sing a song the way that you do, let's go south"
Denny said "Zally, golly, don't you think that I wish
I could play guitar like you"
Zal, Denny and Sebastian sat (At the Night Owl)
And after every number they'd pass the hat
McGuinn and McGuire still a-gettin higher
In L.A., you know where that's at
And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass
When Cass was a sophomore, planned to go to Swarthmore
But she changed her mind one day
Standin' on the turnpike, thumb out to hitchhike
"Take me to New York right away"
When Denny met Cass he gave her love bumps
Called John and Zal and that was the Mugwumps
McGuinn and McGuire couldn't get no higher
But that's what they were aimin' at
And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass
Mugwumps, high jumps, low slumps, big bumps
Don't you work as hard as you play
Make up, break up, everything is shake up
Guess it had to be that way
Sebastian and Zal formed the Spoonful
Michelle, John, and Denny gettin' very tuneful
McGuinn and McGuire just a-catchin' fire
In L.A., you know where that's at
And everybody's gettin' fat except Mama Cass
Di-di-di-dit dit dit di-di-di-dit, whoa
Broke, busted, disgusted, agents can't be trusted
And Mitchy wants to go to the sea
Cass can't make it, she says we'll have to fake it
We knew she'd come eventually
Greasin' on American Express cards
It's low rent, but keeping out the heat's hard
Duffy's good vibrations and our imaginations
Can't go on indefinitely
And California dreamin' is becomin' a reality
"Creeque Alley" by The Magic Time Travelers is a retrospective song that tells the story of the formation and early struggles of the folk-rock group, The Mamas & The Papas.
The song begins by introducing John and Mitchy, who are feeling restless and eager to move on from their folk music background. Meanwhile, Zal and Denny are working hard to make ends meet, trying to catch a break in the music industry. The reference to a coffee house implies that all these musicians were part of the thriving folk scene in California at the time. Sebastian, most likely referring to John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful, would perform at the same venue and they would pass around a hat for donations after their performances. McGuinn and McGuire, members of The Byrds, are mentioned as they consistently sought new musical experiences and possibly experimented with drugs in the artistic hub of Los Angeles. Mama Cass, known for her powerful voice, is noted as the only one becoming overweight.
The second paragraph highlights the admiration and camaraderie between the musicians. Zally (nickname for John Phillips) acknowledges Denny's unique singing style and suggests they head south to pursue new opportunities. However, Denny, showing humility, expresses his desire to play guitar like Zally. All four musicians, including Sebastian, gather at the Night Owl, another coffee house, and continue to perform together, with their hat being passed around for donations. The mention of McGuinn and McGuire still striving to reach higher can be interpreted as a metaphor for their ambition to make successful music in L.A.
Moving on, the song shifts its focus to Mama Cass' beginnings. Though she had initially planned to attend Swarthmore College, she has a change of heart and hitchhikes to New York in hopes of pursuing her musical dreams. It is at this point that Denny meets Cass and introduces her to John and Zal. Together, they form a group called The Mugwumps. However, it is noted that the duo of McGuinn and McGuire aspired for even greater heights and success, as they continued with their music in L.A. while still experimenting with drugs. Once again, Mama Cass is humorously mentioned as the only one gaining weight, contrasting her with the others' slender figures.
The final verse of the song focuses on the formation of The Lovin' Spoonful, with Sebastian and Zal teaming up. Michelle Phillips, John Phillips, and Denny Doherty are also mentioned, as they establish themselves as a harmonious group. McGuinn and McGuire are still mentioned as they continue to gain popularity and fame. The mention of Mama Cass not being able to join them signifies her absence from the group at this time. The last lines of the song suggest that the excitement and dreams of living in California, represented by the phrase "California dreamin'," are becoming a reality for these musicians.
Overall, "Creeque Alley" paints a picture of the struggles, collaborations, and aspirations of these iconic musicians during the early stages of their careers, highlighting the formation of The Mamas & The Papas and their journey through the thriving music scene in California.
Line by Line Meaning
John and Mitchy were gettin' kind of itchy
John and Mitchy were starting to feel restless and eager for a change
Just to leave the folk music behind
They wanted to move away from folk music and explore other genres
Zal and Denny workin' for a penny
Zal and Denny were struggling to make a living and earn a meager income
Tryin' to get a fish on the line
They were striving to achieve success and recognition in their musical endeavors
In a coffee house Sebastian sat
Sebastian spent his time performing in coffee houses
And after every number they'd pass the hat
After each performance, they would collect money from the audience as payment
McGuinn and McGuire just a-gettin' higher
McGuinn and McGuire were becoming more successful and gaining popularity
In L.A., you know where that's at
This was happening in Los Angeles, a city known for its music scene
And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass
Everyone is struggling financially except for Mama Cass
Zally said 'Denny, you know there aren't many
Zally pointed out that there were not many people
Who can sing a song the way that you do, let's go south'
Who could sing a song as beautifully as Denny, suggesting they should go to the southern regions
Denny said 'Zally, golly, don't you think that I wish
Denny expressed his admiration for Zally's guitar skills
I could play guitar like you'
And wished he possessed similar guitar-playing abilities
When Cass was a sophomore, planned to go to Swarthmore
When Cass was in her second year of college, she had originally intended to attend Swarthmore University
But she changed her mind one day
However, she had a change of heart
Standin' on the turnpike, thumb out to hitchhike
She found herself on the highway, hitchhiking and looking for a ride
'Take me to New York right away'
Cass requested to be taken to New York immediately
When Denny met Cass he gave her love bumps
When Denny met Cass, he instantly developed romantic feelings for her
Called John and Zal and that was the Mugwumps
Denny informed John and Zal about Cass, and they formed a band called the Mugwumps
McGuinn and McGuire couldn't get no higher
McGuinn and McGuire were experiencing a high level of success
But that's what they were aimin' at
That was their goal all along
And no one's gettin' fat except Mama Cass
Everyone is struggling financially except for Mama Cass
Mugwumps, high jumps, low slumps, big bumps
The Mugwumps faced various ups and downs in their journey
Don't you work as hard as you play
Their work was just as challenging as their leisure activities
Make up, break up, everything is shake up
They experienced frequent changes, reconciliations, and upheavals
Guess it had to be that way
They accepted that it was inevitable
Sebastian and Zal formed the Spoonful
Sebastian and Zal established a band called the Spoonful
Michelle, John, and Denny gettin' very tuneful
Michelle, John, and Denny were becoming incredibly skilled and melodic in their music
McGuinn and McGuire just a-catchin' fire
McGuinn and McGuire were becoming explosively popular
In L.A., you know where that's at
This was taking place in Los Angeles, the center of their success
And everybody's gettin' fat except Mama Cass
Everyone is becoming wealthy and successful, except for Mama Cass
Broke, busted, disgusted, agents can't be trusted
Financially struggling, disappointed, and betrayed by unreliable agents
And Mitchy wants to go to the sea
Mitchy desires to escape and go to the ocean
Cass can't make it, she says we'll have to fake it
Cass is unable to attend, suggesting they will have to pretend or deceive others
We knew she'd come eventually
They were confident that she would eventually join them
Greasin' on American Express cards
Using American Express cards excessively or dishonestly
It's low rent, but keeping out the heat's hard
It may be a cheap option, but avoiding trouble or scrutiny is challenging
Duffy's good vibrations and our imaginations
Duffy's positive energy and creative ideas
Can't go on indefinitely
Cannot continue without end
And California dreamin' is becomin' a reality
Their dreams of success in California are starting to come true
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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